Decorating as Art and Science

I think we would all agree that decorating is a matter of personal taste. We all like different things and we all enjoy creating our individual spaces based on our likes and dislikes. This is what makes decorating so much fun and adds an endless variety for the eyes to behold. That being said, why do some people have so much trouble with their spaces?

We might all agree that some of it is just simply questionable taste. As an example, if you are decorating with velvet paintings of Elvis, etc..you may be the only person you know who likes that and if you go in realizing this~ then fine. Go for it at your own risk!


Some of the problem may simply be budget. Everyone can have a gorgeous home if they can have whatever they want. I have only had a few clients with this option. However, it is very possible to have a wonderful room on a small budget if you know how to put it together. It does not matter so much what you have as much as it matters what you do with it.

I had a client that never bought anything for her house because she thought you had to spend so much money to make a space look good. She grew up in a very wealthy family and married a person with an average income. To her way of thinking unless she could have the very best, she didn't get anything. She was absolutely shocked when she went shopping with me for her home staging. She found that her house could look fabulous with inexpensive accessorizing. This opened a whole new world for her when her house was sold and she started decorating her new home.

There may also be some marital issues involved. Husband and wife can have extremely different tastes or they don't place the same value on decor. Working with couples to determine what can work for both is one of the aspects of being a decorator or designer. (2 parts designer ~1 part psychologist.)


There are a countless number of reasons for a room not feeling welcoming, inviting or relaxing.

I think the one thing that people do not realize is that not only is your definition of art involved in good design but there are also design principles that affect every aspect of the space. These principles are based on science and math. As an example, if you do not select and address a focal point in a room no matter what you have in the room, it will not work to your satisfaction.

There are principles of color, lighting, furniture placement, etc. that simply work well every time. Through education and experience a person can learn these principles and greatly improve every space they decorate. The principles of art are more subjective.

This is where the assistance of a trained professional can really help you. I have learned that it really doesn't matter what my personal style is or what I like when working with a client's spaces and furnishings. By following the principles of design, knowing how to use scale, colors, textures, patterns, and accessories ~any room can look and feel great.

The Subjective Aspect of Art
(what each individual finds attractive)
&
The Exacting Aspects of Math & Science
(ironclad design principles)

~Can Create a Perfect Environment~

It is All in the Balancing Act