Every room has a focal point. Every room needs a detail that draws your eye and your body into the room and finding the focal point and focusing the room’s decor upon that one eye-catching is actually quite easy.
The foyer/entry room is your home’s “first impression” to visitors. When you enter a home, there needs to be a visual of something that draws you into the home and welcomes you.
Depending on the size of the space, this can be something as simple as a mirror on the wall, that can also be functional and assist you as you exit the home. Maybe you have room to ground the mirror with a console where you can create a vignette with a floral, a lamp or maybe seasonal decor.
Some entryways are so spacious that you can add a tree, an oversized mirror and maybe even a chair. This is the first impression a visitor has of your home, so make it inviting and interestingly you.
The living room is usually a multi-functional room and there are many nooks or entire walls that can serve as the focal point.
Once you enter the home, the living room is usually the next room up to bat for the visitor. You must consider what the wall from across the point of entry looks like. Hopefully, if you have a fireplace, it rests on this wall. If not, let’s discuss.
The fireplace wall should always be the focal wall in any room. You want the most weight, be it bulky built ins or furniture to be on this wall. And hopefully your TV can reside on this wall. You want all attention to be on this wall.
Your furniture should be directed toward this focal wall. If your details are arranged otherwise, you have to plan for a cohesive and balanced look, but please, consider an element that draws your eye into the room from afar. It can be a colorful piece of wall art or a set of carefully arranged bookshelves.
The kitchen is the average home’s most occupied space. A kitchen can often have two or three points of entry, so it can be difficult to create a focal point.
I tend to like the cooking area to be the “wow” factor in the room. After all, we cook in the kitchen and it’s where everyone congregates as the meals are prepared.
Consider a kitchen plan that focusses on the cooking area. You can achieve this by creating symmetry with the cabinetry around the range or cooktop. With the vent and hood over the cooking arrangement, the height alone can help you achieve the drama.
Also consider staggering your cabinet height, making the hood one of the tallest features.
Most people tend to follow a formula for the dining room, but this is the area where you can really let your imagination run wild.
Many people would think a grand chandelier in a dining room would be the piece de resistance. However, you never want your eye to rest in the center of a room, you want to be drawn into a space. You want the space to welcome you. Create some drama with a sideboard with a mirror or a substantial piece of art planted above.
This gives you a great landing space for decor that assists in your mission of creating some character.
The bedroom doesn’t have to be boring.
Sometimes door and window placement in a bedroom can create a problem, but you always want to walk into the foot of a bed when you enter a bedroom. You want the bed to be opposite of the door, and again, welcoming you into the sleeping chamber.
A well dressed bed can be a beautiful thing as you enter a bedroom.
Decking the hallway is a tricky endeavor. A hallway can become a long and boring space where furniture is awkward and art tends to look like an afterthought in a slender space.
I find many people will line the side walls with art and family photos. This not only can make the hallway seem more narrow than it is, but it doesn’t send a message of traveling down the space. If possible you want to create the focal point at the end of the hall so that it will draw your eye down the space.
To summarize, always consider how you can draw your eye into any space. Never offer a bold statement at the beginning of a room. Make your guests feel welcome to enter your space.
