Help! I don’t have a focal point in my room - why a focal point doesn't always need to be a fireplace
Written by Catherine Seagrave
We’ve all seen the beautiful pictures on Pinterest of a room centered around the fireplace. It provides character and symmetry - and of course is amazing at Christmas time. It’s the all important focal point that designers talk about, and the starting point for the design and layout of the whole room.
@design_at_churchview
But what if your new build is just a plain white box?! Or your home has been knocked around a bit by the builders and all features have been removed? What then?? Don’t worry, there are ways to overcome a lack of architectural features and instead create one - and it will make a huge difference to your home!
Why have a focal point?
A focal point is the thing your eyes first rest on when you enter a room, the star of the show. It draws you into the room and sets the tone and mood. Ideally it’s the fireplace, or a window, but it could be the wallpaper or a large piece of furniture. Every room needs a focal point to feel inviting and comfortable, and without one the room can feel confusing and jumbled as everything shouts for your attention.
While it does take a little bit of effort to create a focal point, it’s certainly not impossible. Here are some of our favourite ways you can try.
Create a fake fireplace
Your home may not come with a fireplace but you always create a fake one. There are lots of electric fire options available, from the ultra modern to a traditional wood burning stove look. Bioethanol fires are also worth a look as they give a beautiful real flame but as there is no smoke or ash they don’t need a flue or a chimney. If this is out of your budget, installing just a mantelpiece can look great. Paint the inside a dark colour and fill it with neatly stacked wood or lots of plants. It might be fake, but it will still give you that all important attractive focal point.
@alice.h.home
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Add panelling
Once the preserve of stately homes and haunted houses with secret passages (or was that just in Scooby Doo?!) panelling is a major trend right now, no matter what the period of your home. It’s a great way to add character and a focal point to your new build, and is very versatile in style and design. From all over square panelling, to a more paired by Shaker look, it’s a way to add texture and pattern without additional colour (unless you want to). The interest comes from the design rather than a boldly coloured feature wall, giving a harmonious look with the rest of the room.
@tspanelling
@tspanelling
Use artwork or create a gallery wall
If panelling feels like too big a commitment but you’re still stuck with a bland featureless room, using art could help. A statement piece of art can carry a room by itself. If you’re wanting to make it the main feature go large and make sure it’s hung at eye level. If you’re feeling a little braver try a gallery wall to grab your attention. It’s great for expressing your personality and doesn’t have to be expensive. You can use a mix of family photos, art prints and more unexpected items like album covers, maps, kids artwork and framed trinkets. It can be tricky to get the balance of shapes and colours right, so plan carefully before knocking nails into the wall!
@harrison_nate_and_me
@tcabode
@aliceincolour
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Go big on the furniture
A large statement piece of furniture can be a great focal point. If this is to be the focus of your room, think big - if you are adding a mirror go for a really big one up to the ceiling, if it’s a table lamp go as large as the table allows. A large dresser can draw your eye or a statement armchair in a bright velvet fabric. To create a statement it needs to stand out in the crowd.
@cb_loves_interiors_20
Add a dramatic light
Make a statement with a fabulous light fitting that demands your attention. A large pendant light can add drama and impact to your room and give an amazing focal point. If you have high ceilings you can afford to go really large, and if it is over a table, make sure you hang it low enough. You don’t want the light to be hiding near the ceiling - bring it down into the room so that it feels connected and has maximum impact.
Consider your window
Your window might offer the perfect focal point you were looking for. There are a few different ways you can make it stand out. You could try painting the frame in a dark or bright colour to draw your eye. If the view outside isn’t something you want to emphasise you could add classic shutters to obscure it, but still bring character to the window. Or you could add amazing, standout curtains in a beautiful pattern or colour. If you opt for this try to raise the curtain pole as high as possible above the window and always have the curtains to the floor. This will give your curtains the maximum drop so the fabric can make a bold and beautiful statement.
@sparkandbell
@homeinthetoon
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If all else fails - use your TV!
A TV is not generally an interior designer's favourite thing - but let's face it, there’s not many people who don’t enjoy watching a good box set in the evening! However there are some definite dos and don’ts if you do want to use your TV as the focal point. Firstly don’t hang your TV above the fireplace. If you already have a beautiful focal point make the most of it with a mirror or artwork and look for somewhere else for your TV (however if you’re reading this the assumption is that you don’t have a fireplace!!). And secondly don’t hang your huge TV on the wall and think ‘job done’. It’s a big black rectangle of ugliness!!! Where a TV becomes a successful focal point in a room is when it becomes part of an arrangement of furniture and shelves. It balances out the TV and draws the eye upwards and outwards. There are some great media units out there that provide storage and the balance the TV needs to incorporate it into the room successfully. And then the whole wall becomes the focal point, not just the TV.
@themillys1930shome
If this has given you some ideas to think about, but you’d like help bringing the whole room together, take a look at our design packages. Our Midi Living package is perfect for helping you to inject your personality into your home, and get it right first time. We’d love to help you grow your ideas and stay on budget.
