Today I'm chatting about TABLE SETTINGS. Some fun and creative ways to set the stage for a great evening of entertaining and dining. When you are creating a table setting it’s important to incorporate your personal style or the theme of the gathering with some rules or guidelines of TABLE SETTING. So, making sure that the basics are in place and then working around them is what we’ll talk about first. There are standard ways for a table to be set, and if you get all of your silverware and dishes in the right place, the rest will fall into place naturally. So, generally the perfect table settings include five piece sets of flatware and place settings.

Five piece flatware settings include:
soup spoon
tea spoon
salad fork
dinner fork
knife

The corresponding five piece place setting includes:
cup
saucer
bread plate
salad plate/bowl
dinner plate

Now, if you don’t own a complete setting, don’t worry about it. These are just guidelines and are not hard and fast rules. You can still set a beautiful table even if you only have a fork, knife and dinner plate! Having said that, there are also guidelines or rules about where all your pieces should be placed on the table. Some table setting rules can be ridiculously complicated and there really isn't any reason to set a table that is so complex that your guest are intimidated. The basic rule is this:

Put glasses to the right of each place setting
Put the bread plate to the left of each setting (upper corner works best) – the butter knife can be laid across the plate

The silverware should be set so that the guest works their way from the outside in – salad fork on the outside, then dinner fork. If you have knifes for each course, follow that same pattern. Forks go on the left, knives on the right. If you have a simple one fork/one knife setting, then you can choose between putting one on each side or putting them both on the left, side by side.
Salad plates can be placed on top of the dinner plate, or you can have the salad plate at the center of the setting and remove it after the salad course, replacing it with the dinner plate.
If you have a dessert set of flatware, the spoon/fork should go at the top center of the setting.
To simplify planning your settings, include pieces in your tableware collection that can serve more than one function. Earthenware pasta bowls are wonderful for pasta, risotto and polenta as well as for salads and gazpacho. Dipping bowls are another summertime staple for presenting fine olive oils, vinegars and condiments or savory nibbles like nuts and olives. In addition to holding beverages, wine and margarita glasses can double as serving vessels for fresh fruit salads, frosty sorbets and chilled seafood cocktails.

With your basic place settings in place, you can start to experiment with the actual decoration of your table. This is the fun part, where your imagination can be your guide. The one rule to keep in mind is that you want to set a table that will make your meal a comfortable experience for your guests. For instance, if you plan on serving food that will need to be passed around the table, then using lots of candles on your table may make passing that food difficult for your guests…(and remember passing is always counter clockwise). Likewise, make sure your centerpiece decorations don’t obstruct the field of vision of your guests – you want them to be able to chat freely across the table.

After your table settings, the single most important part of elegant table decorating is choosing your tablecloth. A simple white table cloth is the most classic and the easiest to dress up and down but using color, especially if your china is white is really beautiful. If you decide to go with a white tablecloth, a table runner can be added to brighten things up a bit. Table linens help set the mood for summer dining. To create visual contrast, mix solids and patterns or combine linens of different textures, such as a quilted cotton tablecloth with wicker place mats.
　
For Centerpieces you will have a lot of room to show off your creativity. Summer’s bountiful gardens inspire colorful table decorations. Floral arrangements are often casual and spontaneous, showcasing whatever is in bloom. Display a bouquet of just-picked flowers in a rustic earthenware pitcher, or use bud vases or tumblers to hold individual blossoms or newly cut herbs at each place setting. Create an asparagus candle wrap or arrange some lovely Brussels pouts into a topiary!. The possibilities are really endless. Summertime really makes you think of freshness so fruits, vegetables, flowers all come together to inspire.

For THEME events here are a couple of ideas:

CARIBBEAN BEACH PARTY
Write the party details on a white piece of paper and send the message in a bottle to all the guests invited to your island getaway. Make sure people come in beach attire, such as summer dresses, shorts and flip-flops.
Set up sitting stations, a corner with pails and sand, a hammock or a picnic bench. Keep your guests entertained with sand castle competitions, sand art and a game of limbo.
Food should be simple. Think barbecue, shish-kebabs, fish and vegetables and for drinks, tropical drinks like pina coladas and daiquiris. For dessert, choose ice cream, fresh fruit and Popsicles.

