To make the process a bit easier, here are some important tips that will help you create a room that works. Keep them in mind during the decorating process and try to incorporate as many as possible into your space.
- If a room has three or more pairs of anything - side tables, chairs, lamps, etc. -put one half of one of the pairs away. Too many pairs of anything starts to look stiff and formulaic. Symmetry can be a good thing but you don't want to overdo it, even in a formal room.
- Put an element of nature in every room. It can be a grasscloth rug, a rattan basket, a piece of wood furniture or a vase of flowers.
- Get rid of any pieces of furniture that you're too afraid to sit on or use. Make your home comfortable, accessible and safe. Delicate chairs that are too fragile to sit on or to display items on have no place in a residential home.
- Patterns create interest so add a few throughout a room. You don't need a lot to get the effect. A scatter rug, throw pillows, a small upholstered piece – use as much or as little as you like. Just be sure to include something.
- Repetition is an age old design technique. Repeat colors and patterns throughout rooms in different ways. If you've got a gold accent piece add a bit of gold somewhere else. Patterned curtains? Include a throw pillow in the same fabric on a couch or chair.
- A combination of textures like leather, linen and velvet creates depth – particularly with a neutral color palette. This goes for hard materials as well as soft. Use a mix of metal, wood, and other materials. When everything is the same texture the room can look very flat.
- A room isn't complete without window treatments. You can use shutters, blinds, drapes, shades – whatever. If you've got a great view and you don't want to cover it up choose something really simple, but don't leave them bare.
- Use an area rug to define a seating arrangement. If you're having trouble placing your furniture a rug can really help.
- Don't forget the walls. Artwork is vital to adding personality to a space. You don't have to spend a lot of money in order to do it. A framed piece of fabric or wallpaper can be enough.
- Don't try to make a room look perfect. Perfect isn't livable.
Check out these other articles for more important tips on furniture placements, styling tips, and important things NOT to do. By following these tips you'll find it's a lot easier than you thought to create a room that works well for your home and your lifestyle.