Please consider this article for your ezine or website. Permission to reprint if byline stays intact. Courtesy copy required.TITLE: One Room Apartment to Tuscan Villa – Rules to Make your Decorating a Success AUTHOR: Pamela Cole Harris WORD COUNT: 669 URL:http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com MAILTO:pacole3@homeandgardenmakeover.com
One Room Apartment to Tuscan Villa – Rules to Make your Decorating a Success
Making a French chateau library out of that extra room in your modular home can be a challenge (we are talking monumental challenge here!). And making your one room apartment into a Tuscan villa can stretch
limits of your imagination (You’ve been watching too many episodes of Trading Spaces again!). But Tuscan villa, French chateau, English cottage or Santa Fe adobe — whatever your dream décor may be, there are basic rules of design that will help make your decorating task a success:
1.Scale and proportion - If you are trying to make a Tuscan villa out of a one room apartment, make sure it’s a small Tuscan villa. Take into account scale of room, remembering that people who will use room will also be part of that scale. If you want large comfortable seats in a small room, you will need to reduce number of other things that will be in room and make sure that other accessories seem correctly proportioned in relation to one another. Remember that a small delicate tea table may look wonderful next to a wingback chair, but will seem at odds with an over-stuffed club chair! Also smaller space, smaller prints on upholstery or wallpaper you choose. If you have a large space, let yourself go with large splashy prints!
2.Line - Line defines a space. Vertical lines in your room give more height, dignity and formality (think of stateliness of Grecian columns or pillars!). Horizontal lines give a sense of space, width and security (think of a bed or a chair rails!). Diagonal lines give a sense of motion, transition or change (Think of eaves or a diagonal slash of paint!) Curved lines give a sense of freedom, softness and sensuality (think of curved, plush cushions or sofas!) Remember you don’t have to stay inside lines! Don’t place all your furniture against wall like a police lineup or firing squad! Bring some out into middle of room or at least move a piece or two at an angle to wall.
