There are a few design guidelines that can be applicable no matter what the scope of a project. If you own a Federal home your furnishings need not be Federal antiques.
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As in many cities, the housing inventory in Philadelphia and its suburbs covers a wide range of sizes, styles, layouts, and configurations. Shelter magazines and web sites tend to focus projects on the airy, spacious rooms in new, state of the art, contemporary buildings, or the grand and elegant quarters found within elaborate historic structures.
I was chatting with a fellow writer recently, who asked if I could talk more about appropriate design within more modest structures. Cottages, ranchers, and row houses were a few examples that came to mind. Actually, no matter what the size, style, or layout of a building may be, there are a few design guidelines that can be applicable no matter what the scope of a project. Some can even be modified or adjusted to work beautifully within spaces that prove to be more challenging.
Some of these guidelines can be the subject of articles all on their own, but for simplicity’s sake, we will take a brief look at a few important ones, and how they can apply to any interior design project.
The patterns and textures of other critical design elements like wallcoverings, window treatments and upholstery should all be meticulously considered, as they should all work together in harmony to create a well-thought-out, compatible and comforting space.
In the coming weeks, I plan on using the guidelines above to concentrate on specific architectural styles, and how these guidelines can be incorporated within homes of varied architecture, both modest and grand. In the meantime, if there are specific questions you would like addressed regarding the interiors of your home, please contact me through my web site: www.patriciacove.com.
Happy Designing!
Patricia Cove is Principal of Architectural Interiors and Design in Chestnut Hill, and chairs the Historic District Advisory Committee of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy.