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KOHLMYER COX GROUP Writing & Outdoor Photography
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Collecting a Unique Style By Brenda Kohlmyer Cox Interior designers know that some of the most livable rooms are those that evolve over time. These rooms often don't conform rigidly to any one style; rather, they reflect the owner's distinct style and personality. Frequently they exude comfort precisely because the furniture was collected, one piece at a time, instead of purchased as a matched set. It's not hard to put together a comfortable and stylish home one piece a tat time. It just takes the confidence to know your own mind and the discipline to chose pieces that have similar styles and a consistent color scheme. Most furniture falls into three fairly broad categories: formal, casual and cutting-edge. A few styles go beyond these classifications, and a few can act as transition pieces, bringing a formal note to a casual room, or vice versa. Formal styles include many that were popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. Queen Anne and Federal furnishings are two of the most well known of these. Often done in dark woods, tables and cabinets from these styles mix well with wingback chairs and more formal modern upholstered pieces. One of the defining aspects of formal furnishings is that most have a little more detail than casual styles. That's not to say that casual styles lack detail, however-just that the lines may be cleaner and the ornamentation subtler. Mission, Shaker, wicker and French provincial furniture could all work as central and accent pieces in a casual room. Mission and Shaker in particular work well together because of an emphasis on simplicity and natural wood. Mixing comfortable, oversized wicker chairs with a Mission sofa and coffee table sets the stage for relaxed Saturday afternoons. Adding a painted French Provincial armoire as a television cabinet instills a slightly more formal note, without sacrificing an ounce of comfort. Another example of a kick-back-and-relax style is an ultra-casual room where a pine armoire acts as an entertainment center and rustic log end tables flank a leather sofa. The look is reminiscent of a mountain retreat and perfect for creating a private space that leaves the city firmly outside the front door. On the other end of the spectrum, cutting-edge style plant a room firmly in the heart of urban life. Sleek styling, often executed in chrome, steel, plastic or other synthetic materials, set cutting-edge furnishings apart. One of the most notable characteristics of recent cutting-edge styles is a use of strong, clear colors such as buttery yellow, fire-engine red or eye-popping purple. The colors stand alone without any pattern and ensure that a sofa, chair or ottoman covered in one of these bright fabrics becomes the center of attention. Color plays a role in creating causal and formal rooms as well. In fact color is often the factor that unites the room. The most effective color schemes are simple, using one or two primary colors and an accent color. One of the best ways to choose a room's color scheme is to find a patterned rug, plate, or even the fabric on a piece of furniture and use it as the key for the rest of the furnishings. For example, a floral bouquet pattern on a side chair could inspire yellow and green as the main colors in the room with red as an accent color. Paint or paper the room's walls with a soft, pale yellow, choose a stronger version of the same shade in a pattern that also features green, then add red, green and yellow pillows and the base of a highly personal room is complete. -END-
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