Emphasis: The Eyes Have It

The second principle of design is emphasis, which is “the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention, usually denoted by one area standing out by contrasting it with other areas.  The emphasized area will be different in size, color, texture, shape, etc.”  Good home design has emphasis on something in each room or each area of a room that can be deemed important or special.  Your emphasis is your pop, your focal point.  So what do you choose to focus on?

Tables are easy, because your emphasis is typically on what you put in the middle.  A floral arrangement on a foyer table draws the eye in and adds a splash of color and life to your entryway.  A seasonal centerpiece shows emphasis through its size and height, and it usually incorporates pops of color or decorative items that take center stage. 

Wall art shows emphasis by either being a large, singular focal point, such as a mirror or painting over a mantel.  Or, it shows emphasis by being made up of a collection of smaller pieces that come together to create a unified whole that is the main focus of one wall or area of a room, like a collage of similarly framed photos, decorative canvases, or framed art. 

The emphasis of a solid couch can be the bold fabric choice in the throw pillows at each end, just as the emphasis of an inviting bed can be the arrangement of shams, sleeping pillows, and throw pillows atop a billowy comforter.  Your focal point can also swing high and low by being a grand lighting fixture in an entryway or in a bright printed runner out in front of a neutral washing machine and dryer. 

The phrase “a wondering eye” takes on a different meaning when you plan out your visually appealing focal points of each room.  What do you want to garner attention?  Use color, different dimensions, and a shift in size to catch some glances and compliments alike.  Look from surface to surface, wall to wall, and decide what needs to be the main attraction, and then give it the platform it deserves by letting it shine while its background becomes the supporting cast.  After all, when it comes to what’s emphasized, the eyes definitely have it.    

This marks DesignInMind’s 100^th column! 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 29th.

Principles of Design: Tipping the Scales of Balance

It feels like a fresh time for a new column series.  So we will spend the next few weeks reviewing the principles of design and how we can incorporate each into our living spaces.  Those principles are balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, proportion, repetition, rhythm, variety, and unity.  So put your thinking caps on and pull out that notebook and pencil.  School is in session. 

Balance is defined as “the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space.”  Balance gives a space stability.  There are three main types of balance in design: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial.  Symmetrical balance is my favorite, and it simply means that what you do on one side, you copy on the other, creating two equal halves.  Asymmetrical balance has two sides that are different, but they still look balanced.  Radial balance can be depicted in a tire – everything is arranged evenly around a center point.    

When you consider balance in home design and decorating, furniture and large accessories are major factors.  A room with a lot of furniture on one side and sparse on the other can look odd because it lacks balance.  Walls with artwork that lacks some continuity can disturb the visual balance.  Instead, visualize that legal scale in your mind - the one that teeters back and forth as weight is added to each side - when you arrange pieces of furniture, position lamps and small tables, and hang up wall art.  Decide which path you want to take – parts of a room that are equal, close, or that radiate out from a central point. 

For symmetrical balance, think of an arrangement that allows your seating to mirror each other, placing couches, love seats, and occasional chairs in a copycat fashion across from each other.  If you hang a large mirror on one main wall, add something of similar size to the wall opposite it.  If a sofa table has a lamp on it, add a matching one to the other end.  For asymmetrical arrangements, you can be less matchy-matchy but still balance that scale in your own way; it does not have to be about exact proportions, but an overall feeling of evenness.  Think of this when you spread a color or a textured fabric throughout a room.  For radial symmetry, let your placement generate out from a fireplace or entertainment center and be less angular and a little more curved instead.  In wall art placement, hang a larger center piece and other framed items around it.

When you peer into a room, an overall feeling of welcoming balance and purpose should greet you.  Visual weight in a room or on your walls pulls a lot of weight when it comes to how complete a space is perceived to be.  So get to sliding those furniture legs and accessories around and tip the scales of balance in your creative favor.  Next week’s principle: Emphasis.     

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 22nd.

Tackling Those Taxing Projects

Just about every home has those hot spots that we tend to avoid like the plague when it comes to the thought of “tidying up a bit” . . . especially when what we really need is a complete overhaul.  You know what I’m talking about.  I bet with wide eyes and pursed lips, you have some places in mind that hit a little too close to your home.   

However, there are solid ways to tackle those taxing projects (pun definitely intended) without giving up a whole season to accomplish them.  Well, if you work efficiently, that is.  Let’s start where the monsters lie: under the bed.  Don’t let it be an abyss of lost socks, luggage, broken toy parts, and – Heaven forbid – misplaced snacking paraphernalia.  Instead, set up a “drawer” system by only using under-the-bed storage for items that can be housed in long, plastic 58 quart containers with double-sided lids that open on each end.  They slide easily on carpeted floors and keep items together, clean, and neat; and nothing gets lost in the middle because everything can be easily slid out from under the bed. 

