Later in life, as adults, many of us walk around in creative straitjackets, terrified of having an opinion for fear of being wrong. When choosing furniture, we usually feel safe always combining the wood finishes and the colors of the fabrics. Our walls very often end up painted white, the “default color” chosen by those who fear choosing the wrong color. White walls can be quite beautiful; but never when they are there as an “omit”.
Having carefully (and nervously) chosen the elements of the room, we exhale, relieved that this stressful process is over; only to find out on delivery day that our new room looks no better than the one it replaced.
This is because it is the room that FEAR designed. And that’s why so many people turn to professional designers for help.
Every good designer shares the same basic goals when starting to design a room. Results, from designer to designer, will vary, of course.
There is never just one way to design a room. Each designer, each client, has a personal point of view. However, there will be this in common: the search for balance, proportion, scale and a variety of patterns and/or textures, which will bring the room to life.
If you’ve decided to go it alone and try to achieve the “WOW Factor” on your own, remember: you’re less likely to make a fatal mistake by taking chances than by playing it safe. Relax by looking at some shelter magazines as well as some fashion magazines. Consider the combinations of fabrics and textures used in clothing and rooms. Even a room that at first seems very simple, executed in various whites, on closer inspection will show a wide variety of fabrics and surfaces, and perhaps various wood finishes. Other rooms are even more complex in their composition of patterns, textures, and colors. Browse these rooms and learn from them. Pick two that resonate with you and see if you can “tear them apart”; Visualize a sample of each of these fabrics in front of you. Sometimes even I can’t believe these individual tissues can come together so successfully, and yet they do. This is proof positive that you don’t need to be so shy about making your own decisions. Check out the following guide for some of the many textures you can incorporate into your room design:
Glossy Matte Rough
glass leather bark
Mirror Wood Tweeds
nickel silk sisal
Satin velvet slippers
Mohair Matelasse Granite
Brass Cashmere Hand Woven
Here’s a tip to keep in mind when faced with making decisions:
Look for a variety of textures and surfaces. For example, let’s say you’ve chosen a black leather sofa. You have decided that your walls are going to be a medium tobacco shade. There are now two established matte surfaces in your room, just begging for some variety. So add two beautiful shimmering mercury glass lamps (glossy) and place them on two mid-tone (matte) wood end tables. Now you choose a sisal area rug (Rough) and fall in love with oversized mushroom satin accent pillows (Brilliant), which provide a rich contrast to the matte black leather of the sofa. There are no rules here.
It’s all “feel”, see? Now choose a coffee table that is glass on a pewter base (shiny and rough). Did the table have to be metal and glass?
Of course not. It just “felt” good. In this room we have achieved a great variety of textures. The finishing touch is a handwoven blanket in a cable knit of charcoal gray tweed (Rough).
Get the idea? There is no fear here!
As for the pattern, it will help you to follow this guide:
When mixing patterns, generally think in terms of small, medium, and large scale patterns used together. Chances are you won’t use more than three, maybe fewer, patterns in a room. If you wanted to combine up to twelve, that would be fine, but it will be much more complicated and better left to a professional. Pick a small-scale pattern, one that looks more like a texture versus the other two. The midscale pattern could be a stripe or plaid, which would add structure. The large-scale pattern can be floral or geometric, or a free-form abstract, depending on the room. Trust your eye (and your gut) to guide you.
Make sure there is a common color that appears in each pattern. It doesn’t have to be an exact match. Let’s say you’re crazy about golden yellows and you find three patterns that fit the above criteria, and all three have yellow of a similar hue. Stand back and let your eye determine if the three yellow ones are “talking” to each other. Many companies do this for you when compiling their collections, but it’s not limited to pre-coordinated fabrics.
Trust your eye!
Remember: variety is what gives your room energy and excitement.
You may or may not be a “model person.” Patterned fabrics disappeared for a while and solid colors dominated the fashion and interior design scene. Now the prints are back, in full force. Your preferences are very personal and there are many options to suit all tastes. Work with solids if that’s your thing, but be sure to energize the room with interesting textures.
Eliminate the fear and terrible rooms it produces, and be confident in the “correctness” of mixing patterns and textures!
karen s
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