Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Functional Doesn't Have To Be Boring!

By Abbie Osborne-Wilson

Functional need not be a dull concept. In home decorating, items and spaces that were once seen as purely practical and straightforward have now become assets in the decor department. Combining functionality and beauty is very easy, especially if you incorporate the decorative elements of color, shape and design.

The staircase is an example of a functional area in the house that can be made into a beauty. Glass is a handy material that can make this transformation. Panels of glass make good floating treads that give a stylish twist to the staircase. Light bulbs in the wall below or above the treads illuminate the staircase for a more dramatic effect.

When it comes to functional yet interesting lighting, lamps come in all shapes and sizes and the form of a lamp can really make a difference to the look of a room. Instead of a straight up and down standard lamp, its form can flow in a series of curves, and you can often find standard lamps that curve in this way and also have racks set into them to hold your CDs. Another form of lighting, candles, brings with it the requisite candlestick, which can take on any number of shapes. Wrought iron candlesticks flow in a variety of ways, to add interest and shape to the room.

Area rugs are also functional yet decorative pieces. For furniture sets, area rugs prevent scratches on the floor while giving a semblance of coordination to the pieces of furniture. An area rug as a centerpiece is a good floor covering but also an instant eye-catcher.

There are things at home that we often see as only functional items, forgetting that with a creative touch can actually be decorative pieces too. Artworks are not only useful for disguising stains or holes on the walls but also offer a great eye treat for anyone who walks in the room. A bookshelf not only houses collection of books but with choosing a shelf that has a nice color or patterned design on it, can also be a decoration worth taking note of.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment