Make small accents matter
Sometimes the most important design aspect of a room is just one small detail. One area is easy to consider in depth. It doesn't take months of waiting, and it doesn't cost a fortune.
Not only does this make your decorating more affordable, but also it breaks the task down into manageable bites. You can feel immediately successful.
How can you identify details that are worthwhile candidates for some extra love and attention in your home?
Begin by noticing an architectural detail that stands out, such as an indentation in a hallway or a soffit overhead. Maybe it is a window seat or support columns that stand in the middle of your room. Study the woodwork to learn if there is a creative way to paint it that is different from the current scheme.
Look at wainscoting or decorative panels below a rail. If you lack any distinguishing architectural details, consider adding them to your interior.
Know that you do not necessarily have to treat the entire house with the same finishing details. For example, you might take a guest bedroom and install a chair rail and crown molding. A paint scheme might find you using an accent color on the wall above the chair rail only with a neutral for the woodwork and the lower wall. Wallcoverings might be installed below the chair rail or on all walls for needed pizazz.
Alternatively, your focus might be one accent wall, such as the headboard wall of a bedroom. By considering the entire wall as a unit, you are able to create more drama.
For example, the wall might be papered in a texture and then painted. Stained strips of wood can be nailed over the paper to form a floor-to-ceiling headboard.
In the photo here, the back of a bookcase has been painted in graduated versions of one accent color. With this simple but creative action, the shelves have become a sharp backdrop to display white objects. It almost doesn't matter what the items are because they are silhouetted against rich color. This is a simple fix and extremely economical to achieve. You can buy test pints at paint stores to save you from having to buy a gallon of each color.
Alcoves will always stand out when painted in an accent color or deeper version of the basic wall paint. Often I will request that paint be mixed in a 50 percent version. The subtle difference between the full version of a color and the half-formula paint is like that of regular shadows. It creates a very pleasant shift that is easy on the eyes.
You can use this approach to paint the ceiling in a somewhat lighter version of your basic paint color. If you lack any kind of indentation along a long hallway, consider creating your own with an accent paint that cuts into the basic color. An example of this might be to use an accent between two door openings or on a wall at the end of a hallway.
If you have a wall that is visible from the main area of the house, such as the far wall of your family room from the front entry, treat that wall in a special way. This might involve custom built-ins with textured wallcovering or an investment in adequate accent lighting for art.
Maybe you will change the arrangement of windows that perforate the big wall so that visitors are focused on a positive feature, such as a view or a gorgeous tree outside.
Finally, a coordinated effort framing family memorabilia and photos can work together to form a focal point in most rooms.
• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
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