Before you begin your interior decorating project find your room's focal point.
As I'm moving around my new condo I'm a little confused about where to begin decorating. I realized that a large part of this is there is no focal point in the room or there are too many. So if I want to follow one of the basic rules of interior decorating I'm going to have to find one focal point for each room. Something that draws your attention and then lets you eye wander to accessories and matching counter points.
Starting with my living room I've got some interesting points. First of all let's just accept the fact that I moved in only three weeks ago and right now I have just moved my stuff in for convenience. The decorating and futzing around will go on forever. Okay, that in mind, when I bought the place (empty) the fireplace was absolutely the focal point. It's nice and I like the wood mantle. I am a little afraid of fire though, some past bad experiences - again, a big shout out to the Oshkosh Fire Department. So in the back of my fireplace I have placed a mirror and then I purchased seven different sized candles and placed them in the fireplace. When lit they create a beautiful effect and the mirror makes them seem much more full. In fact it actually feels like it emanates heat. This is my focal point.
My problem is my television set in the corner is obviously a focal point as my eyes are attached to it for way too many hours a day. Part of the solution is finances. I need a nice entertainment center, a corner unit that will house the set and then hide it when I have visitors. The correct wood selection will enhance the mantle and should hopefully tie in other elements I hope to add.
My living room does have another focal element, the window. In the spring the cherry trees outside bloom in an amazing pink display that is absolutely breathtaking. Now that the blooms have gone away the ugliness of the window itself is an eye catcher. Again, like the TV, to make this less of a focal point I'll need to have the window repaired, the torn screen replaced and the woodwork cleaned and possibly restained. Not a fun task, but luckily I don't have to replace the whole casement, which would cost me a lot more money than I can afford.
Now to find your own focal point try to come into the room with fresh eyes. What is your eye automatically drawn to? Is it a good think like my fireplace or a bad thing like a TV in the open or an eyesore window? By appropriately hiding and fixing the bad spots you can turn your attention to the good features and really emphasize them.
Once you have a focal point, plan your interior decorating around it. Pick wall colors that compliment or contrast, no matter what affect you're going for, find something that makes that element POP! Look for accessories that are interesting and equally attractive, but not so many that you lose the main feature itself. I have way too much on my mantle right now and really need to clean it up. But I have tall containers of shells on either side that do a good job of drawing your attention to this area yet don't compete with the fireplace.
Once you've accessorized your focal point and painted the room consider adding life. Plants are an obvious choice and can draw attention to features and enhance them without overpowering. Their lush green life can also breath freshness into the space. Then consider your lighting. Light also brings a feeling of life to a room. Spotlighting or feature lights can enhance your main feature, especially if it's a painting or work of art. I have used candles to bring the type of light I want to my living room. If you're focal point is a window let the outside light come streaming into the room, bathing everything in the splendor of your view. Use light and fresh window treatments to further enhance the spectacle.
It doesn't matter what your focal point is, but once you find it you should turn your attention to it and decorate around this feature item. Your room will have a much more unified feel and look and, believe me, your friend and family will notice.
