PRIMARY
PURCHASE
Sometimes
your primary purchase will logically serve as the focus of the room; the bed in
a master bedroom is one good example. (The bed in a guest bedroom, however,
doesn't have to be the focal point. Instead a writing desk or small sitting
area may get the spotlight.) If the bed will be the most important object in
your bedroom makeover, then treat it as such, as Frank did in San Diego: Duenda
Road, below center.
There, moldings and long swaths of fabric
surround the bed, giving it due prominence. Invest in a spectacular footboard
and headboard if you wish. Or put your dollars toward high-quality line, an ultra-thick
comforter, and armloads of plush pillows. Employ accents to draw more attention
to the bed. Hang an impressive piece of artwork above the headboard, for
example, or invest in an amazing canopy with yards of luxurious fabric draped
all around the bed.
Kia employs a sea hell-inspired bed to create
a fabulous focal point for the room. He
makes it and it-foot-long sofa-swathed in yards of pink python.
Print
vinyl-the star of her room.
ACCENTS
It's easy to think of accents and accessories
as the jewelry you might use to dress up a simple black dress. Arrange a few
decorative boxes, a vase, and some books on a console table, and you've added
enough detail to take the look beyond ordinary. If you're a collector, however,
the small things may be the most important items in your room. In an office in
Vegas: Smoke-Mont Court, below right, Edward put the focus on a musician's
instruments by placing them in prominent locations-even hanging a guitar on the
wall and shining a spotlight on it.
You
may decide to keep your backgrounds subtle and spend your dollars on a primary
purchase designed to showcase your collections. For example, purchase plenty of
helves or a handsome display cabinet with well-planned lighting to show off
your treasures. You'll find two great examples of accents in action in this
book: Doors and doorknobs become the theme of a great- room designed by XXX.
Now see if you're able to spot whether the
background, the primary purchase, or the accents are the main focus.
