See double when decorating
Feature
The old sayings claim that all good things come in pairs and that two’s company. That’s certainly the case when it comes to interior design. Pairing items in your home is one of the easiest ways to find a healthy balance within a room.
Your body has many pairs – your legs and feet, eyes and ears and so on. That means we are used to pairing accessory items such as footwear, so it’s not surprising that the eye finds balance through paired accessories in the home. Balance helps to create symmetry, which is one of the most important elements of interior design.
One of the most common problems for homeowners when decorating and accessorising is a missing sense of unity and symmetry. The reason is simple: most people aren’t consciously aware of the importance of balance. They concentrate on finding the perfect paint, the right furniture and the perfect soft furnishings, yet miss the designer trick of pairing to make their rooms feel less chaotic. Pairs lend a certain order to a room, which creates a sense of tranquillity.
If there’s something not quite right in your room but you can’t put your finger on what it is, chances are your room is off balance. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to fix this common mistake.
Start by reuniting any pairs you have separated, such as vases, plant pots or candlesticks. Then place them together where they will have the most impact and be most functional.
Don’t be afraid to add lots of pairs into your room. Lamps, plants, wall sconces, candlesticks, tables, sofas, pictures, cushions and shelves all look best when balanced in pairs. If you have two different table lamps in a room you can easily fool the eye into thinking that they’re a pair by simply adding new matching shades.
Some other ways to create balance through pairs is to flank a sofa with a pair of side tables or chairs. Display a pair of urns or a pair of vases on top of a mantlepiece or add balance with a pair of prints, framed identically and hung side-by-side. Matching potted plants look great when placed either side of a doorway. Even ceiling lights look at their best in pairs.
Once you have created a nice balance in your room, you can start to add triplicate groupings into the mix. Another old saying may claim that three’s a crowd, but groupings of three can also provide balance and impact. This works especially well for picture frames, sculptures and decorative items.
Picture caption: Balanced view – paired items bring symmetry to the focus of the room, the mantelpiece.
MyVillage 14th February
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