| Contemporary home decorating as a stylistic theme | | | | outward focused room, the contrasting elements |
| is one that focuses on presentation of space, rather | | | | should be on the exterior surfaces, drawing the eye |
| than possessions. It's an emphasis on color contrasts, | | | | towards the focal point. Neutral to warm colors on |
| and schemes that bring out simple lines. In some | | | | the wall are optimal, while neutral to dark colors on |
| ways, it's not unlike Zen decorating, but with a bit | | | | furniture will make them recede from view. If your |
| less of the Spartan simplicity. | | | | room is more a salon, reverse these - use neutral |
| While most other contemporary decorating schemes | | | | colored walls and warm colored furniture to make the |
| are all about color coordination - using dark and light | | | | central space more inviting for people to go into and |
| shades to bring out a theme, contemporary interior | | | | set down in; you want people to feel comfortable to |
| decorating uses contrasts to much the same effect - | | | | talk in. |
| using a dark floor and neutral walls as the backdrop | | | | Window accents should be functional and neutral in |
| for brightly colored furniture, or using neutral furniture | | | | color rather than drapes or heavily patterned |
| against peach or cream walls to let the eye find | | | | brocades to carry off the contemporary style. |
| other decorating elements around the room. | | | | Lighting should be directable, and the fixtures should |
| When working from a bare room, it's worth it to | | | | emphasize the clean lines of the other elements of |
| think of decoration as building a focal point - what will | | | | the décor chosen. Contemporary floor lamps |
| the focal point of your room be? Then, make sure | | | | come in a bewildering array of options - it's worth it |
| that everything added to the room draws the eye | | | | to take your digital photos of the intended design |
| towards that focal point and emphasizes that this is a | | | | space with you when hunting for lamps. |
| personal space, a personal retreat. A place where the | | | | Foundation furniture tends to emphasis comfort and |
| people who live here can be themselves, in full | | | | dark colors for most contemporary living rooms, |
| comfort. | | | | which are built to draw the eye towards a home |
| Decide if your room is going to be an outward | | | | entertainment center. Expect lots of overstuffed |
| focused room (eyes drawn to the walls, appropriate | | | | chairs in black, tan, chocolate and mocha colors, with |
| for a room meant for a television or art gallery type | | | | smooth textures, and minimal patterning. Excessive |
| look) or an inward focused room (designed for | | | | patterning goes against the ideal of contemporary |
| people to sit in and talk to one another). If it's an | | | | interior decoration. |