MOVIE NIGHT
Transform your yard with Hollywood glam for a summer movie party.
Send out "admit one" tickets as invitations. Gather some directors' chairs reserved as the best seats in the house. You can play a game of Scene It before the featured presentation to determine who will get the premium seats. Rent a projector and hang a white sheet between trees to create the screen. Serve an assortment of homemade gourmet popcorn and set up a candy station or a homemade ice cream station. Let the movie inspire the meal you serve at the barbecue.

ECO-CHIC FARMERS' MARKET
To invite earth-loving guests, save the trees and send out e-vites. Use recycled materials to decorate the space. Ask to buy typical containers from the vendors at the farmers' market and use them as vessels to create your tables capes. Create your centrepieces with potted herbs or gather fruits and vegetables in earthy, wood bowls. Go green by using real china dinnerware, glassware and flatware. Repurpose a bunch of bamboo cutting boards as serving trays and use solar battery lamps and candles to light the space. Serve only organic local food: vegetables, meat or poultry and fruits. Stuff the inside of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers or an apple to create appetizers and small bites with a wow factor. Use napkins made of burlap, linen or organic cotton. Tea towels can also make great napkins.

Feng Shui and Tea Tasting????

Glorious Sunday morning to one and all. Wow! We've had some sweet weather here lately and I've been taking FULL advantage of it. I hope each of you takes a little minute each day to admire the beauty before you. Nature is interior design at the height of perfection.

Speaking of Interior Design...who's interested in a little 411 on FENG SHUI? Beth and I are hatching up a plan for our next class (August 2009 ..exact date to be determined) on FENG SHUI along with some lovely tea tastings...Stay tuned and enjoy all the gifts before you.

Good Thoughts, C

Friday Friday Friday is my favorite day:)

Happy Friday to one and all..and what a GLORIUS one it is! Had a GREAT time at Lizzabeth A's last night...a FABULOUS group of Designing Women....great food from Beth @ Lizzabeth A's...just an all around super time. A big thanks to one and all. Good Thoughts, Carma

Thursday -- Come to CAMAS:)

Well Happy Thursday to one and all! I hope to see many smiling faces tonight at the first in the series of "Ask the Designer" classes. Tonight's class is on bringing the Inside Out..Creating an Outdoor Living Space. I am looking forward to giving out some guidelines and pointers to anyone trying to increase their living space by incorporating an outdoor area. The weather is just right to be entertaining or just relaxing outside with a great book and cool beverage:). Why not make a little oasis right in your own backyard? Times are tough but one still needs a little Rest and Relaxation..so let's make it easy and fun! Come on down to Lizzabeth A's tonight @ 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. -- the cost is only $10..but well worth it..plus we'll have some delish eats and tasty beverages. Good Thoughts, C

I love this town for so many reasons. The first item on the agenda is a design class held at Lizzabeth A on Birch St. in Camas. Thursday, July 9th from 7 - 9:30 p.m. It is the first in a new series of "Ask the Designer" and it will give you the "how-to" on creating that PERFECT outdoor living space. The hip-hop happy local designer...MOI:) will answer your design questions as well...you just cannot go wrong!



Next...Let me ask you this...do you like discovering great places to dine...??? How about figuring out the hottest little boutique this side of the river? Or even better....explore different artist? New Music? WHO DOESN'T????

I just returned from a downtown Camas Merchant Meeting and WOW what a great group of big thinkers, go getters, have funners and give backers...ok, ok I know I'm making up words but you do get the picture. :)

First of all, we (meaning glorius Downtown Camas) have First Fridays...way too much fun. It just wasn't enough that the last one (July 1st) featured a smokin' hot car show with some of the sweetest rides you could ever see...Next month is going to go way out there artistically. On Friday, August 7th, 2009 the feature will be CAMLIVE! Artists from an array of venues will be featuring not only their work but how they create! Can you imagine???..it's not enough to just show you some truly sublime jewels but the artists will show you how the masterpiece was made! How about some live tunes? Yep, that will be there too. Maybe a little belly dancing, some cooking, a little pottery....the list goes on and on!

Inside OUT

The trend for the past few years has been and continues to be a move from the inside out. The most important step in this process is *space planning. Just like planning a new interior space, outdoor living spaces take time and planning. Before you begin the space planning process it is important to ask yourself a series of questions…or create a profile of the intended space . What will the function of the space be? Will I be entertaining a few or many people? Will it be for recreation? Will children utilize this space?