Closets are another project that can cause daily frustration, and yet be left to their own devices because a makeover seems so overwhelming.  Yet, there is hope.  Stick to these principles: pare down, part with, and position correctly.  Identifying the excess that is not worn or used is half the battle; free your space.  Remove those items by way of donation or resale.  And store the remainder in a logical way for how it’s used and the space you have.  Incorporate bins, baskets, containers, hooks, and even additional shelving to use your closet space to the max so everything is organized and easy to retrieve.

The garage can turn into a full storage room and leave its owners’ cars in the driveway or on the street just to satisfy its voracity for becoming a major catch-all.  Minimize this possibility by going vertical.  Use your garage wall space right up to the ceiling if needed.  Bring in free-standing shelving units to hold labeled plastic containers to store seasonal decorations and outdoor gear of all sorts.  Install custom wall units and cabinets that provide shelving, hooks, bins, and a perfectly-spaced place for every tool, gadget, and piece of sporting equipment you own.  Use the perimeter for storage and free up those prime parking spaces.

Big?  Messy?  Overwhelming?  Yes, home projects can be all of those things.  But don’t let the size of the mess dictate your actions and cause you to stand quietly by and just get by in your own space.  Own it.  Show it who’s the boss.  Take your problem projects from taxing to tackled.  Then soak in the victory. 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 15th. 

More than Hop: Hope in Easter

I could take an Easter design column in a few directions.  I could talk about the use and impact of pastel colors.  Or I could tell you more about livening up your home with spring as the theme.  Or I could even put a cheeky twist on the Easter message and discuss home projects you could accomplish in three days.  But I could also just tell it like it is. 

 We acknowledged the design in God’s plan at Christmas.  And the true message of Easter is no different.  We could let a hopping Easter Bunny be the only focus of the day, or we could celebrate the ultimate hope we have this Easter.  Because Christ died for us, we have the opportunity to be saved.  Jesus suffered and died an unimaginable death on a wooden cross.  But the cross did not keep Him.  He rose from death to give us life.  He chose us.  The Lord loves each and every one of us more than I can fathom.  And He gave up everything to bridge the gap between us and God.  The design that unfolded all those many years ago continues to change lives as people come to know the Lord as their Savior and ruler of their lives. 

This Easter Sunday, my hope is that those who have accepted Christ’s gift of salvation relish this opportunity to celebrate His victory over death and find refreshment in their relationship with Him at this, the start of spring.  And for those who want to know more about Jesus and the free gift of salvation He offers, know that when you seek Him, you find Him.  I love that symbolism in the Easter egg hunts that will take place in countless yards today; Christ is right there, ready to be found by His people.  Talk to a Christian minister or friend or family member and find the answers to the questions you may have about what a relationship with Jesus really looks like.

It is that relationship, that acceptance, which is the ultimate design for our lives.  May you and your family have a truly Happy Easter.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 8th.

Fool-Proof Ways to Love the Design You're In

Buyers’ remorse can strike at the heart of many; you make a purchase, large or small, and then doubt begins to creep in, and you’re not sure of your choice.  Loving what you choose to showcase in your home, whether in the grand pieces or the tiny details, can be helped along with a little mindset adjusting. 

First, make it personal.  Sure, something displayed in your friend’s home looked great at the time.  But your attempt to mimic it has left you feeling less than thrilled.  Perhaps that could be because you do not have a connection to that design item or overall style.  When you select décor - from paint colors to furniture to accessories - that have a story behind them for you and your family, that connection adds to your enjoyment.

Additionally, find the right blend for you between timeless and trendy.  The latest-and-greatest can be very fitting when you will be assured of your selection.  What you want to avoid is running out and buying a trend-setting piece and then, even just months down the line, stewing in that “what was I thinking?” feeling.  Determine where your comfort level falls on the pendulum between classic things that will work seemingly forever and new styles steaming up runways and galleries the world over . . . for today.  Stick to shopping in that feel-good range.

Lastly, just make it work for your space.  Doctor it up.  Mix it in with a current collection of yours.  Change the room it’s in.  Make it a focal point to give it purpose.  Let it blend into the background but yet not go wasted.  Once you’ve committed to a purchase, or you simply cannot or will not return it, use it to the max to get the most bang for your buck. 

 Happiness is a mindset.  Determine to love the space you live in, and follow hard after that goal.  Be confident when you make a new purchase or just rearrange your available décor pieces in your home.  Whether you roll it on the walls, hang it on a nail, or set it on a shelf, fool-proof your way to loving the design elements you surround yourself with and never doubt that you do have style, and you have every right to make it your own.            

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 1st.