Interior Designer Secrets for Improving a Room’s Atmosphere

For people who are new to the process of designing a home, the idea of creating an atmosphere can seem abstract and overwhelming. After all, atmosphere is something people in a space experience rather than directly see or comprehend. Because of this, many homeowners don’t know where to begin with their designing and simply opt to use styles that visually appeal to them. However, atmosphere isn’t about what’s in the room—it’s about the things we feel when we interact with that space, mostly subconsciously. To create the best possible home experience for you and your guests, it’s important that you learn a few interior designer secrets for improving a room’s atmosphere.

The Elements of Interior Design

Before you begin redesigning your rooms, it’s important that you know the basics of creating an aesthetically pleasing space. Believe it or not, every attractive interior design has a series of elements in common with one another. They might appear different on the surface, but our minds have a subconscious understanding of what makes a room charming and comfortable. Including these components in your own home design is a great place to start when you’re looking to create a certain atmosphere. Here are some of the primary elements of interior design to keep in mind.

Lines

You might not consciously be aware of it, but a room’s furnishings, décor, and architecture create a series of lines that evokes an atmosphere of harmony and unity. In addition, lines are capable of changing perspective, drawing focus to a certain point, and making a room feel larger or smaller. Your combinations can vary, but it’s highly recommended that you use contrasting horizontal, vertical, and dynamic lines in each room you design.

Space

“Space” describes the area of a room where you can potentially place things. The concept of space is split into what’s known as positive (filled) space and negative (empty) space. For a room to appear balanced and functional, designers must use a combination of positive and negative space to best suit their visions. As such, it’s important to remember that different styles will utilize different combinations of space.

Color

Color has affects a home’s atmosphere more than many people tend to think. The right color combinations can bring back memories, make us feel certain emotions, and even change how we perceive a room. This is why learning how to use color and the proper complementary colors is a wonderful skill set for a homeowner to have.

Form

While space deals with the area available in a room, form encompasses the shape of the room and the items you place in it. Form can be soft and curved or even hard and geometric, depending on the furniture and décor you choose. With form, it’s important to remember that a solid design uses shapes that complement one another. Incorporating too many different forms can make a room appear cluttered and confusing rather than harmonious.

Light

Lighting can affect how people tend to feel in certain areas around the home. Effective lighting can be divided into three base categories: task lighting, accent lighting, and mood lighting. One of the best ways to create atmosphere is by layering each type of lighting in relation to the space, so designers often recommend that you mix your lighting fixtures to get this effect.

Texture and Pattern

Color can add depth to a room and charm your eyes, but it doesn’t appeal as well to the sense of touch. This is why texture and pattern are two effective components of adding an extra level of involvement in a room. This could be as complex as adding patterned artwork to the room or as simple as throwing down a few plush throw blankets.

Tips for Creating Effective Atmosphere

As important as the basic elements of design are, they won’t do you much good if you don’t know how to use them. Implementing these intricate concepts into a home design can be a trying experience for even the most experienced designers. However, be sure to remember that your rooms don’t need to be technically perfect as long as you’re happy with the atmosphere you’ve created. Here are a few interior designer secrets for improving a room’s atmosphere to get you started.

Remember the Golden Ratio

The golden ratio is a concept that artists have used for generations to properly distribute space in their works. As such, it’s the perfect point of reference for anyone looking to rearrange their room. This rule requires you to roughly divide your room into thirds. The main attractions in a room should take up two-thirds of that space, and you should leave one-third for décor and accent features. Breaking the room into sections in this way will ensure that no matter what you place within that space, you’ll have a balanced appearance.

Incorporate the Entire Room

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make when trying to incorporate atmosphere into a room is to target a single part of the space. However, this is ineffective because it limits your creative freedom. To make the largest impact on a room, you’ll need to adjust various components within that space and ensure they complement one another.

Combine Mood and Decorative Lighting

Because lighting fixtures can be both practical and decorative, they’re among the most versatile ways to create a better atmosphere in a room. In fact, it’s recommended that you combine the two aspects. This involves purchasing fixtures that directly complement the room’s design and layout while using the right brightness to set the mood. This lighting strategy helps you achieve the right amount of light for the space while reducing the risk of oversaturating it with too many other fixtures.

A Bicycle Glass Co., we understand that room lighting is the glue that holds atmosphere and your own personal design together. Without it, you risk creating a one-dimensional room with less depth, visual appeal, and overall practicality. This is why it’s important for us to provide homes with the fixtures—including recycled glass pendant lights, chandeliers, and wall sconces—that’ll take your lighting arrangement to the next level. We can help you make a design statement in your home by supplying you with the means to set its mood.