Are you afraid to call a designer because they’ll see that you don’t have an eye for décor?  It’s common to hear someone on a decorating TV show say, “Anyone who can put an outfit together can put a room together.”  Well, that’s simply not true. For one thing, there are usually 3-8 components to a person’s daily attire.  There are dozens and dozens of components included when putting together a room that functions efficiently AND is beautiful.  In fact, if you walk into almost any home in America today, you’ll find that they might be able to use at least one, and probably more of the steps shared in this blog entry.

Steps to Success:

1. Figure out where the focal point of your room will be/is: the fireplace in your family room?  The bed in your master bedroom?  The table in your dining room? The view out your great room window?  Usually the bigger the architectural feature/furniture piece, the more your eye will land on it. 

2.Once you’ve got the focal point in mind, then arrange your largest pieces of furniture so that the focal point is featured.  You also need to consider traffic patterns, so that you don’t interfere with a person’s natural movement from one space to another.

3. Arrange your furniture so that pieces aren’t hugging the walls.  It’s counter-intuitive to think that the room will look bigger if you place furniture away from the walls, yet it is true. (One caveat is the bed in a bedroom- “anchor” the headboard to a wall = good feng shui.) The room will be more inviting to your guests if the furniture is at least a few inches from any wall.

4. If you have wood floors, then you’re probably going to want to get a rug.  Why?  Because it defines a space and helps to create warmth and character.  Once you’ve figured out your seating area in a living/great/family/dining room, then figure out how large your rug needs to be.  Your furniture arrangement should all fit on top of that rug.  Worst case scenario, at least the front legs should all fit on top of the rug.  Often times people will try to get by with a smaller rug, and the result is that the entire space looks ill-proportioned.  And yes, a larger rug will cost more.  While a 5’x7’ rug is 35 sf, an 8’x10’ rug is 80 sf (more than twice the size & cost) and a 9’x12’ is 108 sf (or 35% larger than an 8’x10’ rug.)  It’s an investment. However, consider a neutral choice that’s not too light or too dark, so it won’t show soil and will last for at least 15 years.  (When we say “neutral” we don’t mean solid color- that would likely be pretty boring.) 

5 . Coordinate the colors, finishes and fixtures together.  Select the major elements first: rug(s) $$$, window coverings $$$$, upholstered furniture $$$ and larger pieces $$ of furniture like the dining table or bed frame.  This will take a majority of your budget, but that is the best plan to achieve a cohesive décor!

6 . In terms of decision-making, determine the wall paint colors last.  There are about a billion paint colors, and it’s far easier to match paint to a color scheme than the other way around.  Slow down and avoid selecting paint at the hardware/paint store! Those little tiny squares of varying tints, tones and shades aren’t enough to tell what a whole wall or a whole room is going to look like.  Once you’ve narrowed the color down to 3 or 4 selections, buy a sample size of each and paint each on a section of the wall.  A swatch 12” x 12” will give you a much better idea of what it’s going to look like.  Pay attention to the look in the morning and in the evening.

7 . Remember that your room needs several types of lighting: ambient, task and accent.  Relying on a single overhead light centered in the room will leave the room appearing one dimensional and …boring.

8. Hang the bottom of your chandelier about 30” above a dining table.  You want to provide ambient lighting for more than the ceiling. Hang pendants above your kitchen island/peninsula 30-36” above the countertop.  (It depends upon your height and the height of your countertop and ceiling.)

9. As a general rule, hang pictures at eye level.  The average male is 5’10” and the average female is 5’3”.  (Yes, we looked it up.) The average between the two genders, of course is 5’6½”. Think about the height of an average person’s eyes– we’ll say that’s 5’3”:  that’s where the middle of your picture should be placed on the wall, assuming you have a large (say minimally 36” w x 48” t) piece of art.  If you have a grouping, then place the center of the grouping at this height.  That’s true of your entryway and anywhere else where people will be standing to view your art.  If it’s an office, living room, family room, dining room, or bedroom, then you may want to go lower because people will be viewing your art from a sitting position. The bottom of your frame should hang 4-8” above the couch, and should be somewhat smaller than the width of the couch.

What’s striking about this last photo is that this room will seat up to 10 people comfortably, and although a little tight, they managed it.

10 . TMI?  Contact us through this website!  If you are feeling more than a bit overwhelmed by all of this info, then consider this: we offering a special through the month of March, 2021.  We’ll give you 2 hours, split into up to two segments for $300 on either FaceTime or Zoom to virtually assist you with this process in one room.  It’ll be the BEST room in your house!

In conclusion:

Okay, you’ve had your fill this week, yet come back March 14 to get a few more pointers.  Until then….

Have a fabulous day!