I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star

There Can Only Be One Star in Every Show

There can only be one star in every show.

This one star shines brighter than all the rest.

The audience knows that is the person that will bring the magic to them.

They can’t take their eyes off the star. 

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There can only be One Star
There should only be one star. Photo by Gage Smith on Unsplash

The Star Can Be The Group- If They Dance as One.

But what if there is a group of performers? The star is the group and the unified magical thing they create dancing as one.

 But only if they dance as one.

The whole is better than any individual part.  American Tribal Style dance is a great example. This seemingly choreographed group dance is actually improvised, with each dancer following one leader, perfectly unified. They are dancing for and with each other, rather than the audience.

It’s like watching a flock of birds flying together, creating the illusion of one mythic bird flying. 

Mary Ann Benoit and Kaleidoperforming at Cues and Tattoos
Me performing Tribal Style dance with my group Kaleido at the Cues and Tattoos Festival in Seattle in 2015.
I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There can only be One Star
The whole of the parts can be better than any particular part. ,but only if you dance or design as one. Photo by Jake Weirick on Unsplash

Be Like the Great Simorgh

In Persian dance, there is the legend of the Great Simorgh. It is the most beautiful bird in all the world. All the birds have a conference to decide how they can find this amazing bird to be their king They go on a journey together to search for it. The journey is long and arduous. One by one they drop out as they let their egos and weaknesses get the best of them. In the end, they meet a wizard, and he tells them they will find the Great Simorgh over the big lake they see in the distance. At this time there are only 30 birds left. They look and look, but all they see is their own reflection in the lake. They finally realize they are the Great Simorgh. The unity of their flock with all their colors creates the reflection of 1 big beautiful bird. It is the most beautiful in all the world because of the beauty of their unity,  finally working together.

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There can only be One Star
Simurgh returning to nest to Zal and its chicks (detail). —”Zal is Sighted by a Caravan” (Tahmasp Shahnamah, fol. 62v), Sackler Gallery LTS1995.2.46. From Wikapedia.

The Simorgh shows the power of unity in creating beauty.

Guess what happens if you have a group of performers that are not unified, and they all want to be the star?

It falls apart.

It feels chaotic. The audience does not know who to give their attention to.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

I learned to solve all my Interior Design problems by dancing. This is Part 5 on my revelations from dancing on how to create your perfect space.

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

Learn more in my other four articles:

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

How Does Having One Star Relate to Interior Design?

As in dance, it is important to have only one star in the design of your perfect space. Pick one inspiration piece to build your room around and let it shine! All the other parts should be supporting characters in the beauty of your space.

Too many “stars” do not give the eyes a place to rest. The room can feel chaotic and give a sense of dis-harmony, never giving you a sense of peace or relaxation. It’s like too many cooks in a kitchen.

Here are some examples of different inspiration pieces that were the “stars” of some of my edesigns. Each design also gives a list of the star and supporting characters, which contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy something at no additional cost to you.

Make Art the Star of Your Room

Often, the star of the show is your art. The art can be a mural, paintings, sculpture, textiles, or a variety of things. For it to be the star, it needs to be of a large enough scale to stand out in the room. For example, in the Edesign rendering below, the star is the mural.

Are You Creating Expansion in Other People’s Lives?
Select one thing to be the star of your room. Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Below, the star is the wall mural, which is created from my fractal art, “The Shiny Ones”.

Saturday Night Live Art Shows- Designer Office with Energy Art


"The Shiny Ones" fractal art wall-mural by Mary Ann Benoit
“The Shiny Ones” fractal art wall mural inspires you to shine your light and be your authentic self.

Below, in the office the star of the show is the art. I used my fractal art, from my “Watercolor” collection as the basis of the room, and everything works to support it.  

Your Office is the Perfect Space to Relax and be Happy
Office Edesign and “Watercolor” fractal art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design inspires you to go with the flow of energy and be strong yet flexible.

Watercolor fractal art by Mary Ann Benoit
“Watercolor ” fractal energy art by Mary Ann Benoit.

Watercolor fractal art by Mary Ann Benoit
“Watercolor #2” fractal energy art by Mary Ann Benoit.

Watercolor fractal art by Mary Ann Benoit
“Watercolor #3” fractal energy art by Mary Ann Benoit.

In the living room below, that star is again the fractal art, from my collection called Great Conjunction. The rest of the room works to highlight the art and harmonize with it.

