Think vertical when decorating

Think vertical when decorating When we furnish a room, many of us carefully measure to ensure the couch isn't too wide or the dining room table too long. Lighting also can bring a large room down to size or add the impression of lift to lower ceilings. To decorate a huge loft space recently, Schuneman used "lower seating profiles for all of the couches and side chairs, and that really kind of created a nook within a big space. Kitchen and bath designer Matthew Quinn, principal of Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio in Atlanta, says that as designers learn to sketch room layouts in design school, they discover the impact of the vertical and horizontal lines that furnishings and architecture create. For example, a homeowner might not realize that a dark countertop contrasting with lighter cabinets underneath will create a horizontal line across the room, making the ceiling feel lower and the kitchen smaller. "One of the main reasons that clients hire designers is that grasping scale can be difficult," says interior designer Kyle Schuneman of Live Well Designs in Los Angeles. To make a small or low room feel bigger, draw some vertical lines, says Schuneman. "Hang the curtains all of the way to the ceiling, not to where windows stop. The larger ones can make you feel as though a spotlight is bearing down on you. Quinn agrees: We notice hanging lights in relation to the heads of people standing in a room. Ready for your own crash-course in thinking vertically? Quinn, Schuneman and decordemon. For low-ceilinged rooms, try recessed ceiling lighting rather than hanging lights. A kitchen island with several levels will make a high-ceilinged kitchen feel cozier, says Quinn. Patterned wallpaper or painted stripes on a wall can also help do the trick. For tile bathrooms and kitchen backsplashes, Quinn suggests hanging rectangular subway-style wall tiles vertically, so they look as tall, thin pieces. "When spaces are tall, grounding them with pendant lights or chandeliers really makes a space seem more intimate," Flynn says. The same principles work in reverse. Think vertical when decorating Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 13/05/2012