WHAT MAKES A BEAUTIFUL ROOM? / ' DECORATING VALUES '

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Credit goes to : Abe Martinez, originally posted on Apartment Therapy here

Credit goes to : Sandra Rojo, Originally posted on Apartment Therapy here 

Image found on Tumblr with Unknown credit 

Whenever I come across a space that I love, the first thing I try to do is to ' work out ' why the place looks so good. I pick apart all the elements of that room and try to see what meaningful connections I can make to reveal the answers to why that space is so GOOD. Sometimes it's obvious why but at other times, you really just can't work it out.

Is it the choice of objects? Homewares? Furniture? Is it a matter of taste or is it a matter of space?

Beautiful spaces talk. They give us an impression of something 'living'. The space has its own life and attitude. If you're unsure what I mean, recall a time where you've been within a space that you've regarded as beautiful. Didn't it represent something bigger than simply just a room? Didn't it denote something deeper like : Luxury, Timelessness, Youth, Class, Leisure and Novelty? 

Beyond simply taste in furnishings and the period in which the space is from, beautiful spaces instill peace in us. They manage to be functional, personal as well as rejuvenating. I can only go by feeling. By intuition. Wealth and money do not always promise a beautiful space. It's about a claim to living and dominating the space using that as your guiding force. It's about staying true to ones taste but also sacrificing what ' we want to do ' in favour of what's going to be more favourable aesthetically.

Image found on Tumblr with Unknown Credit 

Jo Malone Head Offices, Credit goes to : Rose Uniacke, Originally posted here 

Credit goes to :  Tom Newton, originally posted on Into the gloss 

Credit goes to : Simon Watson, originally posted on Architectural Digest

Credit goes to : Benjamin Edwards, originally posted on My Scandinavian Home, reposted by Gravity Home Blog

For Christmas, I got a book called INTERIORS NOW published my Taschen and I wanted to include some good examples of homes which showed strong ' decorating values '. What I mean by this is that you can tell just be a glance into their rooms what the owner values aesthetically. It might be colour, lack thereof, antiques, modern furniture etc. I am a super eclectic decorator which I believe can be done well but is difficult to do, so I'm always on the lookout for tips on either how to blend eclecticism together ( I'm writing a blogpost about this really soon ) or just forthright examples of one style done full throttle.

TRANCOSCO, Bahia, Brazil - OWNER : Wilbert Das 

This entirely white room was chosen for obvious reasons. What I can't resist about doing an entire room in one theme or colour is that it makes a statement. It's a 'look' and it's the most direct and easy way of creating an atmosphere. In regards to the context of that room, it's appropriate seeing as the home was in Brazil. Having an all white room harks to its beachy roots and balmy evening nights. 

JOUARS - PONTCHARTRAIN, Ile de France, France - OWNER : Olivier Auclert 

I had to put in this home because of its unapologetically weird and true to itself nature. The rest of the house also shares this rooms vibe of seventies meets opshop cave. I'd love to experience this place for its novelty because the regular accoutrements of an average home just don't apply here and I love that for it's 'beyond-ness'.

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MILAN, Lombardy Italy - OWNER : Britt Moran & Emiliano Salci

I've always liked European style, especially the really bourgeois, old school stuff. Wall paneling, flowers, gold trimmed photos frames, tapestries and designer chairs. This is one of my absolute favourite vibes! I think not only does this style show a lot of aesthetic value, it also shows a lot of familial values as well as tradition is a big part of bourgeois style.

MIAMI, Miami Shores, Florida - OWNER : Doug Meyer 

I included this to show that bright coloured rooms is an aesthetic in itself and that the owner here really goes in for the kill in his style values. Despite the pop vinyl colours, the room still retains a mature charm thanks to the cane chair and clever use of muted blues for the bedding.

Eclecticism Done well
MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia - OWNER : David Bromley 

This is a prime example of eclecticism done well. Nothing in the room has any direct unifying relation to each other aesthetically. There are pictures of butterflies, old school persian rugs, child-like looking diagrams and a horse on top of a crate with Asian characters. But somehow, it all makes complete sense! The eternal learning experience for me is going to be how to do a room like this one that looks more refined and grown up but still holding onto that playful eclectic quality.

I've learnt that for me, one of my values when it comes to interior decorating is tactile experience. If it doesn't feel right when I'm touching or holding it, then most likely, it won't get bought. Of course, this applies more to things like bedding and towels but similarly, I'm less convinced in ornamental decorations if they just don't feel right. What are some of the things which guides your decorating compass? Are you into colour? Textures or are you more of a minimalist?