Perhaps the hardest part of designing and decorating your home is knowing your personal style. What kind of person are you? Do your tastes run to formal design or are you more relaxed? If you feel that you are a formal person, examine your likes and dislikes in other designs. If, for example, you are attracted to the white house style of decor with its symmetrical lines and sharp angles, and if you enjoy organization and order in the designs that you see around you, you are probably a formal person. The formal person will be drawn to…

– Symmetries in lines and areas
– Identical items
– Browns and Black
– Works of art
– Many small focal points in decor

Cleanliness And Order

Formal style in decor applies to every nook and cranny of a room. Formality lends itself to cleanliness and a formal room is the easiest kind of room to keep clean. In a formally designed room, everything has a place and a place for every thing. The furnishings will be elegant and sparse. While there will not be clutter by design, everything in the room will be an eye catcher. A formal room has a main focal point, and many mini-focal points. Beautiful works of art in sculpture and painting will be on display in key areas of focus.

Identical Items

In formal design, symmetry comes in pairs of identical items. There may be two elegant lamps on either side of the desk or table. There will be books with identical bookends. Two identical chairs will sit side by side with a table and lamp in between, usually on an area rug that is in a specific symmetrical place on the floor exactly between two important points. Exact measurements will be everywhere. For instance, the two chairs will be exactly the same distance from either end of the area rug. The table between the chairs will be exactly the same distance from either chair.

Cathedral Ceilings

A formal style decor will usually have cathedral ceilings with a focus line exactly in the middle between the floor and ceiling. The focal point of the room is the point where the eye will be drawn by works of art, and other mini focal points in the formal room. Most people will not notice the wonderful nuances that are at the heart of the formal style of decorating and designing. However, it will be highly appreciated by other formal people.

Finding Your Focus

The trick to a formal style room is to start at the room\’s main focal point and work outward. A fireplace with a mantel is the perfect focal point or a large formal room. Hang an oversized mirror or portrait above your mantel and place matching items on either end. For some reason, dark colors like browns and black lend themselves perfectly to the formal design. Gold and silver pieces add the perfect touch throughout the room as well as leather and hardwood floors.

It’s Hip To Be Square

Finally, if your room is not square of close to square and you enjoy a formal style of decor, you may want to divide the room into two distinct areas so that you can create a feeling of symmetrical square. Large bookshelves in one area are a great way to section off that portion of the room. Include a rectangular desk or study table with a high polish top for the perfect formal look.

Author Bio: For more information please visit our Area Rugs website.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: painting,sculpture,Cleanliness ,designing,Decor