When doing any kind of design, it helps to consider the visual composition.
Yes, you need to think of practicality and function, but the visual arrangement is what draws you in and catches your attention.
That’s why people spend hours trying to arrange bookcases, hang art in just the right spot, or moving furniture around in a room.
Stand back and think about your arrangement as a piece of art or a visual composition.
Is there balance? Is there a focal point? Is there a nice combination of lights and darks to create some contrast? Is it pleasing to the eye?
Looking at your design from this point of view can bring a fresh approach to your project.
Look at this composition from Suzanne Kasler:
Do you see how strong it is?
If she had kept that door to the left in a light color or left the mouldings in a white or light color, the composition would not be nearly so strong. She blended the mouldings, door, and sofa together to make a clear, vibrant backdrop for the dominant vertical fireplace and the graceful furniture silhouetted in front.
Below are more interiors flexing their brilliantly strong compositions. Which is your favorite?