The Visual Conjuring an environment that inspires romance is a cerebral experience that employs the use of our senses. Visually the room should look comforting enough that you feel you can relax there. Trends in home décor and even in the types of rooms and spaces we create are reflecting that staid rooms, such as rarely-used dining rooms and formal, status living rooms are no longer practical and probably were never that inspiring.
Photo courtesy of BenjaminMoore.com.
Mindful homeowners that have already converted or designed these rooms to be more communal are ahead of the game when it comes to creating a relaxing visual appeal. Adding in decorative elements of art that speak to you and personal treasures, can take a space to the next level visually. We connect and feel comfortable with what is attractive and familiar to us.
HOME INTERIOR
Love-Nesting ROOMS THAT INSPIRE ROMANCE
Photo courtesy of lampsplus.com.
By Lisa J. Gotto
It’s that wonderful, wood-burning, cozy time of year when we’re doing more inside and enjoying the environment that we created with our home interiors. But beyond the basics of furnishing a home and enabling its efficiency for every-day living, there’s a sweet spot to home decorating. And appointments that help create spaces that warm the heart and mind, also encourage a sense of comfort and closeness. Just saying the word “nest” conjures feelings of being encircled and surrounded, much like the sensation one gets when being hugged. Whether you have a new home and feel it’s not “there yet” in terms of nesting, or if your established address seems stale and unromantic, there are some sense-ible approaches you can take to inspire romance.
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One visual aspect some homeowners overlook is that of lighting. When layered in thoughtfully, your communal, living, and sleeping spaces should be convertible and easily switched from task lighting to mood lighting via dimmer switches, and/or programmable lighting that can be accessed remotely. Let’s face it, walking into a room with stark, overhead lighting can be a mood deflater, so having the option to tone it down with a flip of a switch or swipe of a screen prompt, is highly recommended for a warm sensory experience. Beyond the technology, simple accent lamps and pillar candles, whether they are wicked or battery-operated add that welcoming glow. And the battery-operated varieties provide you with a set-it-and-forget option. When it comes to larger furnishings, some looks, like today’s more modern rounded corners on sofas, chairs, and tables, lend themselves more toward that relaxing, visual aesthetic than the still very popular minimalistic approach. That said, because minimalism embraces the concept of creating more meaning with less actual goods, these spaces lend a special significance to their owners creating that sense of warmth. So, rule of thumb, go for pieces that not only appeal to you visually, but ones that envelop you practically. After all, having the latest trend is meaningless if no one feels inspired to dwell within the vibe that is created. Color and tone choices are certainly visual elements that will set the mood for a room. While there are a variety of standard color palettes (think mid-tone purples and pinks) that seem like the perfect facilitators of romance, they may not be colors you will want to look at in your common areas over an extended period of time. For these spaces, experts like timeless, neutrals. Colors like Benjamin Moore’s Gray Cashmere conjure romance even in a dining area. More obvious romantic colors can be layered in with accent pieces and soft goods that add dimension and visual interest.
