Design Can Be Scary

Happy Halloween!

Have you seen the Ashley Furniture commercial yet? Oh my gosh! This made me laugh and smile for hours later. This little girl is getting a scary design lesson. 

I agree this dining room is not attractive at all. But as a designer I get scared by both things that don't match and things that do match. Good design includes repetition of pattern, form, or color and focal points or the unexpected object.

Sometimes matching things or as I say "Matchy Matchy Foo Foo" is just too much. It can be dull or just plain scary. Sometimes it can hide an architectural flaw or make a space appear larger than it really is. A single color can be soothing not boring.

Is this too much? or Is it covering a irregularity in the right wall?

One color is soothing and fresh. But notice 

the texture and pattern created by the variety of tile size.

You need variety in design to create character and individuality. But if everything is different is it distracting or exciting?

 This would be a boring room if all the chairs were the same. 

There differences make this room exciting.

These fabrics do not match. But there is repetition

of color and the scale of the patterns are similar.

I love the merging and alternating of two different chair styles.

Lesson is don't go out and feel you have to get the whole matching suit or collection of a certain line of furniture for good design. You can collect things of interest over time. Don't feel the drapery must match the furniture. It does not have to be the same fabric.

Don't be scared to be an individual. Scary is thinking you have to follow the crowd or that you must do it the way everyone does it. Frightening is conforming to a trend because everyone is doing it. Do use wallpaper if you like it. Don't be discouraged from the purchase because your neighbor said wallpaper is out.

Go out and scare someone with your own personal style and design.