Creating Casual Spaces
Casual decorating is about arranging the elements of your home in such a way that they create spaces that are relaxed and inviting. These are rooms that you can get comfortable in, unwinding with friends, or lounging after a hard days work. They consist of soft lines, gentle colors, natural materials, and comfortable surfaces. They are marked by a lack of pretension, with a sense of unique personality that should instantly set people at ease.
Generally the pieces used in a casual décor are simple and unassuming. Often intricate visual decorations are foregone in favor of more subdued textural patterns. This style also tends to prefer simple geometric shapes, boxes, rectangles, and rounded squares.
A casual style tends to stay away from sharply dramatic colors such as black, white or crimson. Rather it should highlight reserved colors such as grays, beiges, and tan tones as the major hues through the space. These can be accented by vibrant, natural colors such as navy blues, forest greens, rust, and olive tones. Those colors will add contrast and interest to the space without giving it an unnecessary sense of drama.
Many times whimsical objects of home décor can be used to break the spell of formality in a room. Novelty lamps, coffee tables made from antique ironing boards or old barrels, and wall decorations depicting strange but lovable characters can all add a sense of personality to the space which will draw people in. Laughter is one of the best ways to break tension so adding a bit of humor to your rooms can go a long way towards making them feel more relaxed and comfortable.
There are many different decorating styles that use casual principles as part of their basic philosophy. Rustic, French country, shabby chic, American country, and cottage styles all have a relaxed elements that combine with distinctive stylistic choices to create comforting spaces with a unique flavor.
Furniture in a casual space should generally be soft and comfortable. Seats should be oversized, with matched ottomans allowing you and your guests to throw your feet up. Furnishings within the space should tend to be horizontal and low, rather than vertical and thin looming over you. Wider pieces give you more room to stretch out and decorate in a lounged and relaxed manner.
Personal items, sentimental pieces, and family portraits can all add personality to a casual space, making people feel more familiar with you and the room around them. Collections of tiny decorative pieces can also add details to the space giving it character and whimsy. Items do not necessarily have to be matched up perfectly as the style of the space should be inherently relaxed.
Furnishings will often be arranged in such a way that they cut off sharp corners within a room. Couches or cocktail tables will often either be built to slide into these corners, or can be arranged diagonally across them to make the space feel rounder and softer.
The most important thing about a casual decorating style is that is feels comfortable and relaxed to you. It is important to add personality to the space, while leaving it relatively devoid of an abundance of details. Contrast subdued colors with bright unassuming tones and make sure that all of your surfaces are soft and inviting.
This article is brought to you courtesy of the natural mosaic stone cocktail tables which can be found at MosaicStoneTables.com – The article itself was written by stone artist and designer Joey Pebble.
