Tips & Hints
A Statement of Style
Feb 10, 2008, 23:18

A Statement of Style, as seen in Clarksville Now Magazine

Those truly wonderful rooms, the ones that stand out in my mind, are as personal as the signatures of their owners.  These rooms told me something about the inhabitants.  Each time I return, I could find something new to enjoy or learn about them.  Think about it and you may remember such a place.

Aside from the architectural elements (size, doors, windows, fireplaces, angles, ceiling height), the same interior, with wall and window treatments, color, lighting, furniture, and accessories, can be as varied and individual as the people living in them.  Personal style makes the difference.

Many things must be taken into consideration as we work to achieve the interior that reflects the personal style of a particular individual.  Lifestyle is the key consideration.  How will the areas be used?  By how many?  What are their ages?  How do they entertain?  Do they have hobbies?  And so on.  Once these questions are answered, the plans for the actual “decorating” can begin.  

What style of furniture is to be used?  Traditional usually implies a more formal lifestyle with a formal placement of accessories, using furniture with 18th Century, Queen Anne, or Chippendale design.  Country features scrubbed and painted woods, more patterns, more clutter, and a more relaxed atmosphere.  Contemporary styling features clean, simple lines, and sparsely furnished rooms.  Comfortable seating is a must.  The room’s style and period can be enhanced by the fabrics chosen for the upholstery and by the case pieces.

The style or look of a room dictates to some extent the colors best suited to the period, and should be taken into consideration in selecting the color scheme for a room whenever possible.  Country blue is dominant in the American Country style of decorating.  It takes its cue from the old buttermilk blue paint found on so many of the old painted pieces.  In 18th Century décor, deep reds, blues and greens were featured in the damasks and tapestries of the era and in the Oriental rugs often coupled with this look.  Whites and beiges tend to enhance the serenity of the contemporary room.  Most people are greatly affected by color and have strong color preferences.  Just as we are made to look healthy by colors that compliment our coloring, our rooms also benefit from careful color selection.  Color helps create moods and create ambiance.

Wonderful rooms are not achieved overnight, but grow and change as their owners do.  They are constantly being added to and embellished.  With the addition of a “flea market” basket, a gracious mirror, a lovely fabric, a tapestry pillow, a perfect painting, or cherished heirloom, you personal style can come to life.

By Joan Jenkins