When designing and decorating your own personal space, it is important to make sure that the design choices that you make reflect who you are. After all, if people don’t get a feel for your personality as soon as they walk into your room or space, how will they know if you actually live there? Your home should echo your true nature with a showcase of the things that you love, and it’s as simple as that!
Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the boldest ways to personalize your home is with a signature piece. The piece you choose, be it furniture, artwork, color schemes or even fabrics that set a style, it will be the one feature to perfectly convey the right tone of your home’s true self. Signature pieces work to create main focal points within your home by adding a desired element of interest, sophistication and even fun into an otherwise sterile, unloved space.
Do you have a bold, fun, sophisticated or utterly fabulous signature piece that steals the show whenever you lay eyes on it but don’t know where it should go?
Well, let’s take a look at how to specifically design a room around a signature piece so that you can really get the effect that you want.
How to choose your signature piece
Choosing a signature piece either goes one of two ways; the ideal item will jump out at you from across a store, or you will struggle to find the right fit for you. A great rule of thumb is to choose a piece that is beautiful, a collector’s piece, something that means something to you or something useful. If you really can’t find anything that matches any of these criteria, go for something that simply brings a smile to your face or reminds you of a memory.
Decorating with signature pieces
There really are no rules when it comes to decorating with signature pieces because more often than not, the design genius tends to lie in the eye of the beholder. However, there are some guidelines that you can use to make sure that your room really works for you.
Photo Source: Contour Interior Design’s Classic Modern Project | Photography: Laurie Perez
Photo Source: Contour Interior Design’s Couture Modern Residence | Photography: Laurie Perez
Photo Source: Contour Interior Design’s Transitional Romance Project | Photography: Laurie Perez
THE RULES
1. You can use more than one signature piece in a room
Yes you can, but each piece has to complement the last. You don’t want too many signature pieces competing for the focus in a room because this will distract the viewer and confuse the entire feel of the space.
2. Signature pieces can be large or small
So don’t be afraid to play with scale! Choosing pieces with unusual scales will instantly create a focal point or some added drama without all of the fuss of having to change a room around to suit.
3. Pay attention to the details
Signature pieces that hold interesting shapes, colors and patterns are great for when you want to create an air of mystery in a room. Finding a piece that will compel your guests to do a double take, reach out or even gasp in surprise, is always a fantastic idea!
4. Use natural shape
Furniture can actually work great as a signature piece in a room, for example dining chairs are both functional and creative, and can easily be dressed or arranged to reflect sculpture and art. Go with the natural flow of the room and simply work with what you have to get a bolder look.
What if I have a signature element in a Room as opposed to a signature piece of my own choice?
Well that’s simple, if you have a large dining table or a built in wardrobe that you just can’t remove, you may need to use them as the focal point in your room because they simply dominate the existing space. If this is the case, try to draw from the items’ good points, do you like its color or style, shape or size? Use the best features to your advantage and build the room up to match and complement it. The best way to do this is with:
1. Color match
If your signature piece is quite dark in color, you can make the room both richer and darker to balance it or you can add much lighter colored elements accented with dark colors that match the piece to create a stark contrast.
2. Style blend
You may think that the style of the piece may be difficult to work with, but blending styles can be much easier to work with than any other element. If the signature piece is unusually ornate, you can introduce simpler pieces into the space to both contrast and balance it out, without detracting from the beauty of the piece of course. If it is more modern however, adding a vintage touch to an otherwise bland signature piece will give your room an element of drama, romance and even intrigue.
3. Size matters
The size of your piece needs to be taken into account too, if it’s huge add accessories that complement its size without making the room feel too full. On the same note, if your piece is small, surround it with small pieces to stop it from getting lost.
All a room really needs to achieve some easy kudo points is one well chosen signature piece or focal point that perfectly reflects you. So don’t worry about what your peers will say, just go out there, get the piece that you really want , and make that dull space pop!
Cover Photo: Designed by Nina Magon c/o American Dream Builders on NBC