Interior Design Rules to Break This Summer
You’ve just purchased one of the homes in Lakeville and you’re thinking about decorating. There are so many dos and don’ts that it can feel challenging to incorporate your personal style while still having an attractively decorated home. Yet sumer is a free-wheeling, casual season and should inspire the breaking of some of those outdated rules. With a little guidance, it’s easy to do what works for you and your home.
One of the old rules states that windows should always have some sort of treatment. Yet many windows, especially some of the ones in the beautiful Key Land homes can stand on their own. Embrace the clean lines and simplicity, not to mention the extra sunlight, and leave a few windows unadorned, particularly when they look out onto a great view.
For some designers, mixing design eras is a no-no, but when done thoughtfully, you can turn your home into a place that reflects your many aspects. Do keep scale in mind, but there’s no reason you can’t combine a beautiful antique sideboard with a modern light fixture, or decorative screens with linear furnishings.
Minimalism is always popular, but there’s usually a suggestion to add a pop of color to an otherwise neutral room. On the other hand, you could truly embrace the neutral look. That doesn’t mean everything has to be the same color, but there’s no reason why you can’t create a stunning room based on varying shades of a color, such as soft greys and warm creams.
Symmetry is a foundation of design, yet it can also lead to stale, boring rooms that are overly regimented. In photography, there’s often attention given to the rule of thirds, moving the main subject to the bottom or side third of the image, for example. Play with elements of that notion when arranging everything from lamps to furniture. Instead of matching sofas facing each other, replace one sofa with two side chairs. They don’t even need to match, though it does look better if they’re at least fairly evenly balanced. Play with angles of furnishings, as well, pulling furniture away from the walls. Also, use things like floor lamps and tall plants to add visual interest while filling in some gaps.
When it comes to breaking rules, color is perhaps the easiest and most fun way to go against the grain. Most people don’t give ceilings any thought, other than some variation of white or beige. Yet a colorful ceiling can give a room a whole new feeling. Consider a shade that flows with your wall color, or if you’re going with a neutral wall, consider adding color in the ceiling, such as a pale sky blue or a sunny yellow. Depending on the height of the ceiling and your personal tastes, you could even go for a deeper, bolder color, from eggplant to black.
Similarly, don’t be afraid to use stronger colors in small rooms. A strong, but bright color won’t necessarily make a room feel smaller, just more creative. However, you could consider a dark, deep color in a hallway, perhaps with white trim and white picture frames.
No matter the design rule, there are ways to break it and still have any of the homes in Lakeville look stunning and attractive. Throw away the rule books and let the free spirit of summer guide you in your design choices.
