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Good Decorating: The Do's and Don'ts
When the going gets tough, the tough redecorate. In today's economy,
getting the interior design right is more important than ever. Doing
it up in style means sticking to the time-honored rules for success.
Here are the do's and don'ts that work.
Do's
- Decorating can be a great adventure when you let an expert hold
your hand! Work with a professional interior designer. Even for an
educated consumer, a consultation with a design professional, just
like a meeting with your stockbroker, brings your thinking to another
level. A good designer will help you define, verbalize and make certain
your house reflects your taste. Rely on someone with experience and
you will benefit from a knowledgeable insider who has clout in the
industry and loyal relationships with vendors.
- Know your design style. Good decorating extends and completes the
language of architecture and location. Interior style should be in
sync. Focus on the components of country, contemporary or traditional.
Compile a picture file of appealing rooms from high-end shelter magazines.
- Link styles, periods, colors and materials. Each item in a room
should have a "friend," ~ gilded mirror with a gold tone
lamp.
- Decorate real! Beauty and comfort go hand-in-hand. Lived-in rooms
that function well have underpinnings that include good storage and
"natural" conversation areas. It will only be beautiful
if it is comfortable.
- Put it on paper. Planning is the most important part of the design
process. Don't spend a dime until you have the complete picture well
in hand. Create floor plans showing furniture layout and traffic patterns.
Collect paint and fabric samples. Have written contracts with your
architect, contract and interior designer and develop a realistic
time frame. With this overview you can establish a budget.
- Balance lighting. Each area of a room should be equally lit. Lighting
sources at various height levels are needed: uplights on the floor,
table lamps, wall sconces, high-hats and chandeliers. Dimmers vary
intensity.
- Have wonderful art. Paintings and sculpture give personality and
character to rooms. Consider buying the portfolio of a young, unsung
artist and having it well-framed.
- Pay attention to negative space, the empty areas on walls between
paintings or furnishings. Make these shapes as pleasing as possible.
When hanging a group of related pictures, give as much thought to
the spaces surrounding each picture as you do to choosing the artwork
and framing.
- Details are big! Make your collections, travel treasures, crystal,
family photos, plates, even greenery compelling by grouping them.
Arrange in differing heights. Like a landscape of grass, hedges and
trees, a bell, book and candle work.
Don'ts
- Don't undo the Do's! Sidestep the following pitfalls.
- Don't paint all your walls white. Related colors that flow from
space to space can be more interesting.
- Don't rush out to buy a couch before you plan the whole room. Then,
you have to plan the room around the couch!
- Don't buy chairs or sofas without sitting on them. Comfort is key.
- Don't give in to trends or a year from now what you bought will
be out of style.
- Don't have look-at-me rooms just for show. Make your house activity-rich
by creating a home office, media room and exercise room.
- Don't think small when choosing furniture. Large furniture can give
even a tiny room grandeur.
- Don't accept furniture the way it is. Impact on it. Think about
refinishing, reupholstering or using pieces in new ways ~ a hall stand
used for towels in the bathroom or a cradle as a planter.
- Don't have mirrors reflecting closet doors or dark hallways. Let
them catch the light from a window or a chandelier.
- Don't clutter. Edit your possessions often. Throw out those poinsettias!
Have appropriate seasonal decorative objects: throw pillows, bed linens
and flowering plants.
- No bulky speakers! Built-ins look better and can be designed to
position equipment for maximum sound distribution.
- Cheap fake flowers are out. Use fresh, quality silk, or dried.
- Don't have reproductions of famous art. Everyone knows the Mona
Lisa isn't hanging in your guest bathroom!
- Don't Over-faux. One mural is beautiful.
Done right, furnishing your home beautifully can be most satisfying.
It gives you new energy, harmony and a personal comfort you can't find
anywhere else in the world! Welcome home.
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