Home interior decorating and structural features

by Thomas Dill
(Costa Rica)

Structural features have an important impact on home interior decorating. Therefor it is important to examine these features before decorating a room.

The main structural features are:

* Symmetry
* Ceiling height
* Room shapes
* Windows
* Built-ins
* Permanent fixtures

SYMMETRY

The symmetry (even balance) or lack of symmetry (uneven balance) in the elements of an unfurnished room determines whether the room is essentially formal or informal. The elements in an asymmetrical room (not evenly balanced) make it easiest to complete as an informal room. For example, an asymmetrical room may have a fireplace in a corner with a single unmatched window on one wall. It’s considerably more difficult to make this type of room a formal room. Evenly balanced room elements, such as a wall with an exactly centered fireplace and a set of identical windows on either side, make the room easily decorated in a formal style.

CEILING HEIGHT

Ceilings in contemporary homes are either standard height or soar to interesting angles. In converted buildings or older homes, unusually high or low flat ceilings are more common. Such ceilings affect the mood of the room. A particularly low ceiling gives a cozy feeling to a room. A warm, informal decor is easy to accomplish. You could be challenged when a more elegant decor is desired. An especially high ceiling usually requires a formal decor. For a more intimate mood, you’ll need to pay special attention to the home interior decorating treatment and counteract the effect of these high ceilings.

ROOM SHAPES

Room shapes influence the mood of a room. Not all rooms are perfect squares. The rooms you’ll be decorating will require different home interior decorating styles depending on the shapes of the rooms and your preferences. For example, a long, narrow room tends to feel formal. Its mood can work well if the room is a dining room for formal entertaining. However, creating an intimate or cozy mood in a narrow room is a true challenge. A round or octagonal room generally has more natural warmth than a rectangular or square room. It’s easily adaptable to many mood treatments. An almost square room is the easiest to decorate. You can decorate this type of room in either a formal or an informal style.

WINDOWS

Besides letting in light and framing the outdoor view, windows help set the mood of a room by their shapes and placement. Generally, the style of the windows will match the mood of the other features in the room. However, the style of the windows may be in conflict with the rest of the room. These windows will require special decorating treatment to overcome this bad effect. Different types of windows require different decorating treatments. Casement windows, leaded windows, and arched windows lend themselves to traditional and period styles. Leaded or arched windows may also be used with a contemporary look. French windows are best with traditional decor. Any aluminum-framed windows are incompatible to period decor and require careful treatment to make them work.

BUILT-INS

When a room contains a built-in, such as a bookcase, there’s usually a comfortable, livable mood to the room. A built-in allows a greater range of colors, fabrics, and furniture styles for completing a warm, homey decor. A formal decor may call for masking such built-ins with screens or formal accessories.

PERMANENT FIXTURES

Positions of radiators, wall heaters, and other immovable fixtures may affect the mood of a room. An old-fashioned radiator doesn’t exactly “go with” an Oriental style, for example. Special home interior decorating treatments may be needed to make such fixtures fit with the desired mood.

Thomas Dill.