Create a Focal Point in a Room

One of the rules of decorating is that every room must have a focal point.

The focal point is a feature of the room that serves as the centre around which the rest of the room will be furnished.

The focal point is the first thing you see when you enter the room and it should be something interesting and appealing to look at. It helps to make the room look "finished" and complete.

Examples of focal points are a fireplace, a painting, a view or a unique piece of furniture. If there is not a natural or obvious focal point in the room, it is quite easy to create one.

Here are some tips to help you find a suitable object for the focal point and its best placement in the room.

A focal point needs to be something that is interesting to look at, is colorful or texturally appealing.
The focal point should be the first thing you see when you enter the room.
It should be visible from all parts of the room.
The focal point can be decorated and accessorized.
Make the focal point stand out by having a contrast behind it - dark timber furniture against a pale wall.
Find the room's best qualities and use the focal point to emphasize them.
The focal point is often the largest item in the room but it can also be something smaller, like a flower arrangement. If smaller, it will be striking in color, texture or visual appeal.

Once you have decided on the focal point and where it will be placed in the room, you can consider how the rest of the furniture and fittings will be placed to highlight it. Furniture should be positioned so that the focal point is comfortably visible from all angles.

Position the larger pieces first because they create the ultimate shape of the space. The smaller pieces of furniture and accessories are then placed to complement the large pieces.

Seating needs to be positioned to suit the main purpose of the room. If it is a room for watching television, obviously, the seating will need to face the TV, which may even be the focal point.

If it is a sitting room, seating should be placed to make conversation and eye contact easy and comfortable.

The most common shape formed by furniture is the U-shape, with the focal point situated at the open end of the "U". In this situation, the focal point could be the TV or a window with an amazing view.

New modular furniture has made the L-shaped placement of furniture popular, where two formations of seating are placed at right angles to each other, maybe with a coffee table separating them. The focal point here would be on either of the two "free" walls and might be a country bookcase or dresser, a large painting or a fireplace.

Whichever placement shape you use, try to anchor the room with a rug in the centre of the furniture placement to tie it all in together.

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