Be brave and just enjoy adventure of interior design
It’s often easier to see why a space doesn’t work for you than to figure out how to fix it. Interior design theory is a complicated business that cannot be learned overnight. Fortunately, there is lots of help available in books, magazines, newspapers and online to guide you through some of the most common obstacles.
Our home spaces are created over time. Being aware of what to look for and how to add and edit as your life evolves is one of my only rules. Learn by doing, make mistakes and move on. It’s a great adventure.
Dominic Bradbury, author of Interiors in Detail, 100 Contemporary Rooms, has compiled an inspiring collection of rooms that work in all its senses. Each room fulfils its role with a flourish. Bradbury takes a close look at the elements that help to bring about a successful ending and highlights these in captions.
We are drawn to the customized shapes of the furnishings and rich layering of deep colour in the “Midnight Blue” bedroom shown here, designed by Studio Catoir.
There is texture everywhere, the woven leather headboard, fabriccovered walls, velvet curtains and wool and silk carpet. These tactile surfaces contrast with the smooth, hard materials in the desk and wood floor to create balance.
The eye is captivated by the sculpted shape of the headboard that appears to be wrapping its arms gently around the bed. There’s a mid-century feel to the chair and the kidneybean desktop.
This is an elegant, masculine room where midnight blue is the dominant colour. The white window sheers, bed linens and strips of white in the carpet allow the room to breathe and feel fresh.
Interiors in Detail examines key design principles as a guide to helping you make the most of your rooms. With the current trend to downsizing upon us, proportion and scale have become a challenge.
Furnishings that fit comfortably in a house are often out of scale for a small space.
Yes, we are editing like mad, but it is so helpful to get a new perspective. Start fresh, don’t try to match up the past, but instead reinvent. Inspiration is everywhere.
Debbie Travis’ House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email your questions to
house2home@debbietravis.com. You can follow Debbie on Twitter at twitter.com/debbie_travis, and visit Debbie’s new website debbietravis.com.