Do we give into whimsy and forget about value or do we stay the course and make the practical decision? I have been working with two clients this week; one who is practical and all about numbers and the other is a little more fanciful and wants the wow factor.
I always recommend buying a good house for the dollar but sometimes charm and character can cloud our vision. One client of mine wanted a home that her friends and family would enter and have an immediate positive reaction to even though the home didn’t have the square footage she required for her children.
So, what is a person to do? We know not all houses have that ‘wow’ factor and that some are just square boxes set on a square piece of land on a square block in a square neighbourhood. How do you get that ‘wow’ factor into a home that fits your budget but doesn’t fit your personality? Décor and colour are the way to go, especially if you live in a plain, boring box.
A friend of mine put up a picture on Instagram on Halloween showing off her kids costumes and me being me, I zoomed right past the kids in the photo and focused on her fabulous, new misty green cabinets. They were beautiful! I made some comment disregarding her children and praising her cabinets but she didn’t seem offended and told me that they had renovated and loved the cabinet colour. Is the kitchen a spectacular layout and are they custom cabinets? Nope, but the colour and the ultra lustrous finish made these ordinary cabinets something very special.
If you are dealing with a plain box, go to the outside corners of that box and then keep going. A spectacular chandelier and bold coloured linens will draw the focus upon entering a bedroom and a shimmery wallpaper in a wild or large pattern will offset a yawn worth bathroom. A pop here and a daring risk there will draw attention to it and give an unusual focal point which will draw people in and show your creative side. If you can’t buy charm and character, then you need to create it in the space you already have.
When adding accessories or furniture, take stock of what you already have. If everything in your world is square or had straight lines then ad some curve appeal in the way of lighting, lamps, patterns on furniture and draperies. Twist it up with damask, paisley, dots and swirls and add some shape to your décor – and don’t forget the colour! If you are nervous about colour then opt for dramatic accessory choices in blacks, dark brown and grey to create a visual impact in your room. This can be applied to any furniture, decorative accessory or fabric choice you may want, even void of colour the dark impacts a room and creates an instant visual.
Take creative licence in your home! Cabinets don’t have to be just brown or white and everything does not have to be neutral or without pattern. Take a walk on the wild side and blow out your design palette with bold and daring choices and add some serious wow to your world.
Kim Wyse is a Central Alberta freelance designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Realtor/Ask a Designer’.
