Last week I was working with clients in the store trying to pick out an upholstered bed. They had beautiful pearlescent ivory grasscloth wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries already selected for the walls. Gorgeous and very glamorous. Clearly the star of the room, since it was going to be on all four walls. But since they had already committed to the paper, that options for furniture were off the table. A patterned fabric on headboard was not going to work. A luxe velvet? Now we're talking.
Interior design, much like cooking, is all about balance. Have you ever had a meal that looked amazing and list of ingredients had everything you love, but the taste is "meh"? Two big reasons for this: 1. not everything plays nicely together and 2. the balance of different elements is key.
Take this room at left, for example. It was a living room I designed years ago for a client. The balance works beautifully for a few reasons.
The carved wood is clearly the star of the show. The hand carved bench and tables were a wedding gift and beloved by the client. It made sense to feature them. The main color in the patterned rug repeats the upholstery color, creating unity and thereby not competing with the carved wood. Note the window treatment; we matched it to the wall color so it would compliment the space but again, not contrast too much.
Take this room at left, for example. It was a living room I designed years ago for a client. The balance works beautifully for a few reasons.
- Repeated elements like color and wood tone
- Pattern restricted to the rug and toss pillows.
- Some black to give the eye a place to rest.
The carved wood is clearly the star of the show. The hand carved bench and tables were a wedding gift and beloved by the client. It made sense to feature them. The main color in the patterned rug repeats the upholstery color, creating unity and thereby not competing with the carved wood. Note the window treatment; we matched it to the wall color so it would compliment the space but again, not contrast too much.
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