Whether you’re getting design advice from a professional in person, on social media, or on TV, chances are you’re familiar with the advice to make your space an extension of your personal style. While it’s a useful starting point, that guideline leaves a lot of room for interpretation, especially when it comes to decorating with a theme that resonates with your interests. For example, you may love the beach and gravitate toward a nautical look, but that doesn’t mean your dining room has to look like a Long John Silver’s. Although it may be a tightrope walk, that is it’s possible to pay homage to a favorite vacation spot, hobby, or era in a timeless, non-tacky way. Here, six members of the AD PRO directory share strategies for designing a themed room without veering into the dangerous territory of cliché themes.
1. Think in short
The first rule of decorating with a theme is to avoid anything too on the nose. “While they can be a great source of inspiration for a space, it’s important not to implement them into a space too literally, or they’ll start to feel cheesy or dated very quickly,” says Devon Wegman of Devon Grace Interiors. Instead, AD PRO’s directory designer recommends taking a more abstract approach. Let’s say, for example, that you want to design an outer space themed room – you don’t need stars on the ceiling or planet models to get the idea. Instead, think more conceptually. “Try painting the room a deep navy blue, install a multi-light hanging chandelier, and some three-dimensional art with a crater-like texture. [that you can] highlight it with a picture light,” suggests Sherica Maynard of Interior Design by S&S. “Now, you’re having a changing version of the outdoor space instead of a literal interpretation.”
2. Choose the right room
Keep in mind that some spaces can handle bolder designs than others. “Rooms like kids’ bedrooms, home theaters, man caves, and basements are some spaces that can push the limit,” says Maynard. Kids’ rooms and playrooms benefit from imaginative design, she notes, and you can get out more in home theaters, dens and basements because “they’re not spaces you normally engage with on a daily basis.”
Meanwhile, Wegman points out that the living room, dining room and dressing room “are great opportunities to increase the drama.” Ghislaine Viñas, residential, commercial and product designer and AD PRO Directory lister, also sees the potential for bold moves in half-bathrooms. “I love taking design risks in powder rooms,” she says. “These little jewel-like spaces can really surprise and delight. They’re small enough to change if one gets tired [of the design]and it’s a great room to go all out.”
