Have you ever had the feeling that one, or several, of the rooms in your house does not feel quite right, but you have no idea why?  It may be because the room is out of balance.

Maybe you feel the room is tipping to the side because there are many heavy pieces of furniture on that side, or it could be that the artwork or accessories are imbalanced.

If you are experiencing this very common situation and a Seattle interior designer is out of your budget, follow these simple tips to get your room to the right balance equation:

1.Large vs. large.  If you place a heavy piece of furniture on one side of the room, maybe a bookcase for your big collection of books, place something large on the other side too; it could be a cozy sofa with a big art piece on top.  This will balance the room by adding height and visual weight to both sides.

2. Separate.  Split bookcases and entertainment centers to achieve balance.  Place one of the sections in a different place inside the room, next to the sofa or fireplace, to make them look less heavy around the space.  Sectional sofas can be too large for a certain room, making it feel too heavy or cramped, thus, place the sections one in front of the other, as you do with sofas and love seats.

3. Symmetry.  This means both sides of the room are identical.  The symmetry, matching furniture, gives a very formal visual effect and is easy to create.  Two matching chairs on either side of the sofa or matching candlesticks on each side table; may do the trick.

4. Asymmetry.  Yes, opposite to the above one, but incredibly interesting.  The trick here is to put together comparable, but not matching, pieces.  Look for pieces in different sizes, shapes and colors, and work a gorgeous asymmetrical arrangement, like for example, a huge vase on one side in contrast to three smaller candlesticks or an interesting lamp on the other.  These arrangements may need a little more knowledge or feeling to create, because you have to perceive the visual weight of each piece, and they create informal settings, alias, more cozy ones.

5.Think lamps.  These are great balancing pieces.  Place a floor lamp on one side of the sofa and a table lamp on the other; you can even put books under the table lamp to make it look a little higher.  You can also put two different table lamps on each side of the sofa; or even think of placing two different side tables on each side.

6.  Plants.  Place a tall potted tree across from a big bookcase to balance its height; vertical mirrors also work.  To balance both sides of a sofa, place a potted plant on one side and a table lamp on the other.

7.  An eye on art.  To complete furniture that is too short or too narrow for the space, hang one or more art pieces on the wall above it.  Color is a great balancing tool too.  Darker and stronger colors are heavier than lighter ones, so think about this when you are placing art in front of a big piece of furniture like an armoire, bookcase or entertainment center.

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To kill a space, there is nothing better than strict rules, however, there are certain ‘crimes’ in decorating that not even the boldest interior designer in Seattle will dare to commit for the sake of originality or fame.

Crime #1: Neglect Editing
The rule that states that less is more is sacred.  An overcrowded room, full of furniture and trinkets, diminishes its main purpose, which is to showcase you and anyone else meant to enjoy it.  Be brave and get rid of half the furniture and everything else inside your rooms; keep what you truly love, donate what you think is beautiful, discard what doesn’t work, and allow for pure and positive energy to flow around every corner.

Crime #2: Shut Your Ears to the Room
Listen to the empty room before you decorate it.  Feel its proportions, its surfaces, textures and colors; check the quality and the direction of light, and let its function guide the design.  The furniture for a room must move places according to the space it was designated for.

Crime #3: Follow Trends Mindlessly
Forget about copying the minimalistic or Asian style presented by the top interior design magazine.  The best room is the one with a unique identity, where you go in and immediately feel its special energy and balance because it shows your personality; the room is you!

Crime #4: Settle For What’s Common
A room decorated with certain objects or style just because that’s what’s normally done, is a loser.  Your imagination is the limit as to what your special room can become.  Let it surprise you with your unexpected side, allow it to show you how confident and unique you truly are.

Crime #5: Not Make It Fun
Have you heard the advice: don’t take yourself too seriously?  Well, it applies to decorating too.  There is always, and there always should be, room to be ironic, clever and interesting in a funny way.  Good taste should be a personal principle, not an established rule.

Crime #6: Dread Color
Color is the cheapest and fastest way to imprint personality into a room.  A well-selected color completely transforms a space and opens it to the senses from the inside out.  Want to laugh, dream, dance, or rest fully in your home?  Paint it with vibrancy and let bold colors speak about you.  Never fear it!

Crime #7: Being Too Formal
Long are gone the days of formal dinning as in the XVIII century castles.  Today we enjoy using and mixing our best china every day.  At home, you want to actually feel at home; feel free, relaxed and be casual.  You want your guests to feel at ease and special.  You want to live your life at home!

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So, you’ve decided it’s time to add a new splash of paint to your walls? If only the task was as easy as choosing your colors, picking-up your pots, and bringing out the brushes! Any good interior designer in Seattle, Miami, or New York knows that as well as planning things carefully and taking time over your choices, there are a few rules to revamping your walls that can make all the difference.

1. One wall doesn’t have to equal one color! Get clued up about painting techniques that can add subtle or dramatic differences to your room. Use stencils or stamping kits to add details like your favorite flowers or classy borders. Or you might choose a mural - perhaps of a fireplace you wished you had or a fun collage for the children’s nursery. If you’re no Picasso, mural kits are inexpensive and easy to use. Techniques like sponging and ragging (using a sea sponge or household rag rubber-banded to a paint-roller) produce beautiful depth and texture when added onto a base of paint. And some paint brands are already textured to give you special finishing, e.g. suede-look or wood-finish.

2. Don’t just think color, think light! Consider the balance of light in your room, not just the balance of colors. Think of the way an outside landscape is typically lighted - the earth is dark and as you look up to the sky, you see more light. Copy Mother Nature’s example, and surely you won’t go wrong. Paint your room by choosing darker colors for the floor, medium shades for the walls, and lighter shades for the ceiling.

3. Spend a day with your paint swatches. Colors painted onto walls can vary in appearance in different rooms and under different light. Apply test squares of your chosen paints on your walls. Observe how the colors look throughout the day, especially during times when you use the room the most. If you use a room mainly at night, you’ll want your paint to go well with your lighting.

4. Don’t just compliment your furnishings, enhance them! You’re sure to choose color schemes that compliment your furniture, but you might want to choose ones that really highlight your room’s best assets. Paint your walls in colors that are already found in a favorite rug or wall hanging and you’ll really highlight their attractiveness.

5. Colors have feelings too! Think about how certain colors make you feel before you make your final choices. Soft colors like violet, blue, and green don’t demand your attention and are soothing to the senses, creating feelings of calm and peace. Hard or warm colors like red, orange, and yellow, are bright and draw the eye. They convey energy and encourage cheerfulness. Finally, earth tones like brown, beige, gray, and taupe are muted colors and create elegant and sophisticated looks. But be careful - if not well balanced with enlivening colors to compliment them, these colors may prove too dull or quiet. Happy painting!

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