Diana Fox

It’s been said that falling in love is easy; it’s staying in love that’s difficult! Although this statement refers to our personal relationships, it easily parallels the feeling most of us have about our home’s interior décor. Falling in and out of love with your home is quite common, but who wouldn’t want to fall in love, stay in love and live happily ever after?

It’s easier to attain than you might think. The key element in designing stylish, comfortable interiors depends on an ability to highlight details. Details that reflect your lifestyle and personality, details which combine color, texture and pattern and details for the selection and placement of furniture and accessories — independently and collectively these details create an inviting personal refuge that showcase a room’s versatility and beauty.

In order for your home to feel warm and inviting to others, it should reflect your style, taste and personality. Don’t decorate for the approval of others but rather for the needs, comfort and happiness of the people who live and play within its walls. It’s the little touches that personalize a space — a collection of antique clocks, colorful contemporary artwork or your grandmother’s patchwork quilt.

Always choose and display items you love. Whether it’s furniture, artwork or accessories, each new selection impacts your current surroundings, so choose carefully and feel confident in your judgment. If it’s the perfect piece, don’t hesitate to bring it home. Just the sight of it will make you smile and glad you did.

The best room design always reflects a balance of open space with a feeling of coziness, thus creating ample options for movement, change and flexibility. Update your space by occasionally rearranging your furniture and accessories. Moving items from room to room is a fun way to express your creative style. The oval mirror in the entry can easily mix with family photos in the hallway, and the two silk topiary plants on the dining room table add a sophisticated style to the fireplace mantel, or if separated, easily stand alone as finishing touches in a bathroom or a kitchen island. Mixing up the details is an inexpensive solution to inspire a room with fresh style and function.

Clearing away outdated, unused items you no longer enjoy will instantly refresh any room with a stylish, spacious look. Avoid overcrowding by regularly scaling down your possessions. Why save this liberating task for that once-a-year spring cleaning? Instead, incorporate this important detail on a routine basis and achieve practical results. The benefits of a clutter-free environment go far beyond the obvious and will increase your energy, elevate your mood and contribute to a stress-less state of mind.

Add color to the walls. Color stimulates our senses. With color we express ourselves, create possibilities and bring our imagination to life. Importantly, color improves the presence of your home. It’s an inexpensive, easy detail that transforms any space. Select colors to compliment your furnishings or choose shades you are particularly drawn to; if you long for relaxing days at the beach, bring sand, sea and sky colors into a favorite room. Feel inspired with literally thousands of shades — a pleasing palette is the heart of any home and when applied can spark emotion, add drama or create harmony.

Design a room’s floor plan by first arranging the large furniture; then, add smaller items such as side tables, chairs or accent pieces. Next, place the lamps, pictures and large plants and lastly the accessories and distinctive details. This formula optimizes balance, comfort and atmosphere by layering a combination of textures, patterns and personality. Play around with the design until you have a room rich in character and beauty, a room everyone wants to relax and unwind in.

Women love to be ‘in love’ and feeling happy and beautiful in their home is an important response to this need. Express yourself with pleasing colors, comfortable furnishings and surroundings that reflect your unique style and personality. Implement a few of these simple, stylish and affordable design details and you’ll be assured of a life-long love affair with your home!

Diana specializes in interior arrangement, room design makeovers and color consultations. She has been assisting clients since 1986 and can be reached by phone at (951) 202-7859 or e-mail at diana@foxinteriors.biz. Or, visit her on the Web at www.foxinteriors.biz.