Creating a focal point within a room gives the space more drama. A great focal point will give a room the ta da! that may be lacking. Take this fabulous Dulux Paints photo, which touts a great feature wall. The 2012-2013 Dulux colour forecast colours of Wayward Grey, Design Metallic and Lexicon White provide a ton of personality to the space. The co-ordinating accents make the space cohesive.
There are many simple ways to create dramatic focus in any room in your home. As was done in our feature photo, paint is an affordable DIY product that can be used in many ways to create a great look.
For example, the same colours used in our feature room could be used to create a linear look by painting wide bands of horizontal colour instead of a checkerboard effect. Keep your chosen colours in the same colour family to avoid an overpowering outcome. If, for example, the checkerboard were red, orange and green? Well, need I say more? The pattern itself should dictate the amount of contrast you require.
In the bedroom, use paint to create a focal wall behind the headboard. Use a floor-to-ceiling splash of colour to create drama with height. You could also go modern and paint a large geometric shape over the bed. A large circle or triangle in the right colour might be a great choice for a teens room, for instance.
If you dont want to paint or cant paint because youre renting, you can still create a great focal point without a lot of fuss. A piece of fabric in a great colour can be hung on the wall behind the headboard to provide the same effect. If the checkerboard pattern is to your liking, consider creating a similar look with fabric, several painted canvases (or one large canvas painted with a checkerboard design) or even painted card stock.
There are many ways to create a focal point in a room using accessories. Wall displays are a great way to use what you have to create a feature wall. A wall filled with framed family photos will definitely be an eye catcher.
Go big! Build your display until its almost floor to ceiling and end to end. You can mix and match frame shapes, colours and sizes to create an eclectic look or purchase matching frames for a more cohesive look. This technique can be stunning at the end of a long hallway or on a stairway wall. If you dont have enough framed photos then mix in other items such as a clock, shelves, framed mirrors or interesting architectural salvage items.
The purpose of a focal point is to catch the eye. The scale of the focal point is usually the main factor. For example, the photo wall display mentioned above isnt really about the photos, those are secondary. Its the scale of the display that is the focus.
Any large collection can be used in a similar fashion. A wall display of vintage hats, vintage serving platters, musical instruments or what-have-you can be displayed on the wall to create a focal point.
Furniture placement can be used to create a focal point in a room. An upright piano, for instance, by its very size could be a focal point. Add a decorative display to the piano top to cement the look. A beautiful china cabinet flanked by two large potted plants or topiaries might do the trick in a dining room. Two wingback chairs flanking a large picture window might work in a den or living room. Symmetry is what is at play here. Creating a symmetrical display is another simple way to create a focal point in any room.
Along with scale, colour can be used to create an eye-catching feature. If you happen to have a large colourful textile, such as an Oriental rug, vintage quilt etc in the home, hang it on your intended wall to create a focal point.
Natural elements such as built in bookcases can make great focal points. Paint them in a bright colour to enhance the overall display. Once the shelves are filled with books and accessories the vivid colour will be muted just enough to catch the eye without being overwhelming.
Which wall?
In general, the focal wall is the first wall you see when entering a room. It doesnt have to be this wall if your room layout doesnt work within these parameters. You can change the focal point by how you decorate.
In the bedroom, for instance, if the first wall you see has a great picture window but the head of your bed is on the opposite wall you can change the focus by downplaying the window wall and creating more visual interest at the head of the bed. A simple window treatment in a neutral colour will be elegant but unassuming which will allow the wall at the head of the bed to become the focal wall.
Competing focal walls can be overwhelming in any room so beef up your intended focus and downplay competing areas.
Give your room some added personality with a great focal wall.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