* Your outdoor space needs to be defined as an actual area. A deck, patio, slab of concrete all does this for you. If you do not have this, define the space with your seating grouping, flowering pots and landscape lighting. This is the area in which your outdoor furniture will be placed, forming a living/dining room outside. So you obviously need to thoroughly review the existing site conditions. Are there existing shade structures? Which direction does the area face? What type of flooring, lighting and walls currently exist? And is there an outdoor kitchen?
Execution of the plan depends on these preliminary steps to help avoid pitfalls and mistakes in the creation of the perfect outdoor living space.
If you have a hardscape area to work with such as a cement slab, you may consider paiting or dyeing it to soften the look. You can also add decorative bricks or pavers around the edges to give it more appeal. Use a natural fiber indoor/outdoor area rug like sisal or jute to define the actual conversation area. An area rug can be used on any surface to make it feel more comfortable and finished.

*When doing interior design it is necessary to think of the house and the exterior living area as a totality; a series of spaces linked together. It is therefore appropriate that a common style and theme runs throughout. This is not to say that all interior design elements should be the same but they should work together and complement each other to strengthen the whole composition. A way to create this theme or storyline is with the well considered use of color. Color schemes in general are a great way to unify a collection of spaces.

The number one rule with color is to maintain continuity. Try and match the indoor color scheme with the one outdoors. One nifty idea is to make the color of your outdoor plants match a feature wall inside. If you’re not feeling that brave, play it safe and go with a neutral palette as it’s such a large area. Then add splashes of color through cushions, upholstery, furniture and knick-knacks. On the other extreme a casual, open-plan area is the perfect canvas for bright and vibrant shades.

*Balance is one of the primary principals of Interior Design. Balance is extremely important to a well designed room be it inside or outside. Secondly, is the creation or enhancement of a *focal point. Interior design’s biggest enemy is boredom. A well-designed room always has, depending on the size of it, one or more focal points. A focal point must be dominant to draw attention and interesting enough to encourage the viewer to look further. A focal point thus must have a lasting impression but must also be an integral part of the decoration linked through scale, style, color or theme. For the outdoor living area, this can be a cooking station or fireplace or pit or a water feature or even a beautiful green area for sitting/relaxing.

Next is RHYTHM. In interior design, rhythm is all about visual pattern repetition. Rhythm is defined as continuity, recurrence or organized movement. To achieve these themes in a design, you need to think about repetition, progression, transition and contrast. Using these mechanisms will impart a sense of movement to your space, leading the eye from one design element to another.
Repetition is the use of the same element more than once throughout a space. In creating the perfect outdoor living space that clearly ties into the rest of your home, bring a throw pillow outside made of the same fabric as some of your indoor elements. You can repeat a pattern, color, texture, line, or any other element, or even more than one element.
Progression is taking an element and increasing or decreasing one or more of its qualities. The most obvious implementation of this would be a gradation by size. A cluster of candles of varying sizes on a simple tray creates interest because of the natural progression shown. You can also achieve progression via color, such as in a monochromatic color scheme where each element is a slightly different shade of the same hue.

Transition is a little harder to define. Unlike repetition or progression, transition tends to be a smoother flow, where the eye naturally glides from one area to another. The most common transition is the use of a curved line to gently lead the eye, such as an arched doorway or when thinking of the outdoor living space, a winding path.

Finally, contrast is fairly straightforward. Putting two elements in opposition to one another, such as black and white pillows on a outdoor sofa or bench is the hallmark of this design principle. Opposition can also be implied by contrasts in form, such as circles and squares used together. Contrast can be quite jarring, and is generally used to enliven a space. Be careful not to undo any hard work you’ve done using the other mechanisms by introducing too much contrast!

Another important element of interior design where it is necessary to take infinite pains is details. Details should not be obvious but they should be right, enhancing the overall feel of a room.
Scale and Proportion – These two design principles go hand in hand, since both relate to size and shape. Proportion has to do with the ratio of one design element to another, or one element to the whole. Scale concerns itself with the size of one object compared to another.

Lighting: Landscape architects can also take care of lighting issues: spotlight your vegetation, illuminate your walkways, or add tiki torches to your deck to add some ambience (and to control the summer insect infestation).

