Oddly Impeccable
They say that people with a creative mind lack a propensity for math. I am a perfect testament to that hypothesis. In fact, when my daughter has a math question, she will ask her father first, followed by the dog before coming to me for help. Of course the irony of the situation is that I use math in my business every day. I carry my scale ruler wherever I go, and never ever leave the house without at least two measuring tapes.
There are a multitude of math principles and standards that apply to design – rules that when applied properly to space layout or scale can make a design flow and feel right while enhancing the space’s function. I bet you didn't know that the center of your toilet must be a minimum be 15” from the two walls on either side, or that a kitchen design should feature a triangle between the fridge, stove and sink. Don’t panic – knowing those rules and standards is your designer’s job and one of the many reasons why you should hire a designer – but that is another blog post.
One simple-to-follow rule of thumb for design is the rule of odds. You know – one, three, five and so on. I’m fairly confident that even those of you who struggled through algebra know your odd numbers. Things arranged or grouped in odd numbers are more visually pleasing than things grouped in even numbers. Of course this cannot be a blanket application, but next time you are decorating your mantle piece, or hanging a group of items on the wall, try using odds. Three candlesticks (at varying heights) is much more pleasing to the eye than two. A stack of five books nicely anchors a lantern on a side table. A single hurricane looks more finished with two smaller accents nestled at its base. A grouping of five to seven paintings of differing sizes draws your eye up the wall to appreciate their beauty. I think you will find your spaces will be much more visually interesting, and oddly impeccable when you employ the rule of odds!!
Once you have mastered the power of odds, try grouping an odd number of items together into mini vignettes to create small intimate touches in a room. The items don’t all have to be the same, or even directly relate to one another, but they should compliment each other, have varying heights and nestle together to create a little story. For example, so many people put picture frames on a mantle. I am personally not a fan of using picture frames on a mantle, but if you insist, try this: Place three candlesticks with varying heights (or a single tall glass hurricane with a candle) on one side of the mantle. Remove the dust jackets off your hard cover books, and lay a stack of three of them on the mantle next to the candlesticks (or hurricane) with the pages facing you. I know – that seems weird – you have to trust me on this…. Next, put your favorite framed picture on top of the books. I promise this grouping will be more pleasing than the lineup of family mug shots previously gracing your fireplace. Are you wondering why I told you to remove the dust jackets, and have the book pages face you rather than the spines? Using the books anchors the frame. However, you don’t want to distract from the picture in the frame by having the brightly colored spines of the books draw your eye! The pages are neutral, yet they have a texture – the perfect anchor for your favorite family snapshot.
At the end of each of our projects we “style” the space for our clients. We show up with carloads of accents and accessories - it looks a bit like we are moving in! Then the fun begins! Using some of the clients’ accents and loads of treasures we bring along that we have sourced from vendors, antique markets and local stores, we add the finishing touches - the details and interesting vignettes that capture your eye and make the space feel welcoming and finished. It can take days to style a whole home. We place things, move them around, walk away, and come back and adjust until it is perfectly appointed. While there are “rules” about scale and odds and a variety of other design principles, part of the process is just getting it to “feel right”. In the end, the space is styled, finished and impeccable.
So, remember to have fun, and play with your decorating accents until it just “feels” right. Don’t be afraid to move things that have been there for a long time, or get rid of an accent that doesn’t work or you don’t like anymore. And try following the rule of odds - I won’t promise that following the rule will make you an asset to your kid’s as they tackle their math homework, but when applied to decorating your home, you will be oddly impeccable!
