Whether you're going for a complete makeover or simply looking to inject some new life into your existing style, these five suggestions will inspire you. By Shveta Verma. Photos by Irfan Naqi
Our perception of space is individual and has a lot to do with personality. The best part of this is that you can do what you want with it. Your imagination is free to go wild with colour combinations, design and accessories tailored to suit your environment and complement your individual style.
Friday dresses up a few spaces and toys with combinations. We picked five stunning pieces of furniture and a few statement pieces to boost the 'wow' factor. Whether you are giving your living space a complete makeover, or simply looking to enhance this space, here are a few tips to fuel your creative fire.
Sharon Fortuno, visual merchandiser with Home Centre says, "With standalone pieces you have to remember that the piece is great on its own. Keeping it simple and not cluttering it with accessories – except when the accessory can blend in and not overshadow the piece – is key. This is because you want to focus on the furniture and too many accessories will divert attention from it."
Sharon elaborates via a few examples, emphasising that a stunning piece of furniture should be 'glammed' up and not subdued by the accessories around it. Here are five of her arrangements for five pieces:
Wicker garden chair
This droplet-style chair doesn't need anything around it, yet you can see how the designer has used accessories to bind it in its surrounding.
"This chair is to make people feel at home in the outdoors. I have created a camping rather than a resort feel with a drum to play around with, a lantern to provide a warm glow and ambience. It is for-the-family décor. Plants add to the tranquillity and a dry bamboo accessory adds to the effect. The rattan stools are for extra seating."
If you have already succeeded at making that striking piece of furniture in your home a piece for conversation, kudos to you! But if you have been procrastinating doing it up the above ideas are a great inspiration to get off the sofa and make the changes.
Chaise lounge
If you want to kick up your feet and relax, there is nothing better than a chaise lounge. It is a reclining long chair and is finding its way into many a modern home. You are spoilt for choice if you want to buy one with plenty of varieties available in different home stores.
Sharon says, "I like a chaise lounge which resembles its classic cousin. This one looks great with its brown leather and design. All else has been worked around it which puts it at centre stage. The main purpose of it being a relaxing chair comes across strongly (the tables are for putting books or beverages on and the lamp's close proximity helps to switch it on or off at will). The ambience is cosy as well as stylish.
"I chose these curtains because purple is a contrasting and striking colour here – it tones down the yellow of the wall as well as the brown of the lounge. The curvy curtain pattern complements the lounge itself which is elegant and
curvy. Eclectic accessories like candle holders, flowers and frames blend in with the lounge's homey atmosphere."
Plantation style bed "A bed is the star of a bedroom.
This bed is called a plantation style due to its leaf design. It is a grand resort kind of a bed but the way it has been made-up makes it look classic and classy," says Sharon.
"Since it is dark brown, a plain and neutral colour will make it uninteresting. Something slightly brighter and in the same family of colour – such as orange with gold in it – is reflected in the colour of the bed.
The leather headboard is bold so we complement it with a comforter, which is soft. "The use of cushions and bolsters makes it look comfortable with the cushy, fluffy comforter softening the effect of the bed itself.
The photo frames enhance the colours from the comforter and lamp so the headboard is highlighted. Everything has a little of each colour in it and they complement each other.
For instance, the lamp also has some of the colours seen in the comforter so when you look at the whole set-up, everything matches, but the bed does not overpower. The details can still be seen and that's what you want to create in a bedroom."
Console with mirror
A beautiful console can liven up your foyer. Your choice of statement piece speaks volumes about your individuality and style. If it comes with a mirror, it adds dimension to the passage to your living room. Sharon says: "A console with mirror is usually placed in the foyer but it depends on the size of the entrance and the style you want for your living room.
As people walk in, they should see this piece first so it should be eye-catching."
"This is the kind of piece you
need for the introduction to your living room – a teaser. If you have classic taste, you will buy a grand console.
If the space allows it, try
a bold console which will create a sense of anticipation for your guests on arrival."
Sharon says that there are different approaches to dressing up a console. For a classic, carved console, you
can do a simple set-up such as a flower arrangement or a lamp – table or floor – to go with it. Light plays an important role in a room.
Effective lighting – not too dark nor garishly bright – would surround your mirror for clear but not harsh reflections. It will look even grander if you frame your mirror with a curtain.
On its own – if it is against a wall – make sure that the wall colour is light or neutral with dark wood or a bluish-purple tone with cherry-coloured wood. She says, "For a small console with mirror – which is used for a small foyer or entrance - don't incorporate too many accessories as the clutter will make it look cramped and your furniture will look lost in the setting."
"Don't keep it too simple either. You can use a carved accessory to go with carving on a console. In this instance, purple candles look great with this console. The purpose is to make it look attractive and just add a little spark or spice to it."
Classic carved lamp
Aside from the obvious purpose of a lamp – to add light to a room – Sharon says, "A simple, minimalist lamp generally blends in with the surrounding furniture but this classic lamp will look good in a corner where people can actually see it – not from the corner of their eye; it should be properly visible and not hidden deep in a corner shadowed by sofas or tables."
"This lamp will look good in a classic set-up where it
will complement the furniture, but make sure that it doesn't disappear. A floor lamp catches attention so it's nice for them to have some detail. Don't isolate it," advises Sharon.
In this example, the red chair, although very bright, complements the lamp. "The lamp still stands out and its features are highlighted – the carving, gold embellishment, the style of the shade, shape of the lamp and the height. Even the purple silk curtains and the fuchsia wall have reddish tones that enhance the beauty of the lamp," says Sharon.
Contemporary corner sofa
Corner sofas are all the rage these days and for good reason – to break the monotony of a regular set of two or three sofas. Corner sofas also maximise the use of space and can add another seating area in a room.
Sharon comments: "The reason why people choose a corner sofa for the living room is because it is compact, versatile, sectional and
can be taken apart. Another reason it is popular with bachelors and small families living in small spaces is because more people can sit on it. An ottoman piece will go well with it too.
"Even a large space is good to display a corner sofa as it can divide sitting areas. It is good for open plan sitting and no end table is needed because of its shape. The sofa pictured here is contemporary – black is modern and in vogue at the moment.
"If you are putting a sectional sofa in a corner, keep it plain and simple where you can put a plant or a floor lamp beside it. This will look great in a modern setting.
Some nice frames on the wall highlight the sofa and as it is leather, there is no need for cushions. There is no hard and fast rule here. You can play with it. A rug is optional."
– Shveta Verma is a Dubai-based freelancer
