Falls Village - Designing for large rooms

Falls Village - Designing for Large Rooms

Big rooms can be a joy to decorate, but they can also be overwhelming and sometimes hard to get right. These are the principles that I always follow to make sure the scheme is a success every time.

The Importance of Scale

You want to balance the large scale of the room with key items of large furniture.

Opt for the biggest pieces you can; this is your opportunity to have a super deep and snuggly sofa or a huge bookcase.

Once you have the key large items, you can fill in the gaps with smaller items to provide contrast and emphasise the scale.

Draw the Eye Up

As much as you can, try to encourage the eye up to make the most of additional height.

Hang pictures up high, or choose large statement pendant lights.

Introduce Architectural Features

Large rooms can easily feel soulless if they don't have interesting architectural features.

You can add these retrospectively by sourcing antique mantels or window frames at auctions or markets.

Keep the Colour Palette Simple

When working on a larger scale, bold colours can quickly become overwhelming within the space.

I would recommend sticking to neutral colours for the main pieces of upholstery and walls.

You can then add interest with patterned cushions and artwork, as well as choice accent chairs in colourful fabrics.

Having a neutral base means you can play around over time with different colours and styles, without having to completely redecorate the whole room.

Unrelated patterns can be made to feel cohesive by having a consistent colour running through all of them; in the case of my barn, this is red.

Lighting for Comfort and Interest

Large rooms can be trickier to light, especially if you have high ceilings.

Include lots of table lamps with thin paper shades for a generous cosy glow.

Use a mixture of different light sources for a layered look; eye-level lamp light, high pendant lighting and directional can spotlights.

Large Displays for Large Rooms

Have fun with floral arrangements, going as big as you can for maximum drama.

I like to always have giant seasonal displays to really bring the room to life.