People get into ruts with design. No need to repeat these design myths any longer.
Myth #1: Everything has to match.
How do you expect to have an elegant place to eat if everything doesn’t match? Easily. These distressed vintage chairs evoke the same feelings but they certainly aren’t the same color or style.
Photo via KT Merry
Myth # 2: Variety only exists in color and pattern.
Any monochromatic space offers a new and exciting challenge of creating contrast with texture, shape and size. Engage all the senses to create a design experience that envelopes you rather than screams at you. This all-white room from Vogue Living is a perfect example of contrast and interest.
Photo via Vogue Living
Myth #3: That has to go against the wall.
Designer, Chris Nguyen, curated his personal studio space where very little actually is sitting flush against a wall. It keeps the space breezy and open. His artwork is suspended between two windows, his couch compartmentalizes his spaces and his room divider replaces a bulky awkward TV by doubling as a projection screen.
Photo via Analog Dialog
Myth #4: Being trendy is foolproof.
Your personal style may go through phases, but at the core you are less volatile than most magazines suggest you should be. Accessorizing may be where you rotate your newest favorite color or pattern but don’t make the mistake of choosing expensive pieces that you’ll be over tomorrow. You’re not changing that much and your space should reflect that timelessness.
Myth #5: The ceiling needs to be white.
Why? It won’t necessarily open up your space and make it look larger. The eye will often ignore a white ceiling, keeping the eye from moving upward. Painting a ceiling two shades lighter than the walls adds interest and draws the eye upwards, mimicking higher ceilings.
This metallic ceiling in this David Kleinberg design certainly draws the eye upward and performs a key function to making a room look and feel larger; it reflects the natural light.
Photo via David Kleinberg
Myth #6: You have to stick to one style.
Why give a room a diagnosis? You’re limiting its potential. These two spaces from Nuevo Estilo prove that backing a space into a style corner is a mistake. Without the juxtaposition of Victorian and rustic, I could assert that this space would be much less interesting and most likely, less livable.
What other myths have you heard?
Always,
Erin for KBD