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Style your interiors like a pro.
You’ve been staring at the four walls of your home more than ever this year, and you might be ready for some redecorating.
Have you ever stood in front of your bookcase knowing it needs something, but you’re not sure what? Is your living room a long rectangle, and you don’t know where to put the sofa?
We’ve narrowed down three of your biggest interior challenges, and given you advice from two of Roanoke’s leading interior designers on how to proceed with confidence at home.
How to style a bookshelf
Whether built-in or freestanding, bookshelves provide a blank canvas to showcase your personal style, treasured art, objects and favorite reads. But making it look collected versus messy can be hard to pull off.
“It’s important not to overcrowd bookshelves with accessories and frames,” says Elaine Stephenson of Elaine Stephenson Interiors in Roanoke. “Anchor with some books, and feature some special accessories. For built-ins, I like to accent the backs of bookshelves either with a neat paint color or a grasscloth or a geometric wallpaper. That makes the objects really stand out.”
A prominent bookshelf isn’t the place to keep your dog-eared paperbacks—if you won’t read it again, consider donating it to charity. For a modern treatment, remove the book jackets on hardcovers and vary stacks vertically and horizontally. Leave space to layer in other accessories, and consider leaving some shelves empty of books, and hang small art or photographs on the back of the bookcase for depth and interest.
“If you have a collection of things, like items from a trip you took, I like to corral those on a tray so it looks more kempt,” says interior designer Edith-Anne Duncan, whose Blacksburg firm serves clients throughout the Roanoke region. “Picture frames all in the same material, say silver or gold rather than a hodge podge, makes things look neater.”
Duncan says a live plant, like an orchid, can provide an organic touch to lower shelves. She will often purchase orchids from a garden store to house in pretty containers and cover the top with decorative moss for a polished look. Add three ice cubes to the orchid’s soil once a week, and you’ll prevent overwatering and disturbing your new arrangement.
How to style a mantel
A television over the fireplace has been an enduring trend in recent years, but Stephenson cautions that you should consider the mantel height before committing to a TV.
“Sometimes it’s the only place in the room for a TV, but if it’s a raised hearth, it’s really up too high and causes neck strain,” she says. “If there’s another option, I usually go with that.”
Duncan says if the TV is over the fireplace, new TV models can display artwork or a family photograph when the TV is off—a more pleasing sight than a black box. Specialty electronics stores, like Audiotronics and Sound Decisions in Roanoke, can assist in choosing a model that fits your space and needs.
If the mantel will be free of a TV, you have many options. “You can either take a symmetrical approach, where things are balanced, or be intentionally playful and asymmetrical,” says Duncan.
While mirrors are often chosen as an anchor piece, be sure that it reflects an attractive view or light fixture.
“If you don’t have something pretty to reflect, go with a convex mirror,” advises Duncan.
Your favorite piece of art will get a lot of attention over the mantel, and don’t be afraid to change it up seasonally for a refresh. If symmetry makes your heart sing, go for a pair of vases with fresh flowers/greenery or matching candlesticks, or vary heights and objects for an asymmetrical look. If you have an outlet, Duncan says mantels are a good spot for lamps (aim for lamps 30-36 inches tall) and picture/library lights, which lend ambiance at night. Accessories in accent colors reflected elsewhere in the room tie everything together.
How to style a difficult room
If you have a room in your house that doesn’t feel comfortable in some way—not enough walking space, or if seating is too far apart for a conversation—Duncan and Stepheson say you might need to reevaluate. Often, furniture from another house just doesn’t work when you move to a new one. Even if you can’t afford to buy new furniture, your solution might lie in rearranging, or removing pieces.
“Traffic flow is very important, and to achieve it in a room you might need two or three conversation areas, instead of one,” says Duncan. Stephenson agrees, saying, “You want to be able to go through the space easily, and try not to block any seating into a corner, off by itself.”
Avoid placing all the furniture against the walls, leaving a blank space in the middle. Duncan says that in a conversation area, you don’t want the circle larger than 10 feet, or you’ll be shouting at your guests or family members.
In a long rectangular room, you could have two sofas back to back with a console between them, effectively delineating the room. A circle of four sink-in chairs around an ottoman, or a game table with chairs might be a better use of space for your family’s needs, so think about how you’d like to use the space. A furniture plan from a designer can cost about $200, and may save money in the long run, if it prevents you from making a bad furniture purchase.
In a room where you are working around multiple entrances and exits, a rule of thumb from Stephenson is to allow 36 to 42 inches of walking space. Don’t overstuff a room—less can be more, and will save your shins from running into ill-placed furniture.
You’re spending more time at home, so why not make your abode as comfortable and relaxing as you can? Follow these tips to restyle your spaces, and show them off on your next Zoom call.
The story above is from our September/October 2020 issue. For the full story subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!
