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Master the Balancing Act for Rooms
Be good to your rooms through thick and thin with the ideal mix of heavy and light furniture, finishes and colors
I am a freelance editorial and wedding photographer and Houzz contributor based out of Hershey, PA. Come visit me at 'A Nest for All Seasons' where I write about design, photography and modern garden living!
I am a freelance editorial and wedding photographer and Houzz contributor... More »
Whether you are skinny as a rail or pleasantly on the thicker side, you have to dress for your size. It's the same with dressing your spaces. You are limited only by balance. You can choose to go thick and heavy with your showcase piece, but you need to balance it with other heavy furniture. Once the weight is balanced, you have to counterbalance with something that's a little light.
Or you can choose skinny, light pieces and balance them with lighter trim and artwork, but make sure to ground the space with a little weight.
Balancing a space is tricky business, but it can be learned with practice. Take a look at some well-balanced spaces and learn why the balance works.
Or you can choose skinny, light pieces and balance them with lighter trim and artwork, but make sure to ground the space with a little weight.
Balancing a space is tricky business, but it can be learned with practice. Take a look at some well-balanced spaces and learn why the balance works.
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The more weight an object has, the more you have to play to get the balance right. The blue ottoman and office chair in this room are the stars of this show — they have a bit of weight to them due to their solid shape and deep color. The dark wallpaper in the background balances the weight of the foreground.
Of course, with all that weight, something has to give or it'll feel like a medieval cave. Whites, ivories and creams lighten up the space. Medium-size furniture legs, lamp bases and chandeliers ease things up a bit.
Of course, with all that weight, something has to give or it'll feel like a medieval cave. Whites, ivories and creams lighten up the space. Medium-size furniture legs, lamp bases and chandeliers ease things up a bit.
| The bed in this room is heavy in color and in shape, so it needs to be balanced by large-scale, wide-panel screens so the room doesn't feel bottom heavy. The light tones on the carpeting, screen and bed modernize the space and balance the weight of the deeper-tone pieces. |
This is an interesting space that balances weight well. The space is small for a dresser, a chair, a side table, a lamp, a window and artwork — but it is all perfectly balanced.
Why? The chair is skinny but still has some weight to it, thanks to the skirting. If the chair had open legs, the dresser would seem too heavy. Also notice how the chair shape echoes the tall, skinny weight of the window. All that weight is counterbalanced by spindly legs on the side table, the sculpture and the lamp base.
Why? The chair is skinny but still has some weight to it, thanks to the skirting. If the chair had open legs, the dresser would seem too heavy. Also notice how the chair shape echoes the tall, skinny weight of the window. All that weight is counterbalanced by spindly legs on the side table, the sculpture and the lamp base.
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In this grand space, the walls are thick and the moldings are large, so the seating needed to follow suit. A tiny little bench with open legs would get lost in this foyer, but a built-in bench is perfect.
All that light and all that white and those skinny little spindles on the grand staircase counterbalance the solid feel of the rest of the space.
All that light and all that white and those skinny little spindles on the grand staircase counterbalance the solid feel of the rest of the space.
A luxurious round bathing tub is very heavy visually. Instead of dinky little skylights, a bold circular skylight above the tub balances the space. The glass shower and the lighter-tone materials counterbalance the two.
by SB Architects
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When you choose a weighty showcase piece like this light fixture, make sure you balance the room with chunky, weighty furniture. Pick lighter, brighter tones for that chunky furniture to keep the room from looking too heavy.
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This space could easily have become weighed down and unbearably heavy. The deep, dark tones of the wood are heavy, the deep tone on the wall is heavy, and everything has some weight to it. This weight is balanced by the lighter leg on the dining room chairs, and all that deep color is balanced with lighter trim and carpeting.
by Vanillawood
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If you choose slim bar stools, balance their skinny profile with thin cabinet hardware, a wallpaper print and striation on the wood paneling.
Whether you choose thick or thin, weighty or light — balance is key. Start with your showcase piece and balance its weight. Then come in and counter with the opposite weight to create a well-balanced space.
Whether you choose thick or thin, weighty or light — balance is key. Start with your showcase piece and balance its weight. Then come in and counter with the opposite weight to create a well-balanced space.
Comments
olldbobbi Can I have the bathtub in pic #5? WOW! And I still love the Cole and Sons birch tree wallpaper, although it seems to be appearing often; I'm afraid it will be overdone and run out of style. Really great ideabook, Amy! Thanks!
10 months ago · Like
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Amy Renea Thanks Bobbi!
10 months ago · Like
bkmstr love the round skylite & the round tub, how cheerful
10 months ago · Like
njmodernist Rachel Reider is my favorite designer. Even though all her projects are different, her style is recognizable. Consider me a fan!
9 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on July 21, 2012.
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