Yes, rules guide us on the right path and are important in shaping our life.
But being always told what to adhere to and what to avoid kills the whole fun, don’t you think?
Think about it; you won’t be able to use your creativity!
No brainstorming!
No innovative ideas!
Of all the industries, wouldn’t this be especially scary for the interior design service provider?
A highly visual and subjective medium, interior design is a service that requires a creative “eye” for pulling it off, to determine whether a room looks stylish and successfully put together. The success or lack thereof lies in the eyes of the beholder. While designing requires one to follow certain rules, restricting would be limiting your bandwidth.
While I believe that there are some rules that keep one from making the most egregious design mistakes, there are others that are no longer relevant. Here are a few design rules that you no longer should fret over:
Only paint small rooms in light colours.
People’s hesitation is understandable, considering the myth that is being passed on as to how a dark colour makes a small room look even smaller. But such is not the case, and instead, a dark colour would visually expand a small space. A dark painted room can actually make a small room look larger because it allows the corners of a room to recede and disappear. Below is an image that illustrates this concept.
How you can further give the impression of a big room is by hanging mirrors strategically and opting for a few windows or none at all.
Large furniture should only be used in large rooms
Quite the contrary, I always recommend using large-scale furniture in a small room. Using larger furniture tricks the eyes’ sense of proportion. In addition to this, it causes one’s eyes to move around the room less. This allows us to take a zoomed-out view of the room. It is an optical illusion that works marvellously.
You can not mix modern design elements with traditional design elements
Quite simply, yes, you can; it is called transitional design! You can mix rustic with modern, the country with modern, etc…… Mixing styles add depth to any space.
Mixing vintage designs such as art deco, Victorian, or mid-century modern might look difficult, but can be easily done. Below is a modern and Victorian mix……
If the room has a fireplace, it should always be the focal point.
The fireplace undoubtedly makes for a beautiful focal point, but it does not always need to be the star of the room. If one’s home has access to a breathtaking view, or one should possess museum-quality art, both would supersede the fireplace’s status in that space.
The designer above smartly made the view the star of this room. The lack of window treatments allows the window moulding to “frame” this home’s gorgeous view.
The ceiling must always be white.
The ceiling is a room’s fifth (and forgotten) wall. Homeowners often forget that it also holds the opportunity to showcase your style. I love to paint children’s room ceilings a contrasting colour, and wallpaper the ceiling of a powder room or master bedroom closet.
The family room below makes the ceiling a focal point by adding coffered moulding and using a deep grey to showcase this detail. This look is always a show-stopper!
Add a metallic ceiling to a dining room or a gold-flecked paper to your powder room. Don’t be afraid to try it. If it doesn’t work for you, a few swipes of white paint and you are back to where you started.
Interior doors should always be painted white.
There is nothing chicer than a black high-gloss interior door. The French have been doing this for decades. A black high-gloss door is dramatic and makes a statement; it is the exclamation point added to a room. It lets all those who enter know that those who reside on the other side of that beautifully glossy door, live a little North Of Chic. Try it and let your guests bedazzled with its sheer enigmatic presence.
So, these are some of the rules that you shouldn’t mind overlooking when designing the interior of your home. Let your creativity flow! Or a better option lets a professional interior design service provider take care of it for you and give you the desired results.
