At its most basic level, interior decorating involves changing something within a space. However, beyond making a space attractive, effective decorating ensures that a space is functional – that it can be used for its intended purpose. Following are two different scenarios relating to making a room functional:
You are decorating a living room which your clients have told you they intend to entertain in. You arrange the furniture so people can sit close enough to carry on conversations. Near the seats, you place tables which can hold drinks and small plates. Is this room functional?
You are decorating a family room. Your clients have told you they want to be able to watch television in the room, have an area for playing games and a reading area. You decorate a fabulous looking family room with a games table area and a reading area. The TV does not look very good in this room, so you put it up high, far from the seating area. Is this room functional?
In the first scenario, by setting up the room so it is conducive to conversation, you have made the room functional according to your clients' wishes. In the second scenario, if you neglect to set up a comfortable seating area in range of television viewing, you will fail to accomplish your client's decorating wishes because the set up of the room will not be totally functional. You will learn ways to ask clients what functions they want a room to serve, how to measure space, and how to arrange the best layout.
When decorating, it is vitally important to take into consideration visually balancing a room to create a feeling of equilibrium and harmony. Whatever you decide to use in your decorating equation, your goal is to balance the look and create a sense of harmony with what is placed within the room.
Each object in a room carries a different weight (large objects carry more weight than small objects; bright and warm colors carry more weight than pale or cool colors; shiny objects carry more weight than dull or flat objects; rough textures carry more weight than smooth textures, a busy pattern carries more weight than a simple pattern, etc.) Your goal is to balance the visual weight in a room and colors, textures, patterns and objects are all part of the balance equation. When deciding where to place an item, some questions you may want to ask are: What is the visual weight of the item? Where will the item look best? What will need to be placed around the item to give it balance?
There are two types of visual balance that are important when decorating: symmetrical balance and asymmetrical balance. It is ideal to have a variety of both symmetrical and asymmetrical balance within a room to give it more depth and interest.
Symmetrical balance is achieved when two identical items are placed on two opposite sides of an imaginary line. For example, placing identical matching candleholders on each side of a fireplace mantel creates a symmetrical balance (which is also considered a formal balance).
Decorating only with symmetrical balance leads to a more formal and somewhat stuffy (possibly even boring) look, which is why it is ideal to also have arrangements that are asymmetrical.
Asymmetrical balance occurs when you have varied pieces of different sizes and shapes placed to create an equilibrium. For example, on a consul table, you may decide to place a decorative box in the middle and then place a lamp on one side and a vase of flowers on the other side. The vase of flowers will most likely be a different size and shape than the lamp, however, the differing sizes and shapes on each side of the decorative box balance each other and create the asymmetrical balance.
All elements and objects within a room are taken into consideration when balancing a room, and even a small accessory or plant can be used to bring balance. A large neutral colored painting can be balanced by a small, bright and colorful accessory. If you place a large sofa on one side of the room, you may want to balance it with another large sofa (or a loveseat with an occasional table) on the other side of the room. Over a fireplace, you may decide to hang a fabulous piece of art and place a vase with flowers on one side of the mantel and a large candleholder with a bright candle on the other side. However, if you decided to place a large vase with flowers on one side of a fireplace mantel and nothing on the other side, this would look off balance and not create a sense of harmony.
As mentioned, besides shape and size, you will also need to balance colors, textures and patterns throughout the space to create harmony. For example, if one side of the room is totally decorated in red cotton upholstered furnishings while the other side is in gold striped silk, the room will look out of harmony (and out of balance), however, if you mix these colors and fabrics and bring in some complimenting patterns and/or colors (possibly by scattering decorative cushions on each side), you can balance the look.
As an interior decorator you can expect that, sooner or later, one of your clients will ask you about Feng Shui (Chinese for "wind and water"). Pronounced "fung schway," Feng Shui is a Chinese art that has been practiced for thousands of years.
The Chinese believe that a life energy flows through all people and things. This energy is known as Qi or Chi (pronounced "chee"). When Chi flows freely through the spaces we inhabit, it helps our personal Chi stay balanced, and we experience happiness, health, wealth, and good luck. Chi enters a home through the doors and windows. Where it flows from there depends on the placement of objects within the home. It is believed a properly decorated home can attract more positive Chi and improve the lives of the people who live in the home. Decorators who practice the art of Feng Shui, sometimes called the "Chinese art of placement," ensure that furniture and other room elements are placed so that the energy can flow freely. The flow of energy is also affected by the location and construction of the home. You can compensate for design problems by adding, or changing the placement of, certain elements within the home. For example, you might rearrange furniture, remove clutter, or add items such as mirrors, plants, lights, or fountains.
To ensure proper balance of Chi, each home must contain the five elements of fire, wood, water, earth, and metal, which can be added through such things as colors, fabrics, accessories. In deciding where to place items in a home, Feng Shui practitioners use a tool called a "Bagua," a type of map that shows which parts of a home represent the different life areas (such as wealth, relationship, health, and career).
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1. Interior designer must know about different decorating styles
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