c2Design: A Well Dressed Room

Does decorating a bare room scare you, like the terrifying dream of being naked in public does? Well don’t let it! Decorating is a lot like getting dressed says Marni Jameson. She wrote an article in the Denver Post and I thought it was Brilliant and had SOOO much truth to it! Here me out:

Every morning don’t you get up and start from scratch (naked)?....Most people do. As a woman we make tons of decision before anything even touches our bodies: skirt, dress, pants, what bra, scarf, shoes, socks, sweater, jacket, jewelry, etc…. We also take into account our agenda for the day, comfort level and function! Does this sound familiar? These are all “design decision” we make about our wardrobe EVERY DAY and have been since we were around the age of 12.

Getting dressed is just like designing an empty room. You start form the basics and build upon it, layer by layer, adding texture color, and taking into account function, comfort, desired aesthetic, etc.

I realize to most, it seem like a larger challenge than I have made it out to be, but really, you can do it! I also realize that the one difference between fashion and interior design is that we can change our clothes 7 times before leaving the house. This is not the same for interior design. It takes a lot more time, and a bigger budget. Not to mention the scale. These all are scary yet valid concerns, however if you break it down it really can be easy, and may even be fun for you.

I get to do this every day, and yes, sometimes it is hard but I LOVE what I do, and most morning it is even easier than getting myself dressed, at this point. Haha

Here are 8 tips to get a room dressed: By Marni Jamesosn-“House of Havoc”

1. The Purpose: When you get dressed you automatically think of the day’s agenda and factor that into your decision making. Are you going to work, a wedding, a backyard BBQ? Do you want to be dressy, casual, or chic? What you do with your space, determines how you will dress it. Is it a formal room, or will you be kicking back and watching TV?

2. The Style: Are you a Jackie Onassis, a Lady Gaga, or a Mitt Romney? Your taste in clothes-classy, funky, eccentric, tailored, should carry through your home. Don’t dress like someone you are not, and don’t let your house have a different character than who lives in it. I would imagine Joan Rivers’ home to be a riot of color, and Calvin Klien’s home to be a resolve of black, taupe and ivory.

3. The Basics: Foundation pieces anchor both outfits and rooms. In clothes, foundation times are the slacks, skirt, or dress. In a room they’re the main upholstered pieces: sofas, chairs, or bedding. “A classic neutral sofa is your little black dress”.

4. Pops of Color: Every outfit and every room need a spike of color. A teal tie or a citron scarf, sherbet pillows or raspberry lamp shades. A pop of color could also be a leopard print rug (or tiger-stripped heels).

5. The Bling: A touch of sparkle completes both an ensemble and an interior. It doesn’t have to be much, but it does have to reflect light. What metallic buckles on shoes, a belt a ring that glimmer, a watch or bangle bracelet do for an outfit, a crystal bowl, silver candle sticks, or a mirror does for a room. “Think of earring as lamps in a room”

6. The Wrap: Jackets and outerwear are to outfits what paint color and drapes are to rooms. “They complete the package”

7. Combine Textures: A little cashmere here, a little satin there: Rooms, like outfits, need contrasting finishes. Contrast sleek with rough, shiny with matte, and soft with hard.

8. Lay it Out: When putting together an outfit, it helps to lay the clothes out, swapping tops, ties, earrings, and belts, until the ensemble clicks. Putting a design together, with paint swatches, floor samples, and fabrics help you to visualize the room in the same way.