STATEMENT PIECES ARE THE PINNACLES OF HOME DECORATION.
Unfortunately, they’re not always done properly. Sometimes the statement is lost in a cluttered mix of décor; other times, the statement has room to breathe but nothing which really makes it a ‘statement’.
If you’re looking to buy a statement piece or you’re trying to think of ways to use your existing piece better, here are three tips to remember to help it stand out for years to come:
1. A STATEMENT PIECE NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT WHILE WORKING IN WITH THE REST OF YOUR HOME.
A fabric chair doesn’t become a statement piece just because you chuck a fancy cushion on it. Statement pieces need to be distinctive not only in the sense that they’re different from everything else (while still working with your furniture style), but also in the sense that they are eye-catching in and of themselves. It deserves to be the centre of attention!
Take a mid-century modern home as an example. The furniture style is typified by simplicity, muted colour palettes, organic shapes, and minimal extraneous detail. An appropriate statement piece for such a home might be a velvet fabric chair in a bold, but not bright, shade of blue (or green, or some other colour of nature). Important details might include features such as splayed legs, but intricate ornamentation would generally be inappropriate as it would be out-of-place with the mid-century style.
2. A STATEMENT PIECE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO COMPETE WITH ANYTHING ELSE.
It’s hard for something to be a statement if it has to compete with other similar pieces. Think of it like your garden: if you plant a magnificent, that individual tree is a bit less so if you’ve also planted two or three similar trees around it.
This doesn’t mean you can’t have any other nice furniture or décor. But it does mean you shouldn’t go overboard with it. It should be fairly easy to know when you’ve got too much, because your statement piece with either feel lost in the room or you will feel overwhelmed whenever you walk into the room where it lives.
3. THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT HOW YOU’LL USE YOUR STATEMENT PIECE.
Unless you’re thinking of wall art, most statement pieces don’t have to be there just for show. In fact, many people love statement pieces which they can interact with in some way which makes the piece more meaningful to them. For example, some people keep an heirloom fabric chair on display, using it for special occasions and family gatherings. Others interact with their statement piece every day, whether it’s a custom-made dining table or a luxurious day bed.
You also need to think about how you don’t want to interact with it. For example, great-grandma’s fabric chair might look nice when the family comes over, but if you’ve pestiferous pets who like to sharpen their claws using your furniture then keeping it out all the time might not be the best idea. You should also make sure you clean, maintain, and care for your furniture diligently, so your statement can look as good as new for years to come.
(P.S. shout-out to Tracey Lynch from our Facebook group, My Family Home, for suggesting this blog topic! If you have a topic you'd like to see covered, be sure to join the Facebook group and post your suggestion.)