FIVE EASY TRICKS FOR HANDLING PROBLEM ROOMS by Pamela Cole Harris
Do you have a room that's just too much? Too long? Too narrow?
Too tall? You can camouflage that problem space with a few
visual tricks!
1. Is your room too long? Divide it! Create two or more separate
groupings in the room. Have an area for conversation, one
for music, or one for media viewing. The possibilities are
endless! Use area rugs to define each space and tie the
whole design together. Dark colors on the short walls at
either end of the long space will make them appear to
advance and shorten the space visually.
2. Is your room too narrow? Arrange your furniture on the
diagonal to fool the eye! Linear elements such as art,
shelves or rugs should be placed on the short wall to add
visual width. Painting the longest walls a cool color which
will make them appear to recede can trick the eye and
visually widen the space.
3. Is your ceiling too low? Add height to your room with tall,
vertical elements, such as bookcases. Long curtains which
drape on the floor can also add visual height, as will tall
lamps or torchieres. Painting the ceiling a light, cool
color (which appears to recede) will make the room seem
brighter and more open.
4. If your room too tall? Lower the ceiling by incorporating
more horizontal lines in the room. Shelves, art and crown
moldings are just a few of the elements that can lower the
height of the room. Another way to lower the room is to
install molding or chair rails one half to three quarters
of the way up the walls. This trick visually shortens the
room. Painting the ceiling a dark, warm color will also
shorten the visual space.
5. Is your room too big? Divide it into more intimate areas!
Grouping a couple of chairs with a loveseat, two chairs
and a small table, a sofa and chair, or other similar
arrangements will make the room seem cozy. Warm colors
advance visually, so painting the room a warm color will
make the room seem more intimate.
Whatever problem your room has, a combination of color and line
can make a huge difference in the way the eye perceives the
space. Now, if only I could make my hips recede!
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Pamela Cole Harris is a writer, eco-decorator and author of
"100+ Wildly Imaginative Ways to Make Your Own Coffee Table -
a Handbook for Creatively Deficient Decorators." Visit her
website, http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com for her unique
decorating and remodeling style (and a free newsletter!) Or for
unique content for your website, written especially for your
keywords and audience, visit http://www.pamelacoleharris.com.
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