MARK CUTLER STYLE GUIDE: And a Pinch of Salt

I really enjoy cooking, and one thing that I have learned standing over a steaming pot is that there are very few things that aren't improved by a pinch of salt. I think that this rule can be applied to a lot of things in our lives and designing is without question one of them. Take the room pictured above, for example. It is the dining room of a condominium that I designed several years ago. Like a lot of new construction, the rooms did not have a lot of character to them. I wanted to give the space more interest, so we added distressed and bleached walnut floors in wide planks and a stone wall to give it an old world feel. The wall really creates a dramatic backdrop to the view on the other side of the room. But this is where I get to the point of my post, if I had stayed with this old world-direction, I would have used a rustic table and light fixture too, but instead I opted for a contrasting point of view. By going with the crystal and the highly refined table, I added a sense of visual tension that makes the whole space a lot stronger.

Not everyone has the means to do this kind of construction, but here are some ideas that you may want to try for yourself:

•    Create a counterpoint by using a modern object in an old-world setting, like a very contemporary art piece on an antique bookcase.

•    Add contrasting textures to a slick modern setting; a great shag rug would do the trick.

•    Try something as simple as decorative wallpaper on just one wall- it may give you the tension you need to make the room shine.

•    If you have an old antique table, what about some modern chairs to add some spice?

Mark Cutler
Interior Designer,
MarkCutlerDesign.com