Your home is meant to be a comfortable and welcoming sanctuary, a refuge from the hardships and chaos of everyday life. Every item reflects or reveals an aspect of your personality and style, with a selection of furniture and decorations that tops your favorites list. These items often become the highlight of the room and around which you build the rest of the space.
Whether you already own a beautiful statement piece that is demanding to be the centre of attention, or hope to explore GlobeWest’s velvet sofa collection for the perfect living room addition to bring the entire room together, statement furniture follows its own set of rules to make the biggest impact.
Let it Shine
If every piece of furniture you own is special, then none of it is special. Statement furniture is designed to stand out, catch the eye, and become the focal point around which you design the rest of the room, so allow it to become the dominant feature it is trying to be.
Keep other pieces smaller or less ornate, allowing them to create a stylish backdrop to highlight the features and details of your chosen furniture piece. If you fill your room with too many statement pieces, it will feel overwhelming and loud.
Play With Pattern
For many years, we were told that contrasting patterns should never be paired together. This was often repeated in both the fashion world and interior design, making many people hesitant to introduce patterns and prints into their homes. But mixing patterns is easier than you may think, and adds fantastic interest and dimension to any room.
The key is to avoid mixing too many prints at once and to refrain from selecting patterns with the same scale. Instead, pair large patterns, such as bold stripes or florals, with a smaller print in complementary shades or a similar theme. Similar to pairing colors, you want to create balance between your choices. Too many large patterns can appear garish and cheap, while too many small designs can look messy and cluttered.
Back to Basics
If you’re unsure how to pair your statement piece with other colors, don’t be afraid to go back to basics and consult the color wheel. Accent colors that complement the palette or patterns will work best, as they typically involve pairing shades that historically work well together.
However, this is not the only approach you can take. Use your color wheel to experiment with different combinations and gain a better understanding of which tones work well together, as well as how they will translate into the room. You might not pair the same tones, but shades that complement each other or stay within the same analogous color scheme will always result in a beautiful balance.
The Rule of Three
When bringing a statement piece into a room, don’t focus on trying to match everything. Traditionally, standard furniture has been sold in matching sets, but with the popularity of modular furniture dominating trends, there is less focus on ensuring your pieces match and more emphasis placed on creating flow and cohesion through decor pieces and color palette.
Instead, use the rule of three, which follows the belief that when introducing color into a space through a statement piece, you should pick up that same color in three different accent areas. This can be achieved through art pieces on the wall, curtains, throw pillows, floor rugs, or smaller upholstered chairs or ottomans in the same shade. You don’t need to use a lot of color to make a room feel colorful.
Natural Elements
If your favourite statement piece features deep and earthy colors, such as browns, greens, and blues, or incorporates nature-inspired patterns or natural materials, embrace the beauty and tranquility of Mother Nature by matching your style choices and decor items to carry this zen vibe throughout the room.
You can introduce more color through neutral tones, such as black and white, and bring some of the outdoors in with low-maintenance houseplants. Numerous studies have shown that incorporating plants and indoor trees into your living space can significantly enhance both your physical and mental well-being. Alternatively, if you own a solid leather couch, use it as your statement piece and create a natural and healing environment around it.
Consider the Big Picture
If you are struggling to find balance or cohesiveness within the space, or can’t quite decide if your statement piece is making the impact you hope for, the best thing you can do is take a step back to gain a better perspective of the bigger picture.
By occasionally reassessing the layout and impact of the room, you can understand if you are seeing what you want to see, with the right shades and shapes standing out. It will help you adjust color selections and styling choices you have made that may be throwing off the balance of the room.
Work With Scale
Although statement pieces are meant to be bigger and more eye-catching than other pieces surrounding them, you must pay attention to scale. Combining very large furniture with something that is too small will not only look unbalanced and comical, but it will also detract from the day-to-day functionality of the living space.
If accent lighting, such as floor lamps, end tables, coffee tables, or armchairs, is too tall or short compared to other items in the room, you won’t be able to use them comfortably for their intended purpose, making them obsolete. Statement furniture should be practical as well as visually appealing.
