Rules for decorating your room

Rules for decorating your room
By iProperty.com Singapore – February 16th, 2011




Inside a house. (Image courtesy of Deror Avi)

It doesn’t matter which room it is, there are some things that are always worth bearing in mind when decorating or re-decorating your living space.

Rule 1: Size Matters

While the room is completely unfurnished, amble around it. Stand in various corners, wave your arms around, swing cats (not really) -– just make sure you have a realistic sense of how much stuff your room can fit. Because you’ll look mighty silly when you stick a two-ton sofa or imperial-sized dining table into an area that can’t accommodate it. Conversely, make sure you don’t underestimate the capacity of a room and buy decorations that are too small. Undersized shelves, chairs, tables etc will make it look like you’re living in a doll’s house.

Rule 2: Pick Patterns Prudently

Curtains, tablecloths, carpets, wallpapers and more all blaze out their own colours and patterns, and you want to make sure that they work cohesively. You wouldn’t wear plaid pants and bright white running shoes, so why put your faux zebra skin sofa beneath the polka-dotted blinds? The answer is, you wouldn’t. Think about how your decorations can work best side-by-side. It helps if you squint at your furnished room –- with objects blurred, you’ll be able to spot pieces that are glaringly mismatched.

Rule 3: Let there be (the Right Amount of) Light

Again, balance is the idea here. You don’t want to give off a hermit-like vibe by installing heavy velvet curtains that give off a cave-like atmosphere, nor is it advisable to install 100-watt light bulbs every two paces. Either extreme end of the spectrum is liable to make guests feel like they’re about to be harshly interrogated. You’ll ideally want to make use of natural light wherever possible, and spread lamps around the room so that there are no incongruous dark zones. Above all, don’t mix fluorescent with normal bulbs; it’s a recipe for a headache.

Rule 4: Comfort First

While it might seem to run counter to the points above, comfort should supersede all other rules. If you’ve found a recliner that makes you feel like the king (or queen) of your castle, a recliner so comfortable that you dream about it even when you’re in your bed, a recliner so soothing that it could broker peace in the Middle East –- then by all means, that should take precedence over its Mr. Men motif or garish but ergonomic pillows. After all, this is your home, not a showroom. (Plus you can always reupholster!)

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