Lynn from La Maison Interior Design in Letterkenny shares their top tips for quickly and easily refreshing any room in this first segment of La Maison's design feature on room updates!

The most common question we get asked during consultations with our clients here in La Maison Interior Design Letterkenny, is how to update a room simply and quickly.

A feature wall is a fantastic way of adding drama and impact to any room. It creates a focal point within a room, and lets you put your own, very individual, stamp on your home. It also allows you to experiment with colour and texture on a small scale, without necessarily committing to a whole room.

Feature walls, however, don’t have to be high drama! While contrasting colours or patterns give a great impact, a softer approach using a more tonal palette can create the same definition in a more subtle way.

When you are considering a feature wall, you need to choose your wall/area carefully. The most common choice is to pick the chimney wall around your fireplace, and while this can be very effective, sometimes it can have just as much impact to accessorize your fireplace well, and let it stand alone as a feature in itself.

The chosen wall should still be one that has a focal point in the room, and draws your eye into the space to achieve the desired impact.

Picking a wall with a window or door in it can create a quirky, off-set feature; or selecting an angular or interesting nook, like an under stair area or alcove, can add a spark of drama to an otherwise awkward area.

Feature walls can sometimes be chaotic in an already busy space, so should be used wisely – often subtle is better!

They can be used very successfully to define and characterise zones within a large open space, giving each area a subtly different personality within an overall cohesive space.

 

There are many ways to create an interesting and striking feature…here’s a few of our favourites!

• Paint – whether it’s a solid wall of contrasting or tonal colour, a textured or patina effect, or even having some fun with blackboard paint, this is perhaps the quickest and cheapest way to create a feature wall.

At La Maison, we love the range of striking colours available from Little Greene paints (www.littlegreene.ie), and we use it extensively in our projects.

• Wallpaper – lively patterns, smart stripes or luxurious metallics can create a really sumptuous feature wall. Perfect if you want that boutique hotel look in the comfort of your own bedroom!

Our particular favourites are Clarke and Clarke’s Luxury Wallcoverings (www.clarke-clarke.co.uk) and Sanderson Wallcoverings (www.stylelibrary.com/sanderson), who have just launched their beautiful new collection with us. Call into us and have a browse, you won’t be disappointed!

 

• Gallery – hanging a collection of family photos, art works, small mirrors or quirky plates, or even a mixture of them all creates a very eclectic and individual feature.

The real beauty of this style is that you can keep changing it; swapping outdated pictures or adding any new finds, creating a very organic collection. Our long standing clients love to use our range of artwork from Voyage (www.voyagedecoration.com) and our colourful clocks from Thomas Kent (www.thomaskentclocks.com).

• Panelling – wainscot panelling, in either a wood or painted finish, is a very elegant way of adding texture and subtle impact to a wall, in both traditional and classic interiors. It can be used simply, on its own, or combined with built-in furniture such as TV units, bookcases or window seats.

Here at La Maison, we love using this style to create a very personal, bespoke look for our clients! We have examples of this with work we have done for our clients, call in and discuss these options with the team.

Next time join us for Part 2 where we will be sharing a few, more “quirky” ways to create a simple effective feature!

Keep giving us feedback and let us know what you want to see in our Donegal Woman Interior features!

Like us on Facebook, visit La Maison Interior Design, Letterkenny and call us on 074 9161694, for expert, experienced help on your design projects, no matter what your budget.