Top Ten Decorating Mistakes - #3 Ignoring the Focal Point

Adding the Emphasis!

The focal point of any room is like the exclamation point on a well worded sentance.  Emphasis in interior design is simply enhancing or creating a focal point in the room. A successful focal point immediately draws the eye to a specific point in the design. It does not have to be dynamic in pattern or bold in color because size, color, line, texture, woodwork and ornamental detail can all be used to attract attention.

Below are some of the culprits that detract from a focal point and some of the natural remedies:

The culprits:

• Large furniture that may completely block a focal point

• Too much going somewhere else in the space that detracts from natural focal point

• Busy Décor - too many detractors

• Room Domination - any item in your room that screams for all the attention even though it shouldn't

• Conversation area facing another area of the room

• No defined focal point at all.


The remedy:

• Determine what your focal point is in the room first.  If there isn't a natural focal point, create one.

• A fireplace, a window with a view, a large painting, or a grouping of smaller paintings are all eye-catching, and each can serve as a focal point.

• Create a focal point using color.

• Every room should have a “wow” factor if you don’t have something in the room to highlight, create it.

• Once you have established what the focal point is, play it up.

Picking the Right Paint Color

Today's blog is all about color....the right color. When you take on a new painting project in your home, do you have trouble choosing the perfect paint palette?

A couple of tips to help you establish the right color palette:

• Limit your selections - a color palette should be reflective of your personality and furnishings, but every home needs a primary color pallete that runs through most of the main living spaces. Take cues from your furnishings or artwork you love and choose one main color and preferably no more than two secondary accent colors.
• Be careful not to choose colors that are too garish and bright, unless you want your house to look like a day care. Typically colors that have a gray undertone to them will "read" much more soothing and subdued while still giving that burst of color you want without shocking the eyes.
  

This bachelor pad went from oh so wrong to the perfect palette for him.

• Pay attention to the color of your floor and furnishings. For example, if you have dark wood floors and dark leather furniture, you may not want to paint a dark color unless you are going for a really dark look - such as a media room. If you do, balance that color with other brighter elements in the room. Conversely, you don't want to have your furnishings floating in a see of white or beige either. Add some contrast!
• Get the advice of a professional color consultant such as myself. Choosing color is an emotional decision! You know that you are going to invest time and money in the process of painting, and who wants to paint 3 times to get it right. If you just can't make that decision. Call a professional to come and help with those selections. You will get a personalized color palette that is perfectly suited to your tastes and you will be able to sleep at night knowing you didn't make the wrong choice.

At Interiors Refined, our color consultations start at $75. We have an expert painting crew that will make your home beautiful. They can also handle sheetrock repair and trim carpentry. Color Consultation costs are applied to the cost of painting if you choose to use our painters.

Happy Decorating!