“Wow, what a spectacular space! You’ve done such a great job with it! I never knew you had such design talent!”
Here is why: you were close and you did a great job, but you didn’t go for the“Wow Factor”!
So here is my mind blowing, eye opening, and life changing design secret:
How to achieve the “Wow Factor”!
Step 1: THE CONCEPT - Think about what you want your space to reflect. If you are not sure, feel free to browse through magazines, websites, etc. Categorize what you see that you like, as in: color, style, furnishings, accessories, architectural features. This will help you define your own personal style (it might be a combination of many styles, it is ok to be eclectic --- remember this is YOUR style – no preconceived notions).
Step 2: THE PLAN - The best way to create your plan is to start with what you have. Select the items you have that you certainly want to keep – this may be just one or two pieces, or a great many few. Separate the “must keeps” from the “maybes” from the “must gos”. While you are working on a “Wow Plan” you do not have to live in an empty house – you can still use what you unintentionally collected over time then gradually dispose of items as you implement the plan. Once the “must keeps” are identified you might see a relationship between them and the things you liked during the concept step (Step 1, above). Then, break your plan up under the following criteria: Layout, Color, Pattern, Scale, Accent.
- Layout: It would be helpful to have a floorplan for the house, then measure the pieces of furniture you have and draw them to the scale of the floorplan - cut your templates in different color paper, based on the type of furniture (for example: seating in blue paper, tables, red paper, chests and bookcases in green paper). Move the templates around your floorplan to create the best conversation areas, traffic patterns, tv viewing areas, etc. Then make templates in a different color to denote the items that you do not have that must be acquired during your long term plan. Don’t forget to do templates for rugs in their own designated color. This multicolor floor layout will help you visualize your space and determine if you need extra sitting places, more storage, etc.
- Color: Think back to the concept stage. What were the colors that you were attracted to the most? Use one or two of those colors as a starting point. Determine a unifying color that can be carried out throughout the house (this could be as simple as white for all the woodwork, moldings, doors, etc – and/or it could be a color that’s only used in small amounts in all rooms). Once this is done, you must work on a room-by-room basis to determine each individual color scheme. Just be sure to create interest within your color plan by assuring that you have a range of lights/darks within the same hue and a relationship with one another. (This is just a rule of thumb – each plan will develop a life for itself as it progresses.)
- Pattern: There is nothing wrong with not having pattern – many concepts involve no pattern. However, if your plan involves patterns, try to again create ranges in scale. A plan is so much more interesting when everything is not the same (for example: combine a small stripe with a large floral, with a medium size geometric). Combine small prints with large bold prints, and everything in between. And this pattern combination should happen not only in the large pieces but also in the small items and accessories. Think RANGE – this creates visual rhythm, which creates interest!
- Scale: We are back to “range”… Make sure that the pieces of your puzzle come in many sizes, but try to repeat shapes (for example: if you have a round table, try to incorporate other round items in that plan – just be sure that they are in different, various sizes.) You are now creating unity and variety in unity.
- Accent: The last step to your plan is to figure out how to give this all a huge punch. That will happen mostly with you accessories, but very importantly with color. The accents will be things that stand out – it will come in small amounts and it will be a burst of color and interest that pops out throughout the room. It is totally ok and appropriate to have a different accent theme for each room. During the plan stage you will be collecting pictures of furniture pieces, fabric swatches, paint color chips, etc. It is helpful to, as you work on this collection stage to, from time to time, lay it all out on a surface, room by room, to see where you are and how it is all flowing together.
Step 3: IMPLEMENTATION - It is easiest to work room by room (unless, of course, you are one of the lucky minority who can just do it all at once – and if that is the case, call me and I’ll do it for you!) Start with the room your family uses the most – this should be your priority space – you should always make your home beautiful and comfortable for yourselves before doing it for others. Most often this is the kitchen/family room areas. Go ahead and move the pieces of furniture you already have (the “must keeps”) into the location you’ve determined on your plan, and use the “maybe” pieces as you can, and even use the “must gos” to fill in areas if necessary. Paint the walls in the colors you have selected and start buying new items, recover furniture, make pillows, buy art and accessories, at the pace that your budget allows to achieve what you envisioned during your concept/plan stages. At the very last, stand back and look for “knockout” pieces to accent your creation – art, lamps, accessories that will give the finishing touches and make everything else stand out. Proceed with implementing the plan throughout the rest of the house. Now, I assure you, next time your friends and family come to visit, they will certainly say:
“WOW, you have created the most fantastic home, it is beautiful, functional and comfortable – you are truly an “artiste”!”
