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Saturday, March 31st, 2018
Where do your eyes automatically go to? Naturally, Summer Home Collection’s Platform King Bed is an effortless star.
Any room’s focal point is the most important element in that space. Simply put, it is no less than the star of the show. This is the very spot where the viewers’ eyes would go to the moment they enter the room. Since this is so, you have to learn to recognize, pick, and use a focal point to your advantage.
Recognize the Focal Point
Pinpointing the architectural element or furniture that’s the room’s focal point isn’t easy. Sometimes, it’s easy to spot it because it is an obvious featured part of the room. More often than not, though, you could actually stage something to become the focal point.
So let us begin with the obvious focal points –
Fireplaces. This is the very anchor of a bedroom, living room or dining room. The key to making the most of this focal point is to arrange the seating units all around this architectural feature. As much as you can, hang a bold art piece right above the mantel.
Vaulted ceiling. This is one architectural part of the home that does not beg for extra design. Even so, you still have to make sure that it is always freshly-painted and, yes, cobweb-free. If you want to ascertain that the vaulted ceiling won’t be missed, then hang a lovely lighting fixture for everyone to appreciate. This can be a crystal chandelier or a unique pendant light.
Windows and picturesque views. If your home happens to be blessed with eye-catching views, then you won’t have to put much effort in highlighting those focal points. Again, since these are naturally beautiful views, eyes will naturally travel there. Make sure that the windows are unobscured so that everyone gets to see the lovely scenery outdoors.
Angled walls. You can make one of these as a focal point if you create an accent wall. There are many ways to achieve this type of wall. You can go dark and be dramatic or you can offset the neutral colors of the other three walls with a bold, vibrant hue. After all, who wouldn’t want to look at an orange wall?
Another way to create a focal wall is to use wallpaper. Find a pattern or design that coincides with the rest of your home’s theme while being able to stand out from the other walls.
What about here? The Console Estrelas from Fine Furniture Design (Deco) houses the focal point which is this interesting work of art.
Choose Works of Art
Other than architectural parts of your home, you can bring in some works of art that are big enough to be referred to as a statement. This statement art can be replaced by a mirror but rather than go for the traditional or default mirror, why not hype things up a bit and place something that will excite the viewers’ senses?
In determining which artwork to use, you might want to go outside of the usual painting. While big, bold paintings are wonderful focal pieces, they are far too common. This time, find a lovely bust that you can display and highlight.
Buy Unique Furniture and Learn Furniture Placement
While you are advised that your furniture choices should primarily be practical, this does not mean that you can no longer create a sense of excitement with your choices. A unique piece that has a bold pattern, fabric, or shape can readily steal the spotlight from other design elements in the room.
The natural focal pieces include the sectional, a large couch, the bed, the dining table, and the china cabinet. Be sure to use placement techniques that work. For instance, if you want to highlight a decorative lamp, then be sure to place it right at the very front and center of a console table.
Tags: focal point, focal point recognition, focal points, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, recognizing a focal point
Posted in Architectural Elements, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on How to Make Focal Points Work
Monday, August 7th, 2017
Now let’s practice. Where do your eyes go when you see this picture? The Cachet mirror is difficult to miss, isn’t it?
When talking about focal points in terms of photographic composition, you are looking at the site right where the parallel light rays converge. This same concept can be said when talking about interior design. Every focal point has a tremendous effect on the appreciation and reading of a given scenario.
Pièce De Résistance and Aesthetics
As you walk into a room, what is the first thing that catches your attention? That is definitely the room’s focal point. This is an attractive feature, it can be a view of the garden outdoors that’s carefully framed by the large window or it can also be the fireplace in the living room.
This focal point will have a huge influence on the eventual furniture arrangement. Your role now is to decorate the room based on the focal point. Energize your space by taking the attention right to the chosen focal point.
In the bedroom, more often than not, this is the bed. Inside the sunroom, the eyes have to go to that interesting reading nook that’s furnished with a comfy chair and a small side table.
Identify the Focal Points
Generally, every room has a designated focal point. You don’t have to think that you have to default to these features, though. So, this means that the living room can have the sectional as the star of the show rather than the fireplace. Yup, you can downplay the fireplace and have the center of attention shifted to the seating unit.
As to the usual focal points, a group of windows or even just a single window does not just let in an awesome amount of light in but could also serve as a pièce de résistance. A skyline or an outdoor element, even an amazing landscape could also do the trick.
Look for the strongest architectural detail inside the room and that should be the focal point.
Hooker Furniture Home Office Danforth Tall Bookcase: Bookcases are a natural focal point because they often hold the most interesting books and memorabilia.
