Whether you’re getting design advice from a professional in person or on social media or TV, chances are you’re familiar with the recommendation to make your space an extension of your personal style. Though a helpful starting point, that guideline leaves a lot of room for interpretation, especially when it comes to decorating with a theme that nods to your interests. For instance, you may love the beach and gravitate towards a nautical look, but that doesn’t mean your dining room needs to look like a Long John Silver’s. Though it can be a tightrope walk, it is possible to pay tribute to a favorite vacation spot, hobby, or era in a way that’s timeless, not tacky. Here, six AD PRO Directory members share strategies for designing a theme-driven room without veering into the dangerous territory of cliché themes.
1. Think in the Abstract
The first rule of decorating with a theme is to avoid anything that’s too on the nose. “While they can be a good source of inspiration for a space, it’s important not to implement them into a space too literally, or they will start to feel cheesy or dated very quickly,” says Devon Wegman of Devon Grace Interiors. Instead, the AD PRO Directory designer recommends taking a more abstract approach. Say, for instance, you want to design an outer-space-themed room: You don’t need stars on the ceiling and models of planets in order to get the idea. Instead, think more conceptually. “Try painting the room a deep navy blue, installing a multi-light hanging chandelier, and some three-dimensional art with a crater-like texture [that you can] highlight with a picture light,” suggests Sherica Maynard of Interior Design by S&S. “Now, you’re getting a moody version of outer space rather than a literal interpretation.”
2. Choose the Right Room
Keep in mind that some spaces can handle bolder designs than others. “Rooms like kids’ bedrooms, home theaters, man caves, and basements are a few spaces that can push the boundary,” Maynard says. Children’s bedrooms and playrooms benefit from imaginative design, she notes, and you can get away with more in home theaters, man caves, and basements because they “aren’t spaces that you typically engage with daily.”
Meanwhile, Wegman notes that the living room, dining room, and powder room “are great opportunities to turn up the drama.” Residential, commercial, and product designer and AD PRO Directory listee Ghislaine Viñas also sees the potential for bold moves in half baths. “I love taking design risks in powder rooms,” she says. “These little jewel-like spaces can really surprise and delight. They’re small enough to change if one gets tired [of the design], and it’s a great room to go all out.”