Do you need an Alignment?
Living Room Edesign and fractal art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Great Conjunction 2 Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Great Conjunction fractal energy art by Mary Ann Benoit.

Great Conjunction 3 Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Great Conjunction #3 fractal energy art by Mary Ann Benoit.

Great Conjunction 1 Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Great Conjunction #2 fractal energy art by Mary Ann Benoit.

Make a Great Rug the Star of Your Room

In the room below the star is the beautiful accent rug, which commands your attention.

Spark Joy with Colorful and Exotic Global Style Interior Design
Living Room Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Make a Unique Piece of Furniture the Star

Below, the star is the amazing hot pink desk. The color alone captures your attention more than anything else. It was selected to harmonize with the outdoor view.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point
Office Edesign and fractal art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Are You Ready to Create Your Perfect Space?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.


A transformational design experience that aligns Art, Science and Energy to Make Magic Happen in your Home and Life. Includes Interior Design, Color and Energy alignment advice to create a space perfectly aligned with you. We'll use Energy Art, personalized to reflect your true self, as the foundation of your space's transformation.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.


What's Your Global Design Style? Take the Quiz


Why Work with Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

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I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything

Essential Elements for a Beautiful Stage or Design.

Recently I took a dance class called From Practice to Professional Presentation with professional dancer and instructor Helia Bandeh.

This class discussed essential elements to create a beautiful stage or background to highlight your dance performance on a stage or video. She discussed decor, lighting, and costumes.

So many things related to creating your perfect space with Interior Design! This article focuses on decor.

Some critical factors related to set decoration included:

      • The dancer is part of the stage environment.  There needs to be a visual balance between the dancer and the background. Consider how the dancer looks compared to the background based on the colors she is wearing, how large or small she appears compared to the background, or how interesting she might be in context. For example, if you are dancing in front of the Taj Mahal, will people be looking at you or the building?
      • Eliminate visual disparity between the dance and the background. For example, don’t perform a dance about a love story in a Catholic Church with the cross behind the dancer. A background in nature would be more appropriate.
      • Interactive elements in the decor add dimension to the performance (such as a chair or flowers). 
      • Removing distracting elements is more important than adding supporting elements. If you are doing a Persian dance on a stage filled with chords, speakers, signs, and more, adding some Persian decorations only makes it worse, not better. It is essential to neutralize the stage and removing unneeded things first, then add decoration if it highlights the dance. Otherwise, the audience looks at everything, not just the dancer, and in essence, sees nothing but distractions.

 


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Simorgh performing an Azeri Drum Dance at the AlAska Shriners in Anchorage.

For example, above, we are performing an Azeri Drum Dance. The room is brightly lit. The stage decor is permanently set up with a design specific to the Alaska Shriners. The background also has flags and other decorative items unrelated to the dance we are doing. The background colors do not go with our costumes and the lights do not highlight the dancers.

While the stage itself is pretty, there are a lot of distracting elements for the audience to look at that have nothing to do with, and do not enhance the dance performance.

By contrast, below I am performing a Qashqai scarf dance on a beautiful stage that perfectly shows off my dance, costume, and the scarves with it’s simplicity, colors and lighting.


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Me performing a Qashqai Scarf Dance in Anchorage Alaska on a beautiful stage, perfectly set up to highlight the dancers.

How Does This Relate to Interior Design?

All these things relate, but in particular, this is key to creating a beautiful room.

  • Removing distracting elements is more important than adding supporting elements.

The more time goes by,  I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

 

Creating a Magical Stage

Let’s look at the three elements in stage design that help create a beautiful performance and see how they relate to that room you are designing.

We are Part of the Design

We are part of the design of our rooms and need to consider how we look and feel within them.

 

 For example, if navy blue makes me look old when I wear it, but I look beautiful in turquoise, I will not design my living room with navy blue because I will not look good surrounded by that color. And if I don’t look good, I will not feel good in the room.

 

Think about how you will look and feel in the room. After all, when you are in it, you will be the star of that show.


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
We are part of the design. Does it make you look good? Photo by Jens Lidner on Unsplash.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
We are part of the design. Does it make you look good? Photo by TheWonderAlice on Unsplash.

Eliminate Visual Disparity

Eliminating visual disparity is important. What is your personality and story? Are you being true to it and does it fit with the architecture of the building?

For example, are you a maximalist that loves to be surrounded by lots of things and color, creating that style in an ultra-modern space?

