These two rooms couldn't be more different. The living room has a calm, soothing atmosphere while the dining room emits a feeling of energy and vibrancy. I chose these two vastly different room styles so we can delve into how to create a specific atmosphere in any room.
Decorating choices all boil down to how a room makes you feel. When you look at décor photos, it's the emotional connection that is paramount in deciding your likes and dislikes. This emotional barometer tells us instantly what our likes and dislikes are, so it's a good gauge to use when decorating your home. Once you have a handle on your basic mood preferences, you've got a good start. How to create said mood is what we'll look at now.
A calm space
If the serene living room photo, courtesy of Dulux Australia, is the style that resonates with you, then you're craving tranquility. This may be the case for any room, not just a living room. There are a few elements that helped to create this minimalist décor. You can follow the same general guidelines to create a serene space in your own home.
The horizontal lines of the furniture, window treatments and paint treatment are a huge calming factor in our sample room. All of these lines draw the eye gently around the room, with no visual distractions such as punches of colour, wall art or tall cabinets. The white coffee table practically blends into the sofa, eliminating another potential visual distraction.
In a bedroom, as another example, you might opt for a platform bed, which has a low profile, and low, horizontal storage units instead of a tall dresser or wardrobe.
The calming two-tone grey wall colours are a great choice for a serene space. The horizontal paint technique provides visual depth without visual distraction. For example, a solid dark grey wall would not be as interesting as the technique used in our sample living room. Colours such as grey, blue and some greens are calming colours, which are good choices for a serene décor.
Note the lack of pattern in the room. The furniture, walls and window treatment are all solid colours. Pattern is great but not for a space in which you want to create a tranquil feeling. If you want to add pattern, it should be subtle.
A soothing room doesn't have to be boring. Using the horizontal paint treatment, adding toss cushions (which carry the muted wall and area-rug colours to the sofa) and incorporating interesting, natural accessories to the coffee table all combine to give this room understated character. The toss cushions also are of varying shapes and textures, which adds additional comfort and visual interest.
Hot and spicy
If the vibrant dining room photo catches your imagination, then you're craving a bit more spice in your home. Our sample dining room has tons of visual movement. The layout of the space itself is chopped up with angles, windows and crown moulding. Highlighting these features with punches of warm colour provides even more visual verve. The eye moves around this room in fits and stops, which is just what you want in a room where you desire visual excitement. This room would definitely inspire lively dinner conversations.
To create a similar feel in your home, you'll want to choose similar elements. A feature wall painted in a hot, spicy colour is a good start. You may find inspiration from a painting, as was the case in our sample room. You should carry your feature colour around the room via accessories, artwork and maybe an area rug, as was done in our sample room.
Note the small touches used to carry the red colour throughout the room. On the table is a plate of red plums, a cake with raspberries at the base and similar coloured flora. On the buffet is a stack of books that includes a book jacket in red as does the casual tote bag sitting on the floor. Way back in the kitchen sits a red bowl that draws your eye to that room. I am pointing out these things to show you can use just about anything as an accessory if it's got the colour you desire. You don't have to run out and purchase a bunch of expensive accessories when you may find what you need in your closets. You might have a tea cup, a vintage record album cover or other off-beat items that can be used as accents if the items have the right colouring.
Lighting is always an important factor in decorating in general but particularly important in helping create a mood. Use dimmer switches when possible so you can create the right ambience any time. Consult a lighting expert to help you choose the right lighting for your home.
Maintaining visual flow
Just because you want a serene bedroom doesn't mean you can't have a spicy kitchen. The basic rule of thumb I follow is that a personal space, like a bedroom, can have a very different décor style than common areas of the home. Common areas such as hallways, the main bathroom, family room and kitchen do need to flow together, so keep this in mind when planning a colour scheme.
If the rooms in your home make you feel good, then your work is done.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