Flowering pots and containers are a welcome addition, if you have a green thumb. Group your containers together for maximum impact and easier watering. Make sure the containers vary in height and size with one or two pieces breaking up the terra cotta pot look. Choose flowers that do well in this area because they will be under close inspection by people on the patio. No plant is better than a dead plant. Use spheres, baskets, smaller pots, and sculptures to fill in a container and add interest.








spaggetti




























SPACE PLANNING

CREATE A PROFILE OF SPACE

What will function of space be?
Will I be entertaining for a few or for many?
Will it be for recreation or relaxation or both?
Will children be utilizing the space?

III. REVIEW EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS

Are there existing shade structures?
Which direction does the area face?
What type of flooring, lighting and walls currently exist?
And is there an outdoor kitchen?

LINK INSIDE TO OUT

Complement outside design to inside of home. It strengthens the whole composition.
Use color to create and unify the theme or storyline. Color schemes in general are a great way to unify a collection of spaces.

BALANCE

Balance is one of the primary principals of Interior Design. Balance is extremely important to a well designed room be it inside or outside.

FOCAL POINT

Creation or enhancement of a focal point. A well-designed room always has, depending on the size of it, one or more focal points.

Cooking Station
Fireplace or pit
Water Feature

RHTHYM

Repetition
Progression
Transition
Contrast

DETAIL

Scale and Proportion
Lighting
Groupings of furniture and potted plants




































Well, summer is officially here and we should be in the middle of some smokin' hot weather. I love the SUMMER for many reasons...not the least of which is: the living space of my home increases dramatically...because I bring the inside OUT.

Creating an outdoor living space is a great way to enjoy the summer and to increase your living area. Just like planning an interior space, creating an outdoor living area takes time, patience and, most of all, planning. How about a few pointers on creating that perfect space and avoiding costly mistakes and design disasters!

The first thing to do is to decide how the space will be used. This is identifying the function of the space. Are you hoping to create a space for dining, relaxing, recreation or a combination of activities?

Since your outdoor space needs to be identified and outlined, you must thoroughly review your existing site conditions. What elements or hard-scapes are you already working with? Are you working with a deck, patio, slab of concrete, or combination? If you don't necessary have any of these elements, you can still create an outlined space through furnishings groupings, outdoor rugs, flower pots, and landscape lighting. So, once you have identified the general space and existing site conditions, you can move onto the next phase of the plan: Space Planning.

The easiest way to begin is to take overall measurements and draw them out onto 1/4" graph paper. You don't have to be an artist or a mathematician! Typically the masterpiece will be for your eyes only:) and is to be used as a guideline to help you make plans for furniture and accessory placement and avoid unnecessary purchases or costly mistakes. Usually I just rough out on the graph paper the overall dimensions of the room and then as I'm reviewing which items will be positioned in the space, I can confirm that all pieces will actually fit comfortably into the space.

Remember that BALANCE is one of the primary principals of Interior Design. Balance is extremely important to a well designed room be it inside or outside. Keeping this in mind, the creation or enhancement of a focal point during the space planning phase is vital. Interior design’s biggest enemy is boredom. A well-designed room always has, depending on the size of it, one or more focal points. A focal point must be dominant to draw attention and interesting enough to encourage the viewer to look further. A focal point needs to have a lasting impression but must also be an integral part of the decoration linked through scale, style, color or theme. For the outdoor living area, this can be a cooking station or fireplace or pit or a water feature or even a beautiful green area for sitting/relaxing.

OK! Now we're moving closer and closer to the really fun stuff! So, you've determined what type of space you will be creating, you've determined what the existing conditions are and what you have to work with. You've also now determined what furnishings and/or grills, tables, loungers will be placed into the space and you've verified that they are all going to fit nicely. Further, you've decided on your focal point(s) in relation to the well placed items in your STUNNING space. WELL DONE.

The next thing to keep in mind is that it is necessary to think of the house and the exterior living area as a totality; a series of spaces linked together. So, it's therefore appropriate that a common style and theme runs throughout. This is not to say that all interior design elements should be the same but they should work together and complement each other to strengthen the whole composition. A way to create this theme or storyline is with the well considered use of color. Color schemes in general are a great way to unify a collection of spaces.

