Showcase Your Room Home and Style
By Marianne Lods

When you think about decorating, do you think of art?  What is art?  I’m sure you know that anything that enhances the beauty of the interior and exterior of your home or office is “your” art. 
 
When you walk into a lovely room, what is it that you notice?  It may be the color and the balance of the furnishings.  Also, it may be the wall hangings or sculpture.  It certainly may be the aroma, plants or a vase of fresh-cut flowers.  These items on their own are not necessarily art, but together you have “color, line and form.”  This is certainly not my original idea so I’ll give the credit to Dr. Albert C. Barnes. 
 
The Barnes Foundation recent relocation of its art collection to center city Philadelphia has been in the news a great deal lately.  Dr. Barnes not only amassed one of the world’s premier art collections, he had a strong belief of how each gallery room and the art pieces should be displayed and that is the philosophy behind “color, line and form” simply stated.  Take the opportunity to visit the new location at 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia when you can for a fantastic experience.
 
Let’s get back to your home or office.  Work with one room at a time and experiment!  If you have paintings and other objects of art, move them around.  Ask your spouse or a friend to hold a painting in a certain location, step back from it and consider the look and the appeal.  Keep repeating this until you have art pieces leaning against various walls, on book shelves, table tops, and so forth.  Go ahead and get the ruler, hooks and hammer.  Eye-level is usually the most attractive height to hang a painting but this can vary.  You may want to take a vertical painting and pair it with two smaller horizontal or square-framed pieces.  Groupings can also include a painting or two plus a decorative mirror or fabulous retro clock!  You will be making a statement with the arrangement of your art work as much as the art itself. 
               
Don’t forget lighting.  Natural daylight may be just fine on bright days if you have good window exposures, but when evening comes, it is often not enough.  There are clip on lamps like you often see in restaurants or library rooms and some have discreet cords while others are cordless.  If you have a piece of art that is really special, consider spot-lighting it with a short expanse of track lights.  Even the table or floor lamps in your room can often enhance an area where you have a lovely painting or decorative art object. 
 
Just remember to be creative, experiment, change your mind and start over and try again.  It’s time for you to showcase your room or home and your style. 

We invite you to explore the galleries and shops of the Glasstown Arts District to help you find your “look.”  Several new shops have recently opened that carry home décor, art, antiques and vintage items.  Check our online directory of businesses at www.GlasstownArtsDistrict.com. or download our free smart phone app: MillvilleApp.com.

Marianne Lods
Executive Director

Marianne Lods is the Executive Director and Certified Main Street Manager of the Millville Development Corp., Main Street Millville and Glasstown Arts District.  

856-293-0556;
Marianne@glasstownartsdistrict.com