by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: February 23, 2012   Last Updated: February 28, 2012

Often a plain room is plain because the presentation of the room doesn't make it any more than that though it can. Simple decoration isn't necessarily plain. It's a question of the overall style. If you go back to basics and look through the reasons the room looks plain, and then correct those reasons, you can create a pretty stunning room, perking up those areas which need it to make it lose its plain look. The crysalis that turns into a butterfly was always beautiful but its beauty was hidden. It's the same in a plain room. It has the same potential as any other room if approached correctly.

Assessment

There are several areas which need to be assessed. One is natural light. Perhaps it's the shadowing in that room that makes it less spectacular than it could be. Look at the source of natural light and work out ways that this could be improved. For example, heavy drapes often cut out natural sunlight from the edges of the window, meaning that only a little of the available light is allowed to penetrate the room. You can have drapes if that is your desire, but if you lengthen the curtain rod, so that the curtains can be pulled right back, you instantly allow more light to get in.

Another thing to look at is the size of the room, and this includes the length, breadth and height of the room. Often a tall ceiling will make a room look stark, but you can change the visual effect very easily by addressing it when you decorate. Creating a picture rail brings the perceived height of the ceiling down, as above the picture rail is decorated in the same color as the ceiling. Rooms where walls are really tall can be changed in appearance by introducing a chair rail and using different colors above and below it.

The elements within the room

This is something that really does need assessing. Even old furniture can look stunning though sometimes it doesn't because it's left to look dowdy. An old sofa reupholstered in a brighter, lighter fabric can look great. Furniture which crowds the room can also take away character and make the room plain. In the case of interiors, less is more. Get rid of items which really don't do the room justice.

Adding that little bit of panache

To add panache to any space, it will need to be decorated. Use mat finishes because they don't allow light to bounce around or distract the eye. Use pastel colors, only using bolder colors in small proportions or in a feature wall for example. Add mirrors, as these also add perspective and make a room look

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