In creating the perfect outdoor living space that clearly ties into the rest of your home it's VITAL that you remember the number one rule with color is to maintain continuity. Try and match the indoor color scheme with the exterior color scheme...but maybe think about mixing it up just a bit. Perhaps you could focus on one of your secondary or accessory colors and bring it to the forefront. One nifty idea is to make the color of your outdoor plants match a feature wall from inside. When choosing the textiles on your seating or tableware, consider what you already have going on inside and play with it. Another super easy way is to bring a throw pillow outside made of the same fabric as some of your indoor elements. You can repeat a pattern, color, texture, line, or any other element, or even more than one element. It just don't get any easier than that:)!

If you have a green thumb, accessorizing can be very easy with flowering pots and containers as a welcome addition. Group your containers together for maximum impact and easier watering. Make sure the containers vary in height and size with one or two pieces breaking up the terra-cotta pot look. Choose flowers that do well in this area because they will be under close inspection by people on the patio. No plant is better than a dead plant. Use spheres, baskets, smaller pots, and sculptures to fill in a container and add interest.

Dress up your table with totally "green" linens. Having fun and beautiful table linens is a must plus it saves trees! There are so many great options for plates/dishes, outdoor stemware, silverware and the like. Have fun and make your guest feel like the special people that they are! HAPPY SUMMER and as always, remember: Better Living by Design:).

Creating an Outdoor Living Area. Part I

Well, summer is officially here and we should be in the middle of some smokin' hot weather. I love the SUMMER for many reasons...not the least of which is: the living space of my home increases dramatically...because I bring the inside OUT.

Creating an outdoor living space is a great way to enjoy the summer and to increase your living area. Just like planning an interior space, creating an outdoor living area takes time, patience and, most of all, planning. How about a few pointers on creating that perfect space and avoiding costly mistakes and design disasters!

The first thing to do is to decide how the space will be used. This is identifying the function of the space. Are you hoping to create a space for dining, relaxing, recreation or a combination of activities?

Since your outdoor space needs to be identified and outlined, you must thoroughly review your existing site conditions. What elements or hard-scapes are you already working with? Are you working with a deck, patio, slab of concrete, or combination? If you don't necessary have any of these elements, you can still create an outlined space through furnishings groupings, outdoor rugs, flower pots, and landscape lighting. So, once you have identified the general space and existing site conditions, you can move onto the next phase of the plan: Space Planning.

The easiest way to begin is to take overall measurements and draw them out onto 1/4" graph paper. You don't have to be an artist or a mathematician! Typically the masterpiece will be for your eyes only:) and is to be used as a guideline to help you make plans for furniture and accessory placement and avoid unnecessary purchases or costly mistakes. Usually I just rough out on the graph paper the overall dimensions of the room and then as I'm reviewing which items will be positioned in the space, I can confirm that all pieces will actually fit comfortably into the space.

Remember that BALANCE is one of the primary principals of Interior Design. Balance is extremely important to a well designed room be it inside or outside. Keeping this in mind, the creation or enhancement of a focal point during the space planning phase is vital. Interior design’s biggest enemy is boredom. A well-designed room always has, depending on the size of it, one or more focal points. A focal point must be dominant to draw attention and interesting enough to encourage the viewer to look further. A focal point needs to have a lasting impression but must also be an integral part of the decoration linked through scale, style, color or theme. For the outdoor living area, this can be a cooking station or fireplace or pit or a water feature or even a beautiful green area for sitting/relaxing.

OK! Now we're moving closer and closer to the really fun stuff! So, you've determined what type of space you will be creating, you've determined what the existing conditions are and what you have to work with. You've also now determined what furnishings and/or grills, tables, loungers will be placed into the space and you've verified that they are all going to fit nicely. Further, you've decided on your focal point(s) in relation to the well placed items in your STUNNING space. WELL DONE.

The next thing to keep in mind is that it is necessary to think of the house and the exterior living area as a totality; a series of spaces linked together. So, it's therefore appropriate that a common style and theme runs throughout. This is not to say that all interior design elements should be the same but they should work together and complement each other to strengthen the whole composition. A way to create this theme or storyline is with the well considered use of color. Color schemes in general are a great way to unify a collection of spaces.

In creating the perfect outdoor living space that clearly ties into the rest of your home it's VITAL that you remember the number one rule with color is to maintain continuity. Try and match the indoor color scheme with the exterior color scheme...but maybe think about mixing it up just a bit. Perhaps you could focus on one of your secondary or accessory colors and bring it to the forefront. One nifty idea is to make the color of your outdoor plants match a feature wall from inside. When choosing the textiles on your seating or tableware, consider what you already have going on inside and play with it. Another super easy way is to bring a throw pillow outside made of the same fabric as some of your indoor elements. You can repeat a pattern, color, texture, line, or any other element, or even more than one element. It just don't get any easier than that:)!