Set Up the Focal Points
If you don’t have an existing focal point in the room, then you can create one. The creation of a focal point isn’t difficult to do. Find the largest wall in the room. Create a feature wall by having this decorated and set apart from the rest of the walls.
You can also cover unsightly windows with floral or other bold-patterned curtains. These can also act as the best feature in your room.
A furniture piece that is brightly-colored can easily become the focal point. Imagine a sectional covered with fabric that has the most interesting geometric patterns. Now picture that in a sea of white – it becomes even more amazing, right?
Do you have collections of books or knickknacks? These can also be organized in a lovely shelf and would instantly serve as the focal point in the living room, bedroom or the dining room.
Even large mirrors can be used as focal points, as are groups of artwork, or woven baskets filled with collectibles.
Be Bold
Defining the focal point means you should be ready to be bold. Imagine having the ceiling painted in bright red and then frame it with dark-colored molding. This combination should add an interesting focal point to what could have been a bland-looking room.
The ever reliable accent wall can also be created in this manner. This feature wall adds a strong feature to any room. Be sure to group the furniture around the focal wall. If you’re not ready to create an ensemble, then just balance the horizontal elements throughout.
Dual Focal Points
Can a photograph have two focal points?
Why not?
Going back to photography, would you waste the wonderful redness of the apple all because you chose to highlight the succulent lemon? Why not have both?
When you do this, be careful that you’re not emphasizing the lesser element with the better one. For instance, more people would like to see the outdoors more than the fireplace.
Choose two wonderful architectural features, a combination of one architectural feature and furniture piece, or two interesting furniture pieces – your options are limitless.
Tags: focal point, focal points, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, piece de resistance
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Pièce De Résistance: The Significance of Focal Points in Interior Design
Friday, June 23rd, 2017
Hancock and Moore Living Room Norvell Ancient Thunder Horse Painting Chair 4797-AT
So you probably already know that the fireplace or an accent wall is the automatic focal point inside any room. These are, after all, converge people’s interest and activities. The best-designed rooms almost always have a highly visible focal point.
An Item to Emphasize
Picking an item to highlight can be a tad tricky. But, once you get the hang of it, you will be able to effectively set the mood and tone that you want inside a room in your home.
Whether you choose an architectural feature, a color, a lighting fixture, even an artwork, you are picking a thing upon which you will put a spotlight on. But what’s the best way to focus all attention on one object?
First, when highlighting an architectural feature – like a lovely fireplace – you need to be able to position the furniture pieces around it. You don’t just dump the ensemble and hope that they frame the fireplace accordingly.
Remember that the stone element can set the proper tone for the chairs, sofa, even your drapes.
The size of your chosen architectural element is also crucial. One that’s too large would look awkward and uncomfortable. One that’s too small, on the other hand, will make the furniture as the default focal point, thus, taking the attention away from the main feature.
Another thing that you can emphasize is artwork. A work of art – even just a single framed masterpiece – can make or break a room. Make sure to position the artwork perfectly. If you center it right between that space where two doors open, oh, you would be able to create an awesome focal point that is difficult to ignore.
The tone as well as the size of your art piece is also important. Pick a painting with the right scale for your room. Choose one that has the right tones which will automatically draw the eyes. Make sure that the colors of the painting will not clash with the rest of the room, though.
A large, bold painting would look wonderful when hung on a neutral wall. Print series can also make a huge impact. Whether you choose to have them framed identically or on eclectically, you won’t have to worry about using your focal point effectively.
A Fantastic View
When you have a magnificent view of the green outdoors, then you simply have to use the windows to showcase it. Your home’s architecture can perfectly frame the beauty of the greeneries and could even make it look grander.
An oversized window will make a view of the forest backdoor to be as an art masterpiece. Pick simple furniture to complement this view. If it’s positioned in the bedroom, then make sure that what you get is just a minimalist bed.
Deforest Dresser from FFDM’s Cachet Collection.
Interesting Textures and Patterns
Adding texture in order to create a focal point in a room is as easy as painting a monochromatic scheme. This monochrome should give your room ample depth and character. You can then use shiny and smooth objects to create a cool vibe.
Soft, raised textures can offer a warm appeal. You can use this look inside your kitchen – begin with a minimalist palette then have the colors inspire your countertop as well as the backsplash. Your tile finish can also glisten so that the stainless steel appliances will stand out all the more.
As for the patterns, they are an automatic focal point especially in a room that’s lacking architecturally. Use a patterned and textured finish such as stone or tiles if you want to create a bold statement.
A flowing, organic pattern used with a subtle hue on a granite wall should be the accent wall in a bathroom or powder room. There is no longer any need for any decorative element inside this room that’s already beautified by a focal point.
Tags: focal point, focal points, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Accents, Architectural Elements, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Default Focal Point – And How to Effectively Use It
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