Decorating a room to work for its purpose

A room can really say a lot about a person or a company’s personality or purpose. For instance, most offices have closed plan, cubicle type settings which shows seriously and formality but some have open plan arrangements that promote closeness between workers so that they can easily bounce off ideas, we’ll use an example of an office like google where they have a more casual or family like setting. So the way you design you space or room say a thousand words.

In the same way, you can tell a lot about a family when you enter their home. Questions on if they’re old, is it a new couple? Have they been living there for a while? Do they have children? Can all be answered when you see the layout and decoration of their house.

I took some time out to discuss the importance of decorating a home with Siji Odedeyi, a specialist interior decorator and CEO The Home Emporium (T.H.E) Lekki, Lagos and I must say the lay out and décor of her store was breath taking. So much attention to detail and I can only imagine how beautifully decorated her house would be.

“Behind every successful project, there is always a strategy and a plan and it is imperative that the same principle should apply when decorating a room. It is important and highly advisable to start off with a plan in your mind and a rough idea of what you want the room to look like,” Siji said when I asked her the first things people should consider when decorating a room.

As far as she was concerned, lighting is very important as it helps to create the mood in a room, it also helps in making the perfect style statement. So depending on the kind of room you are decorating, it is important to choose the perfect lighting – for example, when decorating a dining room, a chandelier placed over a table will draw attention with its soft upward-cast light.

Selecting the right furniture is also very essential and equally as important is ensuring that your furniture is strategically placed to enhance the beauty of the room. Placement of furniture is very key to the overall presentation of a room.

People often say that the colour of a room is also a major factor to consider when decorating. Keep it cool with soft bright colours because a dark coloured room retains heat.

Well-designed rooms always have a focal point-something that catches your attention the moment you step into a room. This could be a feature wall or a perfectly positioned artwork.

Siji gave a few essential tips to decorating your home saying, “Furniture spacing and placement is key to comfort and function. It also helps create a good layout. It is important to keep entryways clear. This is where the 3 foot rule in interior decorating applies. You should basically have about 3 feet of walking space around any room. This helps to provide comfort but most importantly it ensures that one doesn’t bump into furniture and walls.

Another thing to bear in mind is – sometimes less is more. A room that is tastefully decorated with a few accent pieces will always have a better WOW factor.

“Finally, own your space. Let your personality shine through. Let your living space reflect who you are and your interests,” she said.

Considering the amount of sales on decorative items at The Home Emporium, it’s easy to tell she surely knows her onions and however stressed that, Nigerians love decorative mirrors. “I guess we are a little bit vain too.” She concludes.

JUMOKE AKIYODE