The Rural Voice, 2000-03, Page 38Per
Home Decorating
Adding the finishing touches to a project
By Patti Robertson
This month saw the completion of
our young professional gal's
apartment, and since the entire project
has been centered on the perfect
balance of colour flow and cost-
effective measures for apartment
dwellers I'II continue to share this
project with you as there are many
tricks and tips which can be easily
utilized within any home with great
success.
The last domain in finishing this
project was the livingroom/dining-
room combo. (Remember, our colour
scheme is based on a subtle French
mustard tone and black). In this final
room our walls and ceiling are
softened to a soft biscuit -taupe tone
— (no need for the ceiling to be
painted white — white would break
and divide our colour impact, segreg-
ating the room's surfaces to no avail!)
Two of the large square room's
walls angle up to the 4' height. Here
we stenciled an arabesque leaf design
in a duo -toned taupe shade. To add
dimension and a "shadow" effect we
outlined the lower edge of the stencil
design in black, this adds interest
without interrupting our colour flow.
A common mistake made in
stenciling is for the artist to use far
too many colours thereby "blasting"
the effect at the viewer. Minimal
colouration will always give one the
most classical and professional effect.
Always practice your technique on
paper first.
This room needs to serve three
purposes — dining, sitting and office
space. The living area of this room is
defined by a soft golden taupe
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textured area rug placed strategically
on the medium oak hardwood
flooring. The furnishings heighten our
gold/black colour combo. We have an
arts and crafts -styled sofa in black
featuring upholstery in a Persian Kilm
pattern in blacks, taupes and gold, a
black TV/entertainment centre and a
black wrought
iron hassock
featuring a
plump tasseled
cushion in taupe
tones.
The dining
area features a
black armoire
that serves as
storage for
dishes and table
linens, a round
antique table and
chairs in a muted
golden shade
topped off with a
fringed, silk
shawl. The desk is situated in the
alcove/dormer window area which
sets it apart as an in-home office
space. (The desk can be easily
disguised as a serving table for
smorgasbords or the bar area, simply
by draping with an appropriate
tablecloth.) A variety of textured urns,
vases and wall sconces which range
from natural through black tonal
values help set a casual flair.
To this we have added wall art
.which repeats our colour scheme and
content. Framed prints of the
Australian outback to Toronto street
scenes all add drama and interest to
our setting. The classic accessory
piece in the room is a gold Flemish
mirror hanging in the dining area.
This not only captures and repeats the
ambient candlelight but opens up and
expands the visual appearance of the
room. (Mirrors, positioned correctly
can work wonders in adding
dimension to an area. The trick lies in
proper height, proportion, and an
awareness of what will be reflected).
Finally we addressed the covering
of the dormer window — simply
covered with a heavy weight lace
panel in taupes, featuring jungle
animals (lions, elephants, giraffes,
etc.) I was invited to dine one evening
and the sun was just starting to set. I
cannot tell you how delightful the lace
covering was as we were treated to a
shadow display of these animals over
the period of sunset. Imagine
watching a lion's shadow cast on the
wall and becoming long and shadowy
as the sun faded — really interesting
and a novel bonus to the decor!
Finally, as this is a third floor
apartment in this wonderful old home
we decided to create a grand entrance.
So, as visitors wind their way up the
semi -spiral staircase, they turn the
final bend to be greeted by a door
antiqued in duo -tone gold shades
upon which is scribed in Arabesque
style ... WELCOME. Up and around
the door is a Tree of Life motif
painted in hues of black taupe and
gold. Onto many of the leaves we
siliconed glass beads. The entryway
has been adorned with a Persian rug,
once again repeating our colour
scheme. A guest definitely gets the
feeling of having "Arrived!"
So in completion of this quaint
abode let me reiterate what made it
work in the optimum:
1. Minimal use of colour.
2. Being true to the colour scheme
selected and not deviating.
3. Cost effective use of paint and faux
techniques, stenciling and free hand
art techniques, less expensive
wallcoverings and borders that worked.
4. Majority of expenses went into
good quality accessories and
furnishings the client can take with
her when moving.
5. Taking advantage of all of the
available spaces — interesting wall
jogs, niches and sloped ceilings and
working with them.
6. Using fabric textures, colour and
light in conjunction with the strategic
placement of mirrors to expand and
create interest within the areas.
Following principles such as these,
and being aware of the assets within
any space always leads to a successful
and rewarding interior.
Now off to the next project! Keep
well 'til next month!0
Patti Robertson operates Classic
Interiors in Wingham.