Decorating Your Designer Home-Part 2

When we think of the 1950’s, the concept of conformity springs to mind. Clothing looked the same, cars looked the same, and houses looked the same. The good news is, 2016 is a long way from those times, and it’s easier than ever for virtually everything to be personalized.  That’s especially true when it comes to you taking the first steps to build your dream home.

At Carr Homes, we’ve learned through the years that the most important aspect of a home is the design process. It’s the time spent taking an environment and making it feel like an extension of yourself. While we all want to do that, getting started can be a little intimidating for some of us. Not to worry, because yesterday we shared with you a few helpful design tips to help you get started. Today, we’d like to share a few more.

• Wallpaper is coming back into design fashion, which is absolutely a good thing due to the huge amount of diversity it can bring to a room. Patterned wallpaper can add a strong element of design to a room, and it can take a bland space and make it pop. With unpatterned wallpaper, that same space can be surrounded with texture and color, which can bring a palpable sense of peace and relaxation.
• If you’re more of a fan of painted walls, remember to utilize certain colors in certain rooms. Red stimulates energy and creativity, which is an ideal color for a family room or dining room when a gathering takes place. Blues are more focused on relaxation and contemplation, which is the perfect feeling to have in a bedroom.
• Remember that decorating is not unlike fashion. With clothing, you start with a neutral element, like a black dress or white shirt, then build upon that. Interior design works on exactly the same principles. Take an ivory colored sofa, for example, and use cushions or throw pillows of different textures or colors as your accent points. Don’t worry about attempting to match exact colors, contrasts in textures, colors, and shades are the way to create something amazing.
• You might not believe us when we tell you that math is your friend when it comes to design. Specifically, if you have a blank wall behind a sofa or next to a dining room table, a grid of identical images or similarly matched picture frames can create a powerful visual image. Plus, if you don’t have a large enough or suitably framed picture for that particular area, a grid of pictures is an elegant and clever solution.
• Don’t be afraid to mix things up. A single object on a coffee table, or a collection of like objects, is okay. But instead, try grouping together things by texture or color. So imagine starting with a primary fabric, then factoring in other patterns added from a similar color family. Doing this can create a visually exciting look.

Finally, remember that these suggestions are just that; suggestions. They’re meant to be jumping off points, limited only by your imagination. Feel free to experiment, and sooner or later, you’re sure to find a design style that works for you.