Decorating Tips – Basics
By Michelle Samar
Paint
The most impact for your dollar is paint. You will instantly create a mood depending on your choice. Dark colors don’t necessarily make a room appear smaller. They make an area inviting and cozy. Light colors are best for rooms and halls with little natural light because of their ability to reflect.
Buy a quart of paint after bringing home swatches and choosing a color. Proceed to paint a 3’ square area on all walls in the room and observe light variances throughout the day. You may be shocked at the changes in appearance! If the color isn’t what you’ve expected, you’ve invested little in your trial as paint is easily changed. When building a new home, it’s safest to get all cabinetry and flooring in a neutral color because they are expensive to change later. With paint, you can create fantasy rooms that won’t affect resale values later.
Furniture
It’s a myth that small rooms require small furniture. A few well placed large scale items can make a small room appear larger while using many small pieces will make it seem cluttered and cramped.
Try not to “line” walls with furniture. A couple of furniture groupings pulled away from the walls create a more inviting atmosphere and also encourage conversation areas.
Re-use and recycle what you already own. Furniture is the largest expense in the home. Sometimes a sofa may need a simple slipcover and fresh toss pillows to bring it up to speed.
Wood furniture is easily updated by using designer paints, stains and finishes for a custom look - at a not so custom price!
Accessories
Other than paint, these are the items that have the most impact in a home. They reflect your personality and style and are a major element in creating an overall effect or theme.
Pictures
Hang art lower to make a room seem larger. Buy art large enough to fill a specified area (i.e. over a couch or dining table). Hang pictures close to the item they are accenting. If a picture is hung too high over a sofa or dresser, it may appear to be “floating” Better to err on the side of lower.
Merchandising
The Art of Displaying & Arranging Items of Interest
When merchandising kitchen cabinet tops, use large items - small accessories with printing on them are too difficult to see and/or read from below. Also, use old books or boxes as risers to add height to your items (make sure these remain unseen). Sometimes crown molding on top of cabinets make your accessories appear to sink if they don’t have something to increase their height. When placing items on a shelf, counter or any surface, keep in mind that odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye. If you have a collection, try to keep it consolidated to one area rather than scattered throughout the home. This way it makes more of an impact and seems more special.
Lighting
To create a more intimate atmosphere, try using table lamps more often than switching on the overhead light. Using up-lights on floor plants will give a dramatic effect from the silhouettes of the leaves.
Miscellaneous
Choosing a color scheme for an “open concept home” (like many homes here in
Although a home should have some cohesive quality (i.e. color, style, etc), a child’s room is the exception - these rooms should reflect the child’s wants, needs, and personalities. Feel free to make these spaces “Fantasy Rooms!”
When decorating children’s rooms, try to come up with a theme or color scheme (i.e. garden cottage or safari adventure) rather that using popular children’s characters. This way children won’t tire of the room quickly and it will grow with him or her.
When hanging a “Family Portrait Gallery Wall,” keep frames in the same color & Style. Common denominators ease the eye when dealing with multiple pictures.
Remember: Decorating should be an expressive pleasure. This is your home and you should create yourself a castle!! Don’t get bogged down with details (allow me) or try to “just get it done.” Your home is an ever evolving project and any respectable designer will tell you that “No House is Ever Done!” ENJOY!!!
