Yesterday I wrote about translating personal style to an interior. I think it could help to also take a look at the practical elements of a room as well. When I am working on a project I try to follow a basic rule: “Something old. Something new. Something rough. Something smooth.” This helps me keep in mind a balanced mix of elements that create a well-rounded room. Notice that I don’t mention anything about high end or low end – expense has little to do with it. Any of these elements can run the range of price. As long as there is — as touched on in Monday’s post — a value and quality to each piece in the room, you can achieve the look you are striving for. Let’s break down the elements:

Something Old – Pretty basic but every space needs a sense of age and patina to give it weight and a bit of nostalgia. It doesn’t have to be an antique. It doesn’t even have to be furniture. Maybe it’s the antique Chesterfield sofa in Alexander Wang’s studio or even the new version of the wing chair in this space by Will Meyer. Both pieces are formal styles that add tension to the space forcing you to notice each individual item in the room. In the third photo, classical shaped vases create a silhouette in front of the modern graphic wall.

Something New – Just like something old but in reverse. In a room full of traditional shapes it livens things up to add something modern. Wake up a stately space by throwing in a curve like the low grey benches in this entry hall or the Egg chair in this otherwise very sweet bedroom.

Something Rough – By layering in a rough element to a room you give the space texture. The rough element — much like the old element — brings a sense of casualness and warmth. It can be calming to walk into a room and see touches of imperfection. It signals that the room can handle guests. This bedroom by Carrier and Company is the perfect example of counterbalancing crisp and clean with the rough in the wood ceiling and tree stump side table. Rough elements should be used sparingly because they can easily overwhelm. A good way to add lightly could be in accessories like these vessels by Atwater Pottery or in natural materials like this aged leather chair from Blackman Cruz.

Something Smooth – Bringing a smooth element to a space creates formality. A smooth surface brings light into a room and creates depth. Call it narcissism or shallowness; we are all attracted to something shiny. The Lucite coffee table in this living room opens the space up in a way that no other material would – it gives a weightlessness that the monochromatic grays need and is a visual link to the mirrored wall. In the bathroom the stainless steel counter creates a strong gleaming horizontal line between the natural stone walls. Much like the rough element, smooth can quickly overpower. If used too much it can look hard and cold. It’s important to temper smooth with rough — like these side tables I made for the guest room in my own house.

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