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CREATING THAT DESIGNER
LOOK USING YOUR OWN THINGS
One of the misconceptions people have
is that interior designers when hired, come into your home and throw everything
out. Over the span of my 30+ years as
a professional, I have found that it is usually the homeowner who doesn’t
recognize the value of his or her possessions in a newly designed room. I think it has to do with the fact that
people don’t really “see” these spaces after a while. Clutter often accumulates
and covers up truly interesting and sometimes valuable pieces, which
not only should be kept, but are the very cornerstone of a unique
and personal space.
Several
years ago, I met a woman whose large home was a challenge because it’s many
spaces seemed to have no individual style, particularly a large loft area,
which she had claimed for herself. As
I left one of our early meetings, I walked with her to the closet in which she
had hung my coat and noticed a huge amount of boxes on the top shelf. When I asked her jokingly what she was
hiding from me, she replied, “Oh, they’re just some of the dolls I like to
buy. I keep them up there and in the
attic because my husband can’t stand seeing them all over the house”. All told, she confided, she had 167 of
them! When I asked her to open a few
of the boxes, I realized her collection was not only valuable, but beautiful –
a perfect backdrop for her personal loft space where it would not take over the
entire house. I designed a series of
glass enclosed cabinets to cover almost all the walls and a ˝ wall of similar
shelving as a pseudo-railing, which enabled viewers from both below and above
to see the doll vignettes. Her collection was artfully
displayed with room for it to grow, and husband and wife were both
pleased with the result.
Personal
collections from frogs, to teddy bears, to penknives, provide interest in rooms
both public and private. Personal
photography, when framed appropriately, is a great art accessory and also
enables you to relive your family history with friends and loved ones, as well
as remember the places you’ve been.
The key is to avoid clutter and present it well. Every year at holiday time, the seasonal
collections come out – but people forget to put away something to make way for
something! Remember, you don’t have to
see all your possessions at once.
Store it for a while and bring it back at a later time, and you will
appreciate it all over again. If
you’re a reader, make your library special.
Build or buy appropriate shelves and categorize your books for easy
re-use. Bookshelves can also hold
picture frames and other accessories for interest and variety.
When
it comes to pieces of furniture that have special meaning to you, they
shouldn’t have to be discarded just because you redecorate. If they are worn, torn or broken,
investigate the cost of repair.
Chances are, it will be less than to replace, and you can keep your
special possessions for yourself as well as future generations.
So
when making your wish list, don’t think only new – think about the things you
have that make you happy, but that need a new setting. Your home is all the more inviting to
others when you are comfortable and happy there, surrounded by the people and
possessions you love. That’s what
decorating is all about.
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