Clarity

There is a moment in every homeowner’s when life they look around the house and think, “I really need to do something to this space.” This is the moment that we call clarity; the moment when you become clear that you need to take action for change to occur even though you may not know what action. When you finally get serious about action you have to decide to go it alone or call in the decorator.
Webster’s dictionary defines Clarity as the quality or state of being clear, but what does that mean in the world of decorating? Clarity is the point at which you decide a direction to move toward in your space. Let’s take a look into the living room of a Jasmine model in which the homeowner achieved Clarity somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• Furniture placementThe Room looks Finished and Decorated - Interior Design - Home Décor by Ruth Dyer.
Furniture placement is the first and most important step in a room makeover.
The blue couch and love seat made a great color statement but with the back of the sofa to the dining room it felt like the room was a bit closed off. We moved the loveseat in front of the sliders so that color was the first thing to see in the space. The loveseat and sofa set in the L shape created a faux sectional in the space and by placing the visual weight at the back of the space the room looks as if it is inviting people to come inside and get comfortable. I like placing sofa and loveseats in an L shape better than purchasing a sectional in most cases because we get to have two side tables and two lamps in the space. If the room had a sectional we would have to eliminate one side table and one lamp. We moved the recliner to the space that the loveseat formerly occupied and it works great at a slight angle toward the TV.

• Art selection
The homeowner had a definite piece of art chosen at the beginning of the process. He chose “Clarity” by the official fine arts and wildlife photographer of Florida, Alan Maltz. This picture is taken in the waters just off the Dry Tortugas and it is crystal clear. The picture is almost abstract in nature and is the visual expression of, “Where the green of the gulf meets the blue of the sea…” from Jimmy Buffets song “Blue Heaven Rendezvous.”

• Rug
The rug is an abstract pattern of swirling blues, creams, and grey’s. We used an 8’ by 11’ foot rug to fill the space. A large rug is always better than a small rug in a living room space. We were able to get the front feet of both the love seat and the sofa on the rug and the recliner was placed completely on the rug. The side tables are completely off the rug which is great for their stability. Also, this size rug leaves ample walk space in front of the TV. If you are placing a rug in front of a TV console or entertainment unit it should be placed out of the walk path by pulling it further under the sofa. If you want to see more rug and you move it into the walk space, it should be fully in the walk space. That means the rug would almost touch the TV console or entertainment unit. This is a great guideline so that you are never walking half on and half off a rug. When you are walking with one foot on the rug and one foot on the solid floor it can be a definite trip hazard by interrupting your normal cadence.

• Green glass lamps
We added two gourd shaped green blown glass lamps to the side table on each end of the sofa. The green glass ties into the water in the canvas and highlights the green against the blue.

• Side panels
The room needed more softness and color so we added side panels to the slider. On a window this wide we always need two panels on each side for the fullness to be in scale with the window. The color is a beautiful blue that works with all the blues in the room. We hung them at 96” high on short rods and they cover the verticals when they are opened. When you hang drapery panels high it increases the height of the room by pulling the eye upward. Tip: Always hang drapes as high as you can to give the space more verticality.

• Pillows
Pillows can serve as a great pull it together pop in the room. I found the new pillows at a local retailer and they look amazing, like we had them made custom for the space.

• TV Wall
To enhance the focal point I moved the clock above the TV, again to draw the eye upward. I hung a large picture of a blue heron where the clock used to live beside the TV and that made the wall feel pulled together.

• New chair
The space beside the TV console will receive a small chair soon. The chair will angle in toward the seating area and provide a rounded out conversation arena. As many people are doing, the homeowner is waiting on the chair for the space to arrive.

P.S. –Attention all club presidents! We give free decorating seminars. It is lots of fun and very informative. Call and schedule your club today. Also, we are on-line check out our web-site at www.ruthdyer.com and you can always e-mail us at ruth@finishingtouchfl.com or Call Ruth you full service decorator at 352-804-2056.

Before and After Pics Below