This room from The Fairmont Orchid hotel in Hawaii demonstrates elements of a traditional style with a hint of its location in the floral elements. By taking a look at the design choices in this room, we can see how location shines in this space without losing the classic feel.

The strongly-defined molding supports a traditional look. This daylight photo doesn’t show it, but the design of the molding at the top of the wall would allow lighting to wash down the walls. Between the molding and chair-level wainscoting, simple grass cloth wallpaper creates an echo of the islands. The oil painting on the right is classically designed while adding still another floral element to the room.

The best melding of classic and island comes from the dramatic rug. Designed and sized to fit the room, the large flowers throughout are not something you would commonly see on the mainland. The colors are reflected in the furniture and the rug itself has a flexibility that allows room renovations and style updates without replacing it. This is definitely a case where the rug makes the room. Everything else comes a distant second to its attention-getting style.

Do you like a traditional approach yet want to find ways to reflect your region? Use decorative elements to bring your part of the country into your living room the way this space does.

When decorating a room, it’s important to connect the design choices to the architecture of the space. When you don’t, you have a room like this one, where the style choices eliminate the charm and power of the space rather than support it.

What doesn’t work, and what needs to happen to make this room live up to its potential? Start with the easiest and most appalling decision – the valance. The bit of fabric cuts at a point that emphasizes the unfortunate delineation between the lower and upper windows, damaging the drama of the line and adding absolutely nothing to the potential charm of the room.

The black sofa has the power to live up to the space, but sitting alone in the middle of the room, it seems as if the movers set it down and no one has touched it since. It’s too far away from the other chairs to create a conversation center or support the fireplace as a focal point. It also needs some companion upholstered pieces to save it from looking bulky and overbearing compared to the other furniture in the room.

The other pieces of furniture seem to have been set to make it easy to vacuum. The plants feel like space fillers rather than an integral part of the design. The light walls and carpet increase the weakness of the look.

Let’s make some changes. Place a rich gold carpet in a slightly darker tone than the ceiling. Move the sofa within shouting distance of the fireplace, and add a couple of upholstered chairs to make a conversation space around the fire. Take the rockers and move them to the front of the room where their light weight will keep your eyes moving to the back of the space where the action is.

Finally, tear down that valance and consider replacing the ceiling fan with a darker and more significant light fixture. The addition of a rug or two would also anchor the space effectively. Suddenly you have a space that invites you in and makes you feel comfortable.

When decorating a room, it’s important to connect the design choices to the architecture of the space. When you don’t, you have a room like this one, where the style choices eliminate the charm and power of the space rather than support it.

What doesn’t work, and what needs to happen to make this room live up to its potential? Start with the easiest and most appalling decision – the valance. The bit of fabric cuts at a point that emphasizes the unfortunate delineation between the lower and upper windows, damaging the drama of the line and adding absolutely nothing to the potential charm of the room.

The black sofa has the power to live up to the space, but sitting alone in the middle of the room, it seems as if the movers set it down and no one has touched it since. It’s too far away from the other chairs to create a conversation center or support the fireplace as a focal point. It also needs some companion upholstered pieces to save it from looking bulky and overbearing compared to the other furniture in the room.

The other pieces of furniture seem to have been set to make it easy to vacuum. The plants feel like space fillers rather than an integral part of the design. The light walls and carpet increase the weakness of the look.

Let’s make some changes. Place a rich gold carpet in a slightly darker tone than the ceiling. Move the sofa within shouting distance of the fireplace, and add a couple of upholstered chairs to make a conversation space around the fire. Take the rockers and move them to the front of the room where their light weight will keep your eyes moving to the back of the space where the action is.

Finally, tear down that valance and consider replacing the ceiling fan with a darker and more significant light fixture. The addition of a rug or two would also anchor the space effectively. Suddenly you have a space that invites you in and makes you feel comfortable.

Are you feeling a little blue now that the holidays are over? With the cold weather and limited sunshine, sometimes it’s hard to cheer up. Why don’t you do something for yourself to brighten the season? How about redecorating a room in your home?

A new coat of paint and maybe new carpet or a rug can make a big difference in a space. Although most people think of redecorating as a spring or summer activity because of opening the windows to let the strong smells dissipate, that problem is gone.

Many of today’s home products are completely or almost smell-free. Those strong odors came from volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that were part of the products. However, as consumers developed an interest in buying products without VOCs, manufacturers responded by developing more and more options that don’t force you to leave windows open. Today, making a low or no-VOC choice won’t limit the colors or styles you want for your home.

To discover more about how you can redecorate a room and keep your windows closed, talk to one of our salespeople. We’ll help you fix up a room that will chase the winter blues away!