Focal point décor is intended to accent a particular feature - a corner you either want to stand out or hide, a particular wall or window or even a particular picture. It is amazingly easy to hide an ugly feature by creating a focal point in that area because you are dragging the eye away from the ugly feature you are attempting to hide - you eye will naturally be drawn towards the focal point ideas. That being said, how do you create a focal point and what works best? Would the same focal point ideas work as well generically, or would you need to adapt those focal point ideas according to each individual home? The answer, generally, is both are correct.



One particular idea that is frequently used as a focal point is fabric. Curtains can be draped just as well over a wall as they can over a window. In my spare bedroom I have fitted white units above the bed, with fitted bedside tables either side of the bed. Behind the bed is an expanse of wall. I wasn't sure exactly what to do with this wall when I first looked at the room - partly because the blinds at the window are cherry red and I am loathe to replace them because firstly, they look right in that room and, secondly, they were made to measure for that window and were quite expensive. More to the point - I like them. So, I decided to paint all the walls in the bedroom a matt silver grey as it is light and is neutral. I sourced an oval shaped picture frame and fitted a poster picture inside of a young girl in Edwardian costume.

I took down a very expensive pair of curtains from the lounge. These curtains are deep red and pale pink, old-fashioned roses on an ivory background with an integral valance at the top of the curtains, edged in deep burgundy. With these curtains washed, I had a feature wooden curtain pole placed as close to the base of the wall units in the spare bedroom as I could and then I draped these re-cycled burgundy and cream curtains from this wooden curtain pole and tied each curtain back into the wall recess with a heavy tie-back.

These curtains were my focal point for that room and framed the oval-shaped picture, on a matt silver wall. Directly opposite this wall was the window framed with the cherry red blinds. On the other two walls I placed small pictures and, on the floor, a deep pile grey carpet. The effect was sumptuous - and the cost? Well, apart from the cost of the paint and the carpet, very little: just the purchase of the new curtains for downstairs, which cost me $13.65 per pair of curtains. The carpet cost less than $164. The paint cost $34. The room was exquisite and looked as if I had spent a fortune on it.