| Most of us have that one room that just seems to be | | | | furniture is on one side of the room, the room will |
| missing something in the decorating department, and | | | | seem like its too heavy on one side. You want pattern |
| we can't quite seem to put our finger on it. Usually, it's | | | | and color in the room evenly distributed, and you don't |
| a simple matter of recognizing three basic things each | | | | want teeny tiny furniture trying to fill a family room the |
| room needs in order to feel "right". Luckily, they can all | | | | size of a football field! Likewise with smaller vignettes, |
| be achieved without a lot of cash, and in a short | | | | such as wall arrangements or tabletops. One of the |
| amount of time! | | | | most common decorating mistakes I see is when |
| First, make sure your room has a focal point. This is | | | | someone places a tiny framed photo all alone on a big |
| easier in rooms that have a natural focal point such as | | | | wall. The piece should fit the space, or should be |
| a fireplace, or a dramatic window view. Not so easy in | | | | grouped with objects that, as a whole, fit the space. |
| other rooms. One easy way to create a focal point is | | | | So look for balance and scale in the room, and making |
| to paint a focal wall. Tape off the center third of the | | | | small changes can go a long way toward making the |
| wall first seen as you enter the room. Paint the center | | | | room feel more comfortable. |
| section a darker or richer version of the color on the | | | | Finally, make sure your room displays accessories that |
| rest of the walls. Now create a wall arrangement | | | | speak of who you and your family are. Remember, |
| within that center third. The color of the wall will set it | | | | accessories are better displayed in groups of three or |
| off and immediately give importance to the wall | | | | five, and have some contrast in height and shape for |
| arrangement, whether it be a pretty landscape painting, | | | | interest. Include framed photos of your loved ones, |
| or a collection of your favorite antique plates. Easy, | | | | your Grandmother's candlesticks, or that shell collection |
| and makes a huge difference in a short amount of | | | | in a pretty jar your kids collected on your last family |
| time. | | | | vacation. A room that has no loved ones is not a |
| Second, make sure you pay attention to balance and | | | | loved room! It is these accessories that transform a |
| scale, over the whole room, and also within small | | | | room from just a room, to your special space, so don't |
| vignettes. Balance means visually, you don't want the | | | | underestimate their importance. |
| room to seem off kilter. If all your tall or dark colored | | | | |