Decorating a Room With A Focal Point

A lovely, well decorated room can fail...if it has no focal point. Make use of you windows as a good focal point. If you have a beautiful country view or one of the rare skyline views of a city, arrange your furniture so that the windows become the center of eye interest.

Choose a wall in which to display a single original work of art. For instance, a beautiful acrylic/oil landscape with track lighting for creating a focal point.

Arranged your chairs and sofa as to indicate, this is the central point. The same applies to a group of paintings, a wall of books, a massive shelf arrangement filled with collector's items.

A grand piano also makes a good focal point, so does a mirrored wall, a sofa with end tables and two imposing lamps, and a long, narrow chest arrangement containing books and collectors items.

Arranging Furniture:

When grouping furniture make sure you can view the grouping from any part of the room, and get as much pleasure from it as you would a picture on the wall. View it from all angles and opposite sides of the room to check that it looks neither muddled or cluttered.

1. Group your sofa and chairs so as to redirect traffic.

2. Keep chairs reasonably close together for easy conservation and to avoid shouting from across the room.

3. Power outlets should be installed in the floor to prevent accidental tripping from table lamp cords.

4. Choose tables that are about the same height as sofa and chairs to avoid spills and upset lamps.

5. Strike a good balance by separating large pieces of furniture so that the room does not look too heavy at one end.

Every room needs a center of gravity to pull it together. A wood burning stove or fireplace creates one such focal point, as does a colorful landscape painting, unique windows treatments and antique furniture can be just as eye catching.

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