If you’re an interior decorator, you’ve probably been around the block and know the possibilities one can entertain when approaching a blank space to furnish. However, a novice might not yet have a full understanding or grasp of what can accent a room in subtle yet highly effective ways. This will be the subject of discussion here, and hopefully you’ll come away with some great ideas to get you going on your own personal design project.
Think About Texture
Think about texture. Texture is one of the most important yet often overlooked elements to physical design, to sculpture, to photography. What textures are captured in a single piece of furniture or a house exterior? When you really think about it, texture is what makes things exciting, what gives things their character, and what elicits recognition of time period, quality of product, and so forth. If everything was always just smooth and shiny, things would be pretty boring. Likewise, a matte, lightly mottled texture is going to be boring if everything is that way. Hence you see on a single bottle of shampoo, for example, slightly raised and rough matte text to contrast with the clear, smooth body of the bottle, combined with Braille-like but pleasant-to-touch bumps for grip on the bottle’s sides. All these elements were carefully thought out to communicate the idea of either a masculine or feminine, high-end or low-end product.
Translating To Interior Design
This translates directly to interior design. The sofas that you choose might have a luxurious micro-suede or have a playful weft and warp to their upholstery that reads as “casual California den.” The sofa might even be multi-textured, meaning the armrests could be grommeted while the upholstery itself feels smooth when rubbed one way and rough when rubbed in the opposite direction. These textures might be referencing a certain period in history where certain manufacturing practices were popularized such that they later became aesthetic commodities. Because we deal in visual and tactile currency so frequently, these elements become of utmost importance when you’re trying to create the “story” of the room.
Choosing The Right Curtain Rods
Whether a room is romanticized or utilitarian, fantasy-inspired or prim and fussy, it’s all about choosing just the right decorative curtain rods, or accent carpets, or floor lamps. Every detail comes into play, which make it all the more important that you decide on and stick to the specifics of the “story” you’re trying to tell, lest the room become visually over-stimulating. Hence, keep your story clear, focused, and defined. This doesn’t mean you can’t have multiple influences; just be sure that things like curtain hardware all reference the same idea behind the drapes, which refer to the carpets, which refer to the coffee tables, and so on.
Eric Blair writes about interior design elements and design curtains from www.designerdraperyhardware.com that are used to make almost any room look nice.