Basic Decorating Principles for Any Room in Your Home

Decorating your home can be challenging if you are unsure of where to start when it comes to design. Many decorators follow the same core principles to ensure each room is decorated properly.

Whether you want to redecorate your living room, bedroom or home office, following the basic decorating principles can help you create a foolproof design method. You do not need to have prior design experience to create a space in your home resembling something you would see in a magazine.

Once you have learned these basic decorating principles it is easy to replicate these same ideas throughout each space found in your home. Gaining the knack for design and decoration can help you create a vision for your home including all the features you always wanted. This article can help you determine what the first steps are when decorating a home and how you can apply these principles with a few simple touches.

Discover the Focal Point of Any Room

One of the most important decorating principles you can follow is to discover and define the focal point in any room in your home. A focal point is a spot where your eyes are immediately drawn to whenever you walk in the room, so you want your focal spot to look good.

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There are a few steps you can take to define the focal point in the room you are looking to redecorate, including the following:

• Create an accent wall by painting one wall of the room a different color than the remaining walls. You can choose any color you prefer. If you like stark contrast, then you can choose a darker or brighter color for an accent wall, or if you like neutral palates, then you can choose a slightly different tone for the color of your accent wall. Choosing a paint color for an accent wall can also set a color theme in the space. Once you paint your accent wall, decorate it with artwork tying in the color scheme of the room.
• Focus on one item in the room and build your focal point around this item. For example, if you are redecorating your living room and you know you often use this space to watch television with your family, then use the television or an entertainment center as the focal point for the room. Decide where you want to put your TV in this space and then create your design aesthetic from there. Reposition the couches, coffee table and chairs so they are facing the television. In doing so, you are emphasizing what is important in this room and what your desire is in terms of usage for this space.
• Utilize artwork for an easy focal point as you can simply achieve this task within a few minutes. If you love art and you have recently purchased artwork you want to display in your home, then find a wall to hang your artwork on and redesign the layout of the room to emphasize this piece. If you want to hang a large painting in your bedroom, then you can hang it on the opposite wall of your bed, so you are always greeted with the painting when you wake up each morning. You can choose to hang the painting above your bed as well. This allows for the furniture and artwork to come together to create one focal point in the room.

Remember the Odd Number Rule

You may be confused about the number of items you need to decorate any given space, whether it be flower vases or candles. An easy decorating principle to follow is the odd number rule, where you cluster items in your homes within odd numbered groups. The reason behind this principle is groups of odd-numbered items are more visually appealing than even numbered pairs.

If you have recently purchased a set of vases, then arrange them in your home in groups of three or five. You can fill each vase with different items to add pops of color throughout your home. If you want to place glass vases in your kitchen, fill the vases with limes, lemons or multi-colored dry beans to add an extra element of design to an overlooked corner of the room. In doing so, you are creating visual appeal while providing yourself with a neat and organized space.

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If you want to take the odd number rule one step further, then you can arrange your odd-numbered items in various shapes and heights to create a truly unique design feature in any room in your home. Place a tall candle next to a small porcelain memento and then accompany these two items with a medium sized lamp. The difference in height between the objects can establish an interesting design feature and allows you to showcase multiple items at once.

Determine Basic Measurements

Before you can tackle the redecoration process, it is important to follow the basic decorating principle of determining the measurements of your room. If you start to purchase new furniture or select new rugs for your space without knowing how large the room is, then you may end up returning your purchases because they do not fit in your room. Do not only measure the walls and floors. If you have windows, then get an idea of how long you want your curtains to be. Keep in mind the measurements of your furniture as well. You may find your dream coffee table or entertainment center, only to find the table is significantly shorter than your couch or the entertainment center is too small to fit your television.

Once you have determined the basic measurements for your newly designed space, you can begin the process of arranging your furniture within the preferred design method. Decorators commonly advise homeowners place their coffee table at least 15 to 18 inches away from the sofa to allow you the room to freely move around the table when getting up from the couch. If you are adding artwork to a space, then it is best to hang your art at eye level, which typically occurs between 56 and 60 inches from the floor. In doing so, you are ensuring your eye is immediately drawn to the artwork without having to hunch down or stand on your toes to see the piece.

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