Choosing a Focal Point in Your Home Decor

Successful room designs always include a focal pointattention and create an interesting visual effect. Some
to add visual interest and focus the eye's attention onpeople make a focal point by covering one wall in a
one area. Your focal point should draw attention asbold shade of red or bright, graphic wallpaper.
soon as someone walks in your room and the otherA really impressive piece of art can also be an
design elements should be coordinated to complimentexcellent focal point. Successful art engages the
it. The focal point does not have to be in the center ofviewer's emotions, so if you have a beautiful portrait,
the room to be effective. You can use many differentyou can easily create the perfect focal point for your
objects from various areas in your space to create aroom. To get the maximum impact from a piece of art,
unique focus. Don't assume that you must design yourplace it where it can be easily viewed from the seating
entire room around a traditional piece of art. You canarea. This makes it easy to study and it becomes a
use a piece of pottery, an architectural element, orgreat conversation starter when entertaining guests.
even an area rug as an excellent focal point in a room.A particularly beautiful rug can also become a great
Furniture provides a simple way to create a focal point.focal point in your room. Rugs occupy open spaces
If you have a beautiful piece that you want people toand add another element of interest to any part of a
notice, make it your focal point. If you inherited yourroom. If you select a large rug in a bold color, you can
grandmother's buffet table that has been in the familyuse it as the focus of your entire design. Choose
for generations before her, design your room around it.neutral colors for furniture and walls to prevent
A large dramatic piece of furniture doesn't have to bedistracting from your rug. You can add punches of
placed in the center of your room, but it should becolor throughout the room to accent the rug's design
placed where the eye can easily find it. For example,scheme. If you choose a bold red rug in a room with
you could draw attention to the gorgeous buffet tablesleek black furniture, the rug will be the immediate focal
by placing it on a wall painted in a bold, contrastingpoint when people enter the space. You can draw
color. The color will immediately draw your eyes tomore attention to the rug by playing up its color
that area and then you will notice the table right away.through decorative pillows or candles placed randomly
If you don't have a particular piece of furniture to usethroughout the room.
as a focal point, consider using an architecturalRegardless of what you choose as a focal point,
element. A fireplace is always a great focal point formake sure you use a piece that is unique to your
any room. You can draw attention to a beautifulpersonal style. The best focal points are based on the
fireplace by decorating a mantel with bold accents ofhome owner's personality so don't be afraid to take
color. If you don't have a fireplace, you can create asome creative liberties. If you love to ice skate, an
focal point with a plain wall. Choose a wall that isantique pair of skates hung over a fireplace could
immediately noticeable when someone enters yourmake a perfect solution to your focal point dilemma.
room. Then display an artfully arranged collected ofChoose something you love and your entire room will
photographs in various frames. You could hang mirrorssoon be celebration of who you are.
of various sizes on the wall to draw immediate