Don’t say it, I know what’s on you mind right now. You are thinking of that sniper taking position on top of the building ready to take a clean shot to wipe out that scumbag off the face of earth. Or not. The target might end up being an innocent person who is just collateral damage. I don’t blame your brain at all, and I’m not judging you.
I attended Shofar’s ‘Sharing God’s Love’ concert a few weekends back, it was amazing. (We’d however planned to attend Valet’s instead). The auditorium was filled with beautiful voices singing wonderful songs of love. There was a little bit of negro-spiritual music, some sort of Texan country music (with tap dancing), classical and contemporary music. It was great until we had to act out some ‘my heart will touch your heart song’, the guy next to me failed us terribly! He couldn’t keep up, ah!
During the concert, my eyes roamed the space and I gathered as much as I could despite the lighting being ‘poor’. However, the stage lighting was perfect, it was as if there were layers on layers of light and with each song, a layer was peeled back. Yes, it was as dramatic as the image I am painting in your mind. My highlight of the day was the performance of ‘When God Dipped His Love In My Heart’, such a blessing it was. The soloist did justice to the song, my eyes were stuck on the pin-spot light as it followed her every move. The pin-spot light kept me focused on her, for a moment, she was a person of interest.
FOCAL POINTS
Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash
Simply defined as the point of interest or emphasis in a room, focal points bring flair into a space. It is possible for one space to have more than one focal points. While you may think of a focal point as a massive item in a space, it can equally be a small item that makes a significant impact. It is all about the details, the devil is in the details.
The details are not the details. They make the design ~ Charles Eames
In Interior Design having a keen eye is king; an eye observant enough to notice a tiny hole on a skirt in a dimly lit room. Yes, the kind of eye that is disturbingly observant. In a way, designers practice solitude more than they think they do. It is through musings that they conceive ideas and get epiphanies. High stress levels sometimes bring inspiration too, ha ha! I would like to share with you a few tips to give guidance when sprucing up your space. Lets look at how to bring life into a dull space using decor items and souvenirs (if you globetrot like I don’t).
A few principles of design that come to mind when creating focal points are dominance, contrast and white space (negative space). These lay the foundation for great focal points. One thing to note is that focal point is in itself a principle of design.
1. Living Room
Photo Credits, Google.
This is the heart of the home; in a way, it defines how the rest of the house looks like. Well, unless a living room is all you have, then there are endless ways to direct people’s focus on the best parts of a space. In the space above, the gold wall art is the point of interest because it is a contrast.
2. Family Room
Photo Credits, Google
In case you are wondering, there is a difference between the living room and the family room, read here. The design of a family room is more minimalist than of a living room. A feature wall is a great way to create emphasis in a family room.
3. Dining Room
A great time together involves sharing a meal together (in African culture it is paramount). Dining rooms might be similar to other spaces but a great lighting fixture goes a long way in changing the whole outlook. Chandeliars, pendants and track lighting fixtures can be adopted into a living room creatively. Missed the post on lighting fixture? Read here.
4. Bedroom
Photo Credits, Minhnuyet Hardy Interiors.
Give me a good bed and my life is complete! I love sleep, I have a very intimate relationship with my bed, we are tight like that (tuko pamoja). Life is so busy and we only go back to our homes to catch some sleep. Sleep is important for human health and well-being, therefore let you bedroom be the best it can be. The headboard wall automatically forms the point of focus in a bedroom. Make it aesthetically pleasing by adding an antique masterpiece you thrifted during your travel to Venice or Casablanca. Haven’t been to Venice yet? Visit Past and Present at the Village Market, you will travel back in time while there. An abstract piece from Masai Market is also a good bargain. The end justifies the means I believe, he he.
Eyes are the windows to the soul, let your space delight someone’s soul each time they interact with it. Have a dreamy weekend!
Advertisements Share this:
