Home Decorating Tips

Furniture Placement

• What your mom told you about making a good first impression is true, even with inanimate objects.  If the view from a doorway includes looking at the backs of chairs and dressers, or rows of uninviting furniture pushed up against the walls, a visitor won’t feel welcomed in.
• Use balance to bring a designed feel to a room.  To achieve balance, draw an imaginary line through the room and balance the furniture placed in each half.
• The traffic pattern is probably the most important factor to consider in furniture placement.  You should be able to enter and move about the room, getting to and from the most used items with ease.
• If you have the space, furniture moved to the middle of the room, instead of against the walls can create a great traffic pattern, as well as being warm an inviting.
• Allow 24 to 30 inches between furnishings for walking, (18 inches between sofa and coffee table) and be careful not to obstruct doors or windows.  Keep chairs and sofas no more than 8 feet apart for easy conversing.
• Rooms are more inviting if they are not overfilled with furniture.  If you have a piece that is too large, or is seldom used, consider moving it to another room, storing it, or selling it.

Focal Points

• A room should have a focal point.  It can be a fixed element, like a fireplace or a picture window, or a non-fixed element, like a favorite piece of art or furniture.  If you have a room with two or more things that compete for attention, such as a bedroom with a fireplace, you may choose to pick one and downplay the other.  If you want to highlight the fireplace, even though the bed is larger and more imposing, you can dress the bed simply while placing an eye-catching arrangement on the mantel.
• If a room lacks an obvious focal point, create one.  Choose to showcase your collectibles, a quilt or piece of art.  Add an artificial fireplace or a mirror.  Accent this focal point with lighting and anchor it with a piece of furniture such as a table, sofa, or a bookcase.
• Live in a great setting?  Create a focal point of your view by leaving a window free of heavy window treatments.

Color

• If you have patterned furniture, a rug, or large piece of artwork, pick colors you like from the pattern.  Choose a neutral wall color from the pattern’s lighter colors and secondary accents from the rest.
• Choose colors that you love.  Take a look at your closet for inspiration.  What colors do you wear the most often?  Even if your favorite is too bright for a wall color, pick a complimentary neutral for the wall and accent in the bright shade.  In contrast, don’t choose colors you don’t look good in, or you won’t want to spend time in the room.
• An accent color is a color that stands apart from any of the other colors within a room. Accent colors appear less frequently in a color scheme but, as a result, often have the greatest effect. Used wisely, they are excellent for highlighting architecture and furnishings within a space.
• Try the 60-30-10 concept.  Use 60% of the main color, 30% of a secondary color, and 10% of an accent color when decorating your room.
• Add accent colors in layers by using accessories like a sofa throw, tablecloth, china, pillows, or a lampshade.
• A light flooring color will draw the floor up to the eye, while a darker floor tone will drop it away from your eye. If you have low ceilings or want to increase the visual height of your room, add a deeper floor color.

Above All, Make Your Own Statement

Remember that your home is an expression of who you are and your personality should shine through.  Don’t just copy pictures from magazines or the latest look from a TV home show.  If you design rooms with your lifestyle in mind, that you will be comfortable living in, you can’t go wrong!