Or, are you trying to create an ultra-modern look in an ornate Victorian living room? The contrast might be interesting, but can you live with that visual disparity every day?

Some may call this eclectic, but even eclectic styles need a balance with one primary style.

There needs to be a connection between the architecture, style, and story you are portraying. Otherwise, it will always be distracting to the viewer.

Interacting with Your Design Elements

In design, we interact with almost all the elements in our spaces. It is critical to make sure elements such as furniture and decor are comfortable, support how we live, are beautiful to us, and there is not too much of it!

Do you enjoy interacting with everything, and like the touch, feel, smell, and comfort of your decor items?

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Do you enjoy the touch, feel, smell, and comfort of your decor items? Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Do you enjoy the touch, feel, smell, and comfort of your decor items? Photo by Johnathon Fink on Unsplash.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Do you enjoy the touch, feel, smell, and comfort of your decor items? Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash.

Removing Distractions is More Important than Adding Supporting Details

Removing distracting elements is more important than adding supporting details, which will make or break a room.

If you have a room filled with clutter and distracting things, no amount of adding more of your favorite decorative elements such as art or pillows or knick-nacks will fix the problem.

The most important thing is to neutralize the “stage” and eliminate all the unnecessary elements first. Then begin adding layers until you have created the effect you want. Otherwise, you and everyone else using the room will only see the distraction

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Its better to remove distractions than add more decor when creating a beautiful room. Photo by Ayla Verschueren on Unsplash.

Neutralize First

The first step in creating a beautiful stage or a room is to neutralize it first by removing distractions. Once that is done, then you can add meaningful decor items to create the perfect background for your performance or your perfect space.

A problem I often see, is when people have too many distractions in their room, usually in the form of clutter.  The room may also have too much decor or furniture. They think that adding beautiful decor items will fix the problem, and create the look they want. 

It does not work.

The key is remove the distractions first, then add decor to get the look you want.

In the example below the focal point of the room is the art. To make it stand out as much as possible, the rest of the room was designed with neutral colors.

In a similar way, a neutral background on a stage could highlight a dancer in a purple dress and her beautiful movements without distractions. 


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Edesign and “A Passion for Purple” fractal art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

This design highlights my fractal art, “A Passion for Purple” which you can purchase at my studio on Society 6.

Before you start decorating, take everything out of the room you really don’t need, neutralize things as much as possible and then add on your layers.


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing-Distractions Ruin Everything
Its better to remove distractions than add more decor when creating a beautiful room. Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash.

Learn More

To learn more, see some other articles in this series:

I Learned to All my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Playing Music- Every Part Must Play Its Part.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Playing Music- We all Hear Music Differently.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Playing Music- Precision is Beautiful.

You might also enjoy my series on lessons I learned about Interior Design from dancing:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing: The Magic of Transitions.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

Are You Ready to Create Your Masterpiece?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home? If you knew absolutely for certain that creating a perfect space would create a better life for you, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.


A transformational design experience that aligns Art, Science and Energy to Make Magic Happen in your Home and Life. Includes Interior Design, Color and Energy alignment advice to create a space perfectly aligned with you. We'll use Energy Art, personalized to reflect your true self, as the foundation of your space's transformation.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.


What's Your Global Design Style? Take the Quiz

Why Work with Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Attract Wealth with Interior Design: The Energy Art Quiz"- Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Why Work with Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer

Prices subject to change without notice.

This page contains affiliate links.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com




I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Playing Music- Every Part Must Do Its Part

Every Part Must Do Its Part

Music is made of parts and every part is critical to making the magic happen. When they work together perfectly, then you have created a masterpiece!

All music has a structure. This usually includes a series of parts in order such as an introduction, a verse that is repeated several times with variations, a chorus or bridge that is different, and often the memorable highlight of the piece, a few more verses, and an ending. Often there are solos in the chorus.

All of these parts help build and tell the story and create something “delicious to the ears” as my drum teacher Amir likes to say.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Playing Music- Every Part Must Do Its Part
Mary Ann Benoit playing a frame drum for a Middle Easter dance show in Eagle River, Alaska.

Within the structure, there are more parts. These are the instruments, which layered together create a rich, delicious song for your ears. Eash has an important role to play in the final result.

The drums keep the rhythm for all the instruments. The bass is the bridge between the drums and the melodic instruments, playing both rhythm and melody. And there are several melodic instruments.

The melodic instruments usually take turns supporting each other with one or two playing the main role while the others back them up playing supporting roles or harmonies.

