When arranging any space, home furnishings can make the difference between a layout that feels – and looks – great, and one that seems clunky and without focus.
Even if you’re not a professional interior decorator, a few simple tips and tricks can help your home look refined and put together.
Read on to learn how to turn your home into a showplace where you, your family and your guests will love to spend time.
What is Visual Flow, and How Do You Create It?
Flow is a term taken from psychology, where it’s used to refer to the feeling of being fully immersed, energized and involved in your purpose. Designers use this to describe the feeling of effortless movement and positive energy throughout a home or space.
To create visual flow, decorate your home in a way that is cohesive from room to room. This creates a balance between furniture, accessories and color that doesn’t overwhelm but rather balances and enhances the space.
You can see why your furniture lays the groundwork for creating flow.
If your furnishings are the wrong scale for the space – using oversized, overstuffed or highly detailed pieces in a small, austere room, for example – you may feel uncomfortable when you spend time there, without even realizing why.
Our customers often complain that, upon moving into a new house, the pieces they loved in their previous home simply don’t feel right. Sometimes the fix requires little more than rearranging some pieces here and there. In other cases, however, it may require a different style or scale of furniture.
Fortunately, you can make magic happen by paying a little attention to the details.
Don’t Overlook the Little Things
The small details of a space can help to lay the foundation for visual flow. Often, a lack of symmetry may be to blame.
For example, if you have crown molding in your living room, then you should have baseboard molding as well, to balance it out.
The color of your hardware is another detail that can really tie a home together. If you have brass in one room, nickel in another and bronze somewhere else, it can make the home feel disjointed. Coordinating details like this will increase the visual flow.
If the back door doesn’t match the front door, consider replacing one or the other. Doors and windows need to be the same style throughout. Remember, the overall goal is to make your house look designed rather than simply pieced together.
Paying attention to the small details can really help achieve this and they won’t break the bank, either.
Turn an Eye toward the Accessories
The goal with accessories is to add feel to the room and, if you add a touch of the same feel to each room, then you help to bring the home into balance.
One way to accomplish this is with mirrors.
Not only do they open a room up by reflecting light, they provide a real lift to any room, especially small, otherwise gloomy spaces. By creating a feeling of openness with light and reflection, you again improve the flow in your home.
Rugs, linens and window coverings are another great way to pull a room together.
These can both define space and soften the transition from room to room. If you have a large, open room, this is especially helpful. They’re also a great way to carry the same colors and textures from one room to the next in your house, another important component of flow.
In Salt Lake City, Guild Hall Fine Furnishings understand the importance of feeling comfortable in your home. Our professional interior design staff can assist you in selecting the right pieces to achieve that designer look while still maintaining the level of comfort you and your family enjoy.
Stop by and see us today, and see what the right accessories and home furnishings can do for you.
