Wednesday 1 February 2012

Duel

'Two' seems to have been a bit of a theme for my blog recently, but I assure you I'm not all about a pair. I love a cluster. I'm all about balance through asymmetry, and I have an ongoing friendly struggle with a client who loves everything in pairs, often with a single item in between. I call it the 'shrine' style of decorating, and I tend to find it a little stagnant.
I prefer objects to encourage the eye to run smoothly about the space, resting on the key pieces and the spaces in-between, then gently moving on.
However, I do absolutely LOVE this perfectly symmetrical World of Interiors cover. It is not quite current but I've only just received my copy, and it's the mail I look forward to the most.
             

This magazine always inspires and delights, and this particular cover features SO many of my favourite things - a wall sconce, a wall-mounted mask, a rococo commode, a bit of taxidermy (not quite sure where you find a unicorn these days) and then they doubled it all.
Taking it from whimsical to fabulous.
And when combined with a wide-board oak floor, a controversial wall colour over every architectural feature and finished with an unexpected pendant light it's truly fantastical.






4 comments:

  1. LOVE LOVE LOVE! Where do I get myself one (or two?) of those unicorns......

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  2. I like your 'shrine' description. But how do you avoid that look in the bedroom - the typical triptych of matching bedside tables and lamps with over-the-bed decoration?? Any advice?

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  3. There are many instances where the pair is perfect and the triptych triumphs, and the bedroom is one of these. However, if you do want to avoid it in the bedroom, a great little trick is just using 2 different tables as bedside tables and 2 different lamps. The key is to ensure that each side has as much impact as the other, eg a fine lamp on a bigger table, and a heavier lamp on a smaller table. You could try 2 tables of the same height, but one smaller, standing next to a floor lamp as bedside lamp on one side, and a large one with a table lamp.
    You can also try having no over-the-bed decoration and opt for a statement bedhead, so the focus is the bedhead and the lamps (matched or otherwise) are incidental.
    Something else to consider is instead of a single item over the bed, go for a low bedhead and have a cluster of pieces, eg salon style collection of pieces - have a play with these and let me know how you go.

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  4. Also of course if the architecture of the room does not permit the bed to be centred, then you can have a small bedside table on one side and a desk on the other, for example, with matching or different lamps.

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