In the video below I created a 13 beat piece of music and played all the parts myself. Even as a one-woman band, I needed to make sure all the parts would work perfectly in harmony with the others and each supported the whole.

Mary Ann Benoit performing all the parts of her composition, For the Love of 13’s.

In many pieces, every instrument has a chance to be the star for a short time during a solo or by playing a more prominent part, while the others back them up. But, there should only be one star (at least at a time).

The magic happens because of the layers, which work in harmony for the greater good of the musical composition.  The collaboration creates something much more beautiful than any particular part or instrument on its own.

Even if all the instruments are the same, the layers of all working together to create one piece is magical.

Khoda, performed on Dafs and Frame Drums by students at Amir’s School of Music.

Yet, every part has a chance to shine. The piece needs just the right number of parts, no more or less.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does this have to do with Interior Design?

Your perfect space has a structure, tells a story, and is layered with pieces that all have their supporting roles and time to shine. When done in perfect harmony, that is when the magic happens.

This is Part 2 in my revelations from lessons learned from playing music on how to create your perfect space.

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

To learn more, see Part 1, I Learned to All my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music.

You might also enjoy my series on lessons I learned about Interior Design from dancing:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing: The Magic of Transitions.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

Intro, Verses, Chorus and Finale

Like a piece of music, your design also has a structure. You can think of it as an introduction, verses that lead to the dramatic chorus, more verses, and an ending.

As you enter the room, the flow to your focal point is like your introduction. All the supporting pieces that create the meat of the room and the story are like your verses. The focal point or main attraction is like your chorus or bridge and then you have an exit or end. All working together, tell the story of the room.

Play Your Part

Like instruments that each add a different sound and unique character to the music, your design parts include your flooring, furnishings, accessories, art, and lighting. They all need to coordinate and work together to create something more beautiful together than any individual part. The parts all have roles to play. If they are not contributing to a better “whole piece” than it may be “clutter” and should be removed.

I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Playing Music- Every Part Must Do Its Part
Some of my many drums.

Take a Solo

Musical compositions often allow the instruments to take a solo and have their time to shine while being supported by the other players.

Your art is often the focal point or soloist. Why not take a cue from music and change out your art to change the look and feel of your room from time to time. It creates a more interesting composition.


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Playing Music- Every Part Must Do Its Part
Original fractal art, “A Passion for Purple” by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Here is an example of this same room (an Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design), with different art or “soloists”. See how the energy of the room changes by changing the art?

https://northernlightsstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FB_change_art.mp4

Playing with One Instrument or Many

One playing with a group of similar instruments, each piece still needs to add to the overall texture of the compositions in the Daf arrangement for Khoda above.

This neutral living room is an example of a musical piece with all the same instruments, due to the similar neutral colors. Each part stands out with its different patterns or textures to add to the final design.

This monochromatic and neutral design as the same feeling in that all the parts are very similar, but the subtle but interesting differences of the individual elements creates a beautiful layered final design.


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Playing Music- Every Part Must Do Its Part


I Learned to Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Playing Music- Every Part Must Do Its Part
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

In the Edesign below, all the parts are very different, as when you have a musical piece with many instruments. When the parts are so different, extra care must be taken to make sure all the parts work in harmony (such as with your color palette).


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign and Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Are You Ready to Create Your Masterpiece?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home? If you knew absolutely for certain that creating a perfect space would create a better life for you, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.


Aligned Design System

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.


What is Your Global Design Style? Take the Quiz

Why work with Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer

Prices subject to change without notice.

This page contains affiliate links.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com


I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing

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I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Playing Music

Contrast is the Key to Striking Beauty

While in my doumbek class last week, my drum teacher Amir Etemadzadeh, who is a native of Iran was talking about the importance of being able to distinguish clearly all the notes we can make on our drums. The more notes, the better.  The more clearly they are different from each other, the better and more beautiful it sounds to the listener.

Amir describes it as creating a beautiful and delicious meal and all the notes are like the spices and layers that make it delicious to the ears. 


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Mary Ann Benoit of Tavus Dance Company performing on her doumbek for a show in Anchorage Alaska.

As he waxes poetic about the beauty of contrast and how critical it is to distinguish the doum from the slap, and how the Teks and Kas should be as bright and high as possible, my mind wanders to Interior Design and the importance of contrast there as well. 

In music, if the notes are not easily distinguishable, they can all start to sound the same, and some notes will make others sound muddy or dull because each is not living up to its full potential. Your playing becomes boring for the audience.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does it have to do with Interior Design?

