Wall Huggers - Elements of Design Headboards June 2008 Newsletter

June 2008 Design Newsletter

Welcome to our June 2008 Newsletter from Wall Huggers.

I thought in this issue I would talk about the Elements of Design. In every professional interior designer’s
toolbox are the six elements of design: space, form, line, colour, texture and pattern. With a basic
understanding of these elements, even the do-it-yourselfer can decorate like a pro!

SPACE

Defined by width, length and height, space is the area with which you have to work. It sets the limits as to what can be done in
rooms in terms of functional design. Space can be positive, such as that taken up by furniture, or negative, such as the traffic pattern in
the room; positive and negative spaces should be proportionately balanced. Depending on how you use other elements of design,
particularly line and colour, a space can be made to appear larger or smaller.

FORM

The joining together of lines produces an object’s form, form being it’s three dimensional configuration, or shape. There are four basis
forms: cubes, cylinders, cones and spheres. Squares, rectangles and triangles are produced by the joining of straight lines, while
circles and ovals consist of curved lines. The most prevalent form in any room tends to be the rectangle. A room’s forms should consist
of like lines in order to establish a sense of harmony.

LINE

Defined as the extension of a point, lines lead the eye around spaces, suggesting movement within them. Lines are instrumental in
establishing a room’s mood: vertical lines suggest height and formality; horizontal lines are restful, creating a more casual
atmosphere; diagonal lines are dramatic and suggest action; curved lines have softening effect. Straight lines are generally dominant in
a room and are associated with masculinity, while curved lines suggest femininity.

COLOUR

This is perhaps interior design’s most versatile element. Because colour evokes such strong emotional responses, it’s instrumental
in establishing atmosphere: warm, activating colours – red, orange, yellow – serve to invigorate and cheer, while cool, passive colours –
blue, green, purple – have a soothing, relaxing effect. Colour can make rooms seem larger or smaller: lighter shades evoke
spaciousness; darker ones, coziness. It can also be used to unite or differentiate different spaces.

TEXTURE

Texture refers to an object’s tactile feel or surface appearance. Like line and colour, texture helps form a room’s atmosphere.
Smooth textures are more reflective of light and lend rooms a sense of coolness and formality. On the other hand, rough textures are
more absorbent of both light and sound, and lend rooms a sense of warmth and casualness. Complementary textures help establish
harmony in a space; dramatic textural contrasts should be avoided.

PATTERN

Achieved by repetition and relating objexts to one another, pattern refers to more than the stripes or floral motif on fabric: it can
also refer to the arrangement of your furniture and accessories, for instance. For a pattern to successfully work in a décor, the
eye must be easily able to recognize and reconcile it, which means there must be a consistency between the objects, be it of proportion,
colour, texture, form or placement, for example.

Well I hope you were able to pick up a few tips to help you in your interior décor projects.

Since we generally focus on bedroom décor, let’s try and relate the above information to our bedroom design.

Your space in the room should be proportionately balanced. An example is when you have your bed, night tables,
dresser at one end of the bedroom and you have left an empty space at the other end. This does not give the space
a proper balance to it. The one side of the room will appear heavy while the other side vacant and light. Try to evenly
balance the furnishings in your room.

Your room should consist with like lines, such as you have a floor lamp with a round shade, so try to use a similar
shape with your table side lamps as well.

Since it is a bedroom, you should choose a colour that promotes relaxation and good sleep. Colours that are
soothing are; blue, green, purple. Colours that give the impression of coziness are darker colours, but if you want
the room to feel spacious use a lighter colour.

For a room with the feeling of warmth use rough textures such as a chunky chenille, or a large weave linen. Textures
can be a very important part of your room and try to use complementary textures together.

Using a pattern in any room can be tricky. If you love to have some pattern but don’t want to have it overwhelm the
room, I would suggest for your bedroom a neutral coloured comforter and add some great patterned cushions to
accent it. You can mix stripes with florals in like colours for a very dramatic effect.

Here are some examples of some bedrooms that may inspire you for your room.

I hope that you have enjoyed your Newsletter and have benefited from the information provided.

Please feel free to pass this information along to your friends and family members to also help them with their interior décor projects.

We also invite you to browse our newly created website. We have made huge improvements to the quality of information provided as well
as provide now an opportunity to purchase Wall Huggers online from the convenience of your home.

We welcome your comments and suggestions and hope that you enjoy this great summer season.

Regards,

Connie Beland / Owner

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