Several weeks ago, I was visiting with the clients who just completed their new home.  It's delightful to see their home evolving from a building project into a reflection of their taste and lifestyle, and it's a joy to be part of the evolution.

The homeowners selected a pale, dusty green (a bit brighter than "celadon") for one of the guest bedrooms, and didn't know what color(s) to use, to accessorize it.  The bed, dresser, and night stands are dark wood (mahogany), the carpet is a cool beige, the duvet and skirt are a deeper shade of the carpet, and the trim (crown moulding, casing, and baseboard) is a light ivory.

The only accessory in the room was a wonderful painting that the husband had created, featuring three skiers, in a dark frame with double matting: wide ivory at the outside edges (which enhanced the snow in the picture), and very thin red at the inside edges (which repeated the color of one of the skier's caps).  

When I suggested red as the accent color, the homeowners loved it.  They happened to have throw pillows in many colors, including different shades of red, and they had just purchased a small-sized red area rug for another room, which fit into the guest bedroom beautifully.  I suggested adding one or two light ivory pillows, also.  They are now looking for a comfortable deep-red lounge chair to fit into the corner, and a wood occasional table. When finished, the room will feel friendly and restful, because the main colors are neutral, but it will also have personality and pizzaz, with the red accents.  Technically, the room has a complementary color scheme, which uses opposites on the color wheel.  For more information about color schemes, you can visit http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-schemes.html

Whether decorating a room, arranging display items in a cabinet, creating flower arrangements, or hanging pictures on a wall, I keep the relative placement in mind, so the viewer's eyes flow from one object to another, creating a smooth rhythm using odd numbers, if possible (i.e., 3, 5, or 7), for assymetrical balance for most homes.   

In this bedroom, the ivory colors are repeated at the ceiling, the windows, the accent pillows, duvet, and floor (repetition of five). Standing in the doorway, the occupant will see the red chair, the red pillows, and the red area rug (repetition of three).  But moving from the doorway into the room, the view will change, and the painting will become visible, the room's focal point from that vantage.  

When we see pictures of a well-decorated room in magazines, the view is static, like standing in a doorway -- usually staged specifically for the photograph.  But in real life, our environment must change to maintain its dynamic effect on us.  Think about this as you move around your home, and when you enter public spaces, also known as created environments.  If you are fortunate to live in or close to the country, think about the dynamic changes you encounter as you move into and through the natural environment, i.e., the effects of colors, textures, and lighting.  

I learned a decorating trick from these wonderful clients that I'm going to pass on to you: Don't buy expensive frames for your artwork, unless you have to. Goodwill, Salvation Army, and other charitable organizations with retail outlets sell frames (and framed artwork) for considerably less than you'd pay for a custom frame.  You can also get great bargains at garage sales and flea markets.  

All you have to do is take photographs of your artwork that needs framing, and write the measurements on the back of the photos. Keep them with you whenever you go shopping (or keep them in your glove compartment), so if you happen to pass a resale or consignment outlet, or a garage sale, you'll have the information you need, to get the frame you want.  My clients paid less than $20 for the 24" by 30" frame that they used for the "skiers" painting.

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Plesset's Principles for Tomorrow's Designers®

Here is the first of an ongoing series of hints, tips, and how-to's, to help you prepare for a career in interior design, or bath-kitchen design.  There will be more exciting information for you (and your peers) in the very near future!

• Don't under-estimate the importance of drafting plans, elevations, details, and perspectives by hand -- yes, manually!  CAD is a wonderful tool, and I highly recommend it, but the practice you have drafting and sketching to scale will help you feel and understand the volume of a space.  It will also increase your confidence to do quick sketches in the field, to help others understand your vision and insight. 

• What is the most important class you can take that will really prepare you for your career?  

                [A] Architectural and Interior Design History  
                [B] Drafting
                [C] Textiles
                [D] Color
                [E]  Furnishings and Accessories
           
Feel free to share this newsletter with your friends and peers.  The future of our profession is in your hands.  I've been blessed to have wonderful mentors and teachers throughout my career, several who established the high standards still being honored.

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"Plesset's Principles for Today is Home" is YOUR personal information service, to help you make informed decisions about every aspect of your building or remodeling project. Send an e-mail today with your questions to: Q@dp-design.com

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