If you have a green thumb, accessorizing can be very easy with flowering pots and containers as a welcome addition. Group your containers together for maximum impact and easier watering. Make sure the containers vary in height and size with one or two pieces breaking up the terra-cotta pot look. Choose flowers that do well in this area because they will be under close inspection by people on the patio. No plant is better than a dead plant. Use spheres, baskets, smaller pots, and sculptures to fill in a container and add interest.

Dress up your table with totally "green" linens. Having fun and beautiful table linens is a must plus it saves trees! There are so many great options for plates/dishes, outdoor stemware, silverware and the like. Have fun and make your guest feel like the special people that they are! HAPPY SUMMER and as always, remember: Better Living by Design:).

Spring is a sign of renewal inside and out!

Avoid costly Design Mistakes and Rejuvenate your space!

There is something refreshing about bringing the feeling of Spring into your home. Have you spent time, energy, and money attempting to create a space with that perfect color scheme, just right furnishings and show stopping window treatments only to find out that something is not quite right? What is it lacking? Here are some common design errors and some fantastic ways to correct them AND bring some refreshing Spring flavor into your space. MISTAKE: YOUR ENTRYWAY. DRAB/DREARY AND ANYTHING BUT INVITING. Remember, your entry is where visitors make that crucial first impression of your home. Paint your front door with a fresh coat of paint. Choose a hue that complements the color palette of your exterior as well as your foyer. Alternatively, perhaps a fresh coat of bright white is the trick. Add a pot of pansies on the porch and hang a handmade wreath or basket of flowers on the front door. For very little money, you can make a big impact. MISTAKE: BAD LIGHTINGThis is a very common mistake that is completely avoidable. No matter how perfectly put together your space is, if you can’t see it or if the lighting application is wrong your presentation will be altered. First, get all the free stuff you can! What’s that big ball of fire up in the sky giving away all the FREE LIGHTING? Make sure that your window treatments allow for penetration of the natural light. Nothing is better than natural light. Spring is the time of year to get outside and get all that glass cleaned. Have your window treatments dusted off and vacuumed. As a bonus, clean windows mean more sparkling glass, and that makes rooms feel larger and brighter!Next, make sure you not only have all corners of the room lit but also that you have LAYERS of light. Avoid limiting the room to a single light source. It’s not only important to have the overhead light, but floor and table fixtures will brighten the room and give you several ways to control the brightness and ambiance. Finally, confirm that task lighting is addressed. Do you have adequate light for that favorite reading, writing, and game playing spot? MISTAKE: UP, UP AND AWAY ARTWhile executing your Spring-cleaning, clear out most of your artwork and accessories. Keep just a few simpler pieces. Choose quality or content over quantity. This will help de-clutter the room and put the focus on fresh, simple pieces. A very common design mistake is over accessorizing with too many knick-knacks or tchotchkes. If you have many knick-knacks, why don’t you rotate or trade them out periodically. That way you keep the space fresh and you get “new” design elements added every couple of months. Also, keep in mind that artwork needs to be at eye level. For some reason, many people try to balance out a room by placing their wall artwork high above their furniture. Instead of attempting to balance that dead space between the furniture and the ceiling, hang wall art lower and closer to furnishings. A very general rule of thumb is that art should be hung 66” - 72” from your floor to the top of the wall artwork/picture. Obviously, there will be exceptions with larger pieces but this is a great rule of thumb. When artwork is hung too high, the artwork appears to be “floating” and creates a disorganized presentation instead of creating a well put-together space. MISTAKE: MATCHY-MATCHYIt’s not a good idea to have everything match spot-on. When everything is matchy-matchy, the viewer’s eye isn’t drawn to anything. This will make the room appear dull and boring. Although it’s definitely not a good idea to have your color scheme clash, having some variation is much more interesting. You can neutralize a matching furniture suite by choosing a different wall color to tone down patterns and color monotony. Try painting a focal wall (the wall most seen or dominant). Painting a brighter, sunnier or lighter tint of your current wall hue will add lightness to the room without drastically changing the whole scheme. Welcome the newness of the season with a few simple, mistake-free design elements and remember to follow your gut. The best resource you have for creating that perfect space is YOU.