Whipping your design into shape
Squares, circles and triangles can be just as important as fabric patterns, wallcoverings
Shapes play an important role in every design process. Here are some general points you may find interesting to consider when you are shopping for a piece of furniture or a wallpaper design.
Squares signify equality, there are four equal sides. They are safe and solid and strong. What a perfect design for an ottoman on which to rest your feet or balance a tray. The square can be elongated into a rectangle, still firm and safe for tables and book shelves and seating such as benches and sofas.
Circles are happy figures. They represent movement and have a whimsical side. With no beginning or end points, they can roll on forever even when they remain in one spot. We all find roundness beautiful. So rounded cushions on a sofa and a round or oval dining room table feel pleasurable and welcoming.
A triangular shape is not as common in furniture, but crops up in fabric and wallpaper design. If the triangle is sitting on its base, we recognize this as a stable and powerful figure. If sitting askew or on one of its points, the message becomes conflicted . . . it might be unstable or simply having fun.
There are several elements to consider when selecting a piece of furniture.
You may not initially think of shape, but it will weigh in as you sift through alternatives. The same goes for patterns in fabric and wallcoverings. Geometric shapes can be very contemporary and edgy and they can be youthful and playful. Colour contrasts will heighten the mood.
I was asked for decorating advice from a young woman starting out on a busy career. In stark contrast to her professional environment, she wished for a colourful room that was a bit quirky and would immediately bring out a smile. Circles or ovals came to mind as the inspiration for
Using geometric shapes can make a room feel contemporary and edgy. Colour contrasts will help heighten the mood
the wall shown here.
On a tight budget, we settled on the idea of stencilling oversized ovals or lozenges on the wall, bold but not overpowering and definitely not boring.
To do this yourself, make a template of an oval shape and cut out four ovals from a piece of paper. Arrange them with their edges touching on a large piece of paper and draw around the corners to the halfway point of each oval. This is the stencil pattern you require — it represents the space between the oval shapes. Debbie Travis’s 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 @Debbie_Travis and visit Debbie’s new website, debbietravis.com.