Changing a Room's Focal Point

Written by Lee Wyatt (last updated December 16, 2020)

Have you ever gotten tired of the way your room looks, or perhaps felt that it wasn't "quite right" for some unknown reason? Well, learning the methods for changing a room's focal point is one of the best ways that you can go about ensuring that your room is always the way that you want it to be. When you are looking to create or change the room's focal point all you really need to do is keep in mind a few simple guidelines.

  • Use color contrast. One of the best ways to create a focal point, or even change an existing focal point, in any room is by utilizing the power of contrasting color. For example, your current living room is predominantly painted a single color such as blue or white. Use a strong contrasting color to draw the eyes to where you want them to go. One idea would be to use a couch, or other piece of furniture, that is a different color to do exactly that.
  • Fireplaces are naturals. For some reason people have a tendency to overlook just how natural of a focal point a fireplace really is. Often times fireplaces and mantles are a significantly different color than the rest of the room, and as such will naturally draw the eye towards it. Take advantage of this by centering the rest of your furniture around this point.
  • Don't overlook light. Light, when used in creative ways, can also be a strong indicator and a subtle hint, towards what you consider to be the real focal point of a room. For example, if you used art lighting to focus on artwork that you may have, it will naturally help draw the eye, and thus act as a focal point. Another example is when you have a large picture window (and thus a lot of natural light) will help to let light in, and also act as a natural "painting" or piece of artwork that can draw the eye.

Now that you know the basics of changing or creating a focal point in a room, you can begin arranging your rooms to suite your exact needs and tastes. Keep in mind that these are only guidelines though. In effect, what this means is that this is really only a place to start from. Often you will have to figure out the exact nature of your needs by using these guidelines in a rather trial and error manner. Enjoy yourself as you go about and figure out what you want your rooms to look like.

Author Bio

Lee Wyatt

Contributor of numerous Tips.Net articles, Lee Wyatt is quickly becoming a regular "Jack of all trades." He is currently an independent contractor specializing in writing and editing. Contact him today for all of your writing and editing needs! Click here to contact. ...

MORE FROM LEE

Caulking Your Sink

Plumbing problems are one of the most common around the home. One of the most common causes for leaky plumbing is faulty ...

Discover More

Cleaning Light Oak Floors

Oak floors can be a beautiful addition, and element, of any home. The amazing thing about this wonderful wood is that it ...

Discover More

Installing Energy Efficient Doors

Installing energy efficient doors is a great way to help reduce your overall heating or cooling bills. While you could ...

Discover More

Cordless, Compact, and Powerful! DeWalt's 18-volt drill-driver kit packs a big punch in a small package, with a powerful high-performance motor tucked away inside a compact design. A great addition to the tool chest of any professional or DIYer! Check out DeWalt 18-Volt Drill/Driver Kit today!

More Home Improvement Tips

Makeover Your Furniture

Do you want to make a change to a room but don't want to start over with new furniture? Try making over what you already ...

Discover More

Home Theater Design

You don't need to have a degree in home theater design in order to design your own home theater. As long as you ...

Discover More

Tricks for Working with Framed Artwork

Artwork is a valued addition to any home. Unfortunately though, sometimes we don't have the patience, money, or space ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 8 + 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)