Why are some homes more visually appealing than others? Beautifully designed rooms incorporate relationships between one space and another. These relationships can be accomplished through thoughtful sight lines. The casual eye sees more than what is placed in immediate view. This is called peripheral vision. It directs the viewers focus through various placements and becomes a “good” experience.
In the theater world the better the sightline, the better the experience – and a higher ticket value. Thoughtful sight lines leading a viewer through your home adds to its aesthetic value. They can make the difference between simply “arranged” rooms and a well-designed home.
- Up close. Details become apparent in an up close view. Small items of interest add personality and authenticity to a design. Notice the small bronze nude on the desk. It’s artistic and tells a story. The small wooden bowl on the side table functions as a catch all for small items, but also adds a bit of warmth because of its natural texture.
- Near distance. A grouping of two pieces of original art add both color with a spot of orange in the landscape painting, and high contrast brown and white in a contemporary monotype print. A happy fiddle leaf fig tree completes the grouping following a design theory of “designing in threes.” The crystal lamp in a traditional shape adds contrast to the fairly modern furnishings.
- Color, theme, and texture are utilized and relate. Warm, monochromatic browns and creams set the color tone. Texture is in the soft green velvet desk chair. A theme of natural wood tones can be seen in numerous items, the twisted base of the floor lamp, the live edge side table, the wooden base of the desk, the shape of the modern side chair, and the round wooden mirror.
- Dimensional views are more interesting than flat views. The view inside the screened porch provides an example. The table in the foreground, the grouping of hydrangeas and the sculptural tree stump, followed by the view outside the screen of a table setting, and large liriope filled planters.
- The morning sunshine and the low light of an evening lamp offer an always changing perspective. Capture the highlights of a sight line by using the light that moves through a space.
(Photo submitted)
