INTERIOR DECORATION FOR EVERYONE
Mary Derieux and Isabelle Steven- son in their book on Interior Decorat ing say that "Interior decorating as applied to the home is probably the oldest of all arts. When properly understood, it turns out to be also the most friendly and approachable. This is partly because it is based upon an essentially simple formula beauty plus utility, worked out within the framework of each family's require- ments.
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"To decorate your own home suc- cessfully you have only to apply the formula, adapted
your budget, This has never been so easy, so in- teresting, so richly rewarding as it is today. Designers, inventors and manufacturers have combined to open up a fascinating new world of styles and materials while still utilizing the best of the old.
"It is not necessary to delve deeply into historical backgrounds, to master intricacies of periods and styles, in order to get the most fun and the most profit out of decorating your own home. It is only necessary to find out what you want, then follow a few basic rules and be alert to new de- velopments in the field; The essence of contemporary "style" is to mingle freely any good, time-tested features from the past with the latest innova- tions of modern designers. Half a dozen easily understood principles will enable you to work out combinations and arrangements which will be appro- priate and therefore satisfying no matter what type of room you are plan- ning."
For the amateur decorator the first essential in working out a plan is to make it as simple and, at the same time, as comprehensive 18 possible. And, in order to do this, it is neces- sary to have a good idea of the effect you are aiming for and the best method of attaining that object, The plan, therefore, should include the following
points:-
(1) What is the architectural style
of the building?
(2) What are your plans for the
future?
(3) What is the climate like?
(4) What do you like?
(5) What do you need?
(6) What can you afford?
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE
The style of the building, while it does not necessarily dictate the fur- nishings for the interior, must to a certain extent influence the ultimate arrangement. Modern decorating ideas
can be applied in various modified forms to suit any period from the ultra-classical to the ultra-modern. But, in order to obtain that harmony from which the greatest pleasure is derived, the background style must always be kept in mind.
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The house of modern design, rather, the nondescript design which passes as modern style, of course im- poses no restriction whatsoever on the imagination of the designer, But if the design of the building belongs to a definite period, that period can very often be utilized to provide the most harmonious and satisfying effects.
FUTURE PLANS
In a place like Hong Kong the householders are continually confronted with the possibility that they may be uprooted within a certain number of years. The question of residence very often hinges on the type of employ ment which the man of the house is engaged on, whether he will be shifted around by his company to more distant fields, whether the political situation will necessitate family upheavals, and similar problems which do not nor- mally arise elsewhere,
can
If, however.
you have confidence in the future and look forward to long residence here, you will probably be willing to spend more money and, therefore, can afford to widen the scope of your planning. However, the beauty of interior decoration lies in the fact that it is not necessary to spend a great deal of money in order to effect considerable improvement in the in- ternal appearance of your home, Some striking changes can be made with quite a modest outlay.
THE CLIMATE
The climate is a great influence in the furnishing of the home. In coun- tries where the winters are long and cold the effect to strive for is au atmosphere of warmth and comfort by the use of deep warm colours and heavy draperies. In hot even climate that prevails in Hong Kong, the pre- vailing note should be on soft colours that create a feeling of space, The wide openings, the plain undecorated walls and the large airy spaces which are so necessary to promote the circu- lation of air in this elimate must provide the background theme of all your plans, and the colo ir schemes and the materials used must conform with these physical features in order to obtain the desired efferts,
WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
You don't have to be a draftsman and turn out a complicated blueprint
or sketch of the room you are planning, as a professional decorator would do, but there is much to be learned from his approach. Most important is the simple matter of knowing exactly what you are trying to accomplish before you start. You will find that formu. lating a plan-even the sketchiest out- line will clarify your ideas and help get you off on the right track. The more details you can fill in, the casier it will be to carry your decorating through to a successful conclusion and the fewer mistakes you will have to correct.
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
A
What you need to provide for in your decorative schemes depends on a num- ber of factors, some of which are the size of your family and your family's interests. If you have growing young- sters, for example, they would be much happier in a home which would takt little hard usage, therefore forego fragile furniture and delicate fabrics no matter how much they ap- peal to you. If your family is in- formal, fond of games, sports and hobbies, space will have to be set aside for them to indulge in these activities and the furniture and the colour scheme must be planned accordingly.
If the home is primarily to relax in, the quiet informal note is the one to strive for. But if it must also be a business asset, you must design your interiors so as to create an impression upon its visitors and provide facilities for formal entertaining,
WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO
SPEND
In the last analysis the qualifying consideration of your planning will depend on what you can afford to spend. Make your home as comfort- able and as beautiful as you can; it should be a background for
for living which is both stimulating and quietly satisfying. But, if in achieving these effects, you load yourself with debt then the entire effect can be spoiled. With a carefully budgetted plan which eliminate many things that are not really needed, the danger of overspend- ing is curtailed. The value of plan- ning in advance lies in the fact that not only can you visualize the effects to strive for but enables you to fill in the necessary furniture and furnishings as you go along. The things that you need, purchased piecemeal and fitted into their proper place, will finally obtain for you that sense of satisfac- tion and accomplishment that is worth waiting for.
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