There is Magic in Illusion: Camouflaging Problem Areas & Emphasizing Assets

It's swimsuit season, the time of year when many of us spend a lot of time and energy trying to figure out how to make our human forms look at least a little bit different from what they really are.
How many articles have you read and so-called experts have you listened to, who espouse advice about "drawing the eye" in one direction or another? Do this to camouflage that problem area, or try that to emphasize this asset.
Would it surprise you to learn that the same sort of techniques can work in your home? Dressing your rooms carefully and deliberately, with an eye to both their problem areas and their assets, will give you great results every time. 
So, how might that work? Start by analyzing your room, much the same way that you analyze yourself when trying on a new swimming suit.  Then, keep in mind that in both cases, it's all about a deft execution of three principles: eye movement, balance, and illusion. 
What are the areas that you need to de-emphasize, and what elements do you want to draw more attention to? Are there pieces of your room's puzzle that you'd prefer looked completely different than they really do, when your room is 'naked'? This week's featured living room is a good example.

Just for a moment, envision this room completely empty. Not much going on, is there? It's an OK size, but not fabulous. Nice fireplace, though it sort of screams at us from the center of that wall, with nothing else around it. 
The crown molding is a nice touch, which is good, because there's not much other architectural interest in this room. And there's lots of natural light from three windows, but they're disproportionately short for the room's height. 
So, our clients and their interior decorator began by identifying exactly those elements, both assets and challenges. In addition, they talked about their needs: comfortable seating for four to six people on a regular basis, a television, a furniture arrangement that would accommodate both children playing and adults entertaining, and a soft contemporary style throughout. 
Next, choices were made about specific furnishings and their placement, which would perform exactly the magic that a perfect swimsuit does for the less-than-perfect body type. 
For the major furniture pieces in the room, warm neutral fabrics were selected, along with frame styles which are clean-lined and tailored.  Straight arms not only play into our soft contemporary styling very well, but also lend a more spacious feeling to the room than big, bulky profiles would.
Balancing the straight lines of the sofa and chairs are the gracefully curved legs of three occasional tables. 
To maximize space usage, the flat screen TV is mounted on the wall, rather than being housed in a bulky entertainment center or console.
Though very functional, placing the TV that way could create somewhat of a 'one-eyed monster' effect, so it was balanced by eye-catching, dramatic artwork on either side.  The rest of that wall was then fleshed out with a beautiful, well-accessorized demilune console table, an accent chair and ottoman.
Of critical importance to this room is the way that the windows have been dressed.  Richly colored and textured woven wood roman shades provide great privacy and light control, while horizontally striped sheer drapery panels add both softness and contemporary interest to the room.
The clever placement of the window treatments, however, is of the utmost importance.  By mounting the woven woods several inches higher than the actual tops of the windows, the eye is drawn up, and the illusion of taller windows is effectively accomplished.
Additionally, with the installation of the drapery panels nearly to the ceiling, our attention is not only drawn to the crown molding, but the entire room enjoys enhanced visual height.
Now, rather than a stark, moderately-sized boxy room, we see one that is not only functional, but stylish, welcoming and very attractive.
To be able to translate how it got that way to your own rooms, think about those three important principles, which are very similar to those you use when finding the perfect swimsuit:
The way that your eye moves around a room is critical.  You want to achieve a graceful visual flow, which your eyes drawn to several different levels in the room, and without abrupt starts and stops.
Balance is your friend.  Balance soft and hard surfaces, visually heavy and light elements, and straight and curved lines.
There is magic in illusion. If your room has elements that are less than ideal, employ creative design techniques to make them look that way.

'Going Green' from Floor to Ceiling

Daily news reports about the tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have once again reminded us about the fragility of our environment, and have renewed the fervor with which many people believe we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. 

Whether in response to specific environmental disasters like the current oil spill or out of a general concern about the physical condition of our world, many Americans are moving toward an acceptance of the need for more environmental responsibility on all fronts.

But while becoming a more environmentally responsible society is an attractive concept, it may seem to fly in the face of one of the things that Americans do best, which is consuming products.  While we may say we want to “be green”, most of us are not willing to give up everyday conveniences and creature comforts to do so.  The good news is that we don’t have to.

Within the home furnishings industry, environmental responsibility directly correlates to how products are created, transported, consumed, and if possible recycled later.   And over the past several years, many manufacturers have implemented dramatic changes to those processes which will benefit us all in the long run.  In general, such changes involve utilizing materials and practices which have as little impact as possible on the environment.

So, how does this affect each of us, as red-blooded American consumers who want our homes to be beautiful and comfortable?  Actually, with so many products and design options now available, being “green” when it comes to decorating your home can be a relatively easy undertaking. 

Take a look at just a few of these exciting options:

Furniture.   The utilization of materials which either can be rapidly replenished, such as rattan, bamboo, or abaca, or have been harvested only from responsibly managed plantations rather than old-growth forests is an important trend within the American furniture industry.    

Additionally, new types of adhesives and lacquers allow the building and finishing processes to be done with less toxic chemicals.  The most environmentally friendly manufacturers are also diligent about how byproducts and waste materials are disposed of.  When shopping for furniture, look for manufacturers, designers and retailers who have become certified by the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC), an organization which promotes development and education of green practices. 

Lighting.  There is an ever-growing array of attractive and energy efficient options within the lighting industry, so that there is almost no reason to not make “green” choices when it comes to your lighting.  If your local retailer doesn’t offer what you’re looking for, simply ask….demand will create supply!  

Fabrics.  Believe it or not, gorgeous decorative fabrics are being made from a myriad of eco-friendly materials, such as recycled plastic water bottles and even bamboo.  Oftentimes, these fabrics are also treated and finished with only water based or environmentally approved dyes.

Wall Finishes.  Paints now feature low odors, faster drying times and stronger durability, all while still maintaining high environmental standards.  If repainting is in your future, be sure to ask if the paint you’re considering  has a low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) rating, so that you can do your part for environmental stewardship.  Natural grass cloth wall covering is another way to add warmth, beauty and texture to your wall décor, while maintaining your green focus. 

Floor Coverings.  As with furniture, look for hardwood products which have been responsibly harvested and finished.  The easiest way to determine this is by looking for manufacturers with FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) or SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certification. 

Also consider flooring options which are created from naturally-occurring and easily renewable materials such as clay (ceramic or porcelain tile), linseed oil (genuine linoleum tile), bamboo or cork.  Even wood laminate products can be considered green, as they are created from byproducts of other wood manufacturing processes.   If you’re shopping for carpet, look for products which use fibers produced from recycled plastics or plant-based oils, rather than petroleum.

Finally, don’t forget to give major consideration to how your home furnishings have reached their destination.  The impact of transportation practices on our environment is way beyond what most of us can even imagine, so whenever possible choose products which have been produced domestically, rather than those that have required an ocean liner to get to you.

Adopting more environmentally responsible consumer practices for our homes really doesn’t have to be difficult, ridiculously expensive or devoid of beautiful options.  All it really requires is some exploration into the exciting changes that are underway, and a little education about how each of us can do our part to become more eco-friendly consumers.

To learn more, make plans to attend our “Decorating for Sustainable Living” seminar at Decorating Den Interiors in Waverly, on Thursday, July 8 at 7:00 PM!  For more information and to reserve your spot, call 352-1379, or contact us on Facebook at Decorating Den Interiors—Julie Meyers (Iowa).