Textures of life



It’s been said so often: This time of year, all roads seem to lead to one place, home. Those roads are taken one small step at a time. The change of weather and the shortening days are one reason. The anticipation of the holiday season may be another. Certainly, part of it is the sense of home and hearth at harvest time. Everything in steps….

Speaking of steps, next time you step into your own home or someone else’s, see if this typical human trait holds true for you. As you open the door, do you usually first look down to see where you are going? (That means your first focus is the floor. All creatures focus on the plane beneath and around them, from their feet to the horizon. It’s only natural. Higher intellects begin to look up and ultimately ponder the skies.)

So, after we check out the area about us, for us as modern humans the next thing to scope out will be the immediate vertical landscape. At home, that will be our walls! Great walls become that next décor dimension. Like the floor, walls can be a focal point or a background for the rest of your room creation.

The first step, of course, is to explore all the various surface treatments at your disposal. There are the traditionals…like paint, wallpaper and wood. Do you want to add what is called “wall art.”? That can be paintings and sculpture, for sure; elements like borders (paint, wood, paper, tile, etc.) and moldings; plus murals, hand-painted or applied like wallpaper. Keep in mind illumination (think lamps, sconces and candles).

Decorators sometimes overlook the possibilities presented by stone and tile for all or part of the wall area. And when was the last time you even considered a surface treatment like leather?

Designers look at walls as a surface providing the opportunity for a three dimensional expression. A person’s life story can be expressed on the “canvas” of the walls. Photos…art…family memories… all can be used on this “canvas.” Walls can also reflect personal tastes in color or shapes.

The bottom line is, walls reflect part of the texture of our lives, literally and figuratively.