Just as a drummer wants their music to sound delicious to the ears, we want our rooms to look delicious to our eyes. Contrast is one of the keys to creating great beauty.

This is Part 1 in my revelations from playing music on how to create your perfect space. 

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

You might also enjoy my series on lessons I learned about Interior Design from dancing:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : The Magic of Transitions.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

How Does Contrast Relate to Interior Design?

Contrast is important in creating interest and making you feel something in the room. You can create contrast with color, texture, shapes, lighting, levels, patterns, sizes and more.

The more contrast between things, the more they each stand out and shine with their own inherent beauty, complimenting each other, rather than one stealing the spotlight and making the other look dull.

There is a lot of complexity to this subject. Today, I will focus on color.

 

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Creating Contrast with Whites and Neutrals

As my teacher spoke about the sounds of the drum, the first thing that came to mind was how important contrast is when using the color white.

White. How seemingly simple but how complex. Many, when confused about color will say, lets just paint it white and be done with it. Haha, well, that just opened a big can of worms.

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
The Beauty of white. Photo by Robin Schreiner on Unsplash.

There are so many whites out there, it is amazing. Why? Because white is a color, just like any other, and is ultimately, the least saturated or a low saturation of a hue. Example, take a blue and reduce its chroma until it looks white, It is still that same blue, but with very little chroma. That is why all whites look so different.

P. S., it has nothing to do with so called “undertones”, which is just a word people use that do not understand color science to subjectively describe what they see.

No big deal, until you decide to mix whites in your space. One white can make another look muddy, or dirty, or just “off”.

Why? You need to make sure there is enough difference in chroma to easily distinguish the two whites. And there should still be some color harmony between the hues the whites come from. Whites that are opposites on the color wheel look better together than ones that are so close to each other that they look off.

Neutrals are the same as whites. They just have a little more chroma.

Finding the beauty of a neutral palette using various shades of whites, off whites and neutrals with enough contrast to see all the variations can be gorgeous. Throw in a variety of shapes and textures to add even more interest and variety.


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Get the Look

 Here is an example of a beautiful and relaxing Edesign I created using whites and neutrals with contrasting colors and textures.  


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Creating Contrast with Opposite Colors

Of course, you can get maximum contrast with saturated hues. The highest degree of contrast comes from either using black and white, or opposite colors on the color wheel, which creates a complimentary color scheme.

Maximum Contrast with Black and White

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign and Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Maximum Contrast with a Complimentary Color Scheme

Blue and yellow are opposites or compliments on the color wheel. Each makes the other look even more vibrant.

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

In the Edesign below, the green in my Spring Fractal Art is the complement of the purple walls. It has the effect of making the art really pop!


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music
Edesign and Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Are You Ready to Create Beauty Through Contrast in Your Home?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home? If you knew absolutely for certain that creating a perfect space would create a better life for you, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.


Aligned Design System

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.


What is Your Global Design Style? Take the Quiz

Why work with Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

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Prices subject to change without notice.

This page contains affiliate links.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com


I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing

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I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

Bring on the Bling

A dance performance needs some bling.

It can be sparkly and glittery jewelry or fabrics that create magic under the stage lights. It can be accessories that make musical or percussive sounds as you move. It might be the tassels and sparkly bits that show off your movements. It could be or a costume with cultural elements that tells the story of the dance or the culture it came from.  The bling adds depth, excitement and the final touches.

It is about more than beauty. It’s about the story it tells and the mood it creates.

It’s like the jewelry that completes the perfect black dress. The jewelry says who you are, how you are feeling, and the mood you are setting for your evening.

It is also like the elements or accessories that finish off the perfect space in your home.


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling
Me taking a bow after performing a classical Persian dance. I designed the coat with a peacock on it to represent our dance company, Tavus, which means peacock in Persian.

For example, I am in a dance company named “Tavus”, which means peacock in Persian.  The peacock is a sacred bird in Persian mythology and a symbol of royalty and power. The peacock has been sacred and revered throughout history by many cultures.

We designed classical Persian coats by attaching beautiful peacock appliques to sequined blue material to tell the story of our dance company. We designed  hats that have a peacock and peacock feathers. Our jewelry highlights the peacock colors and resembles a peacock tail. Everything sparkles under the lights, shows off movement, and a variety of textures.

Our bling tells the story of who we are, and adds depth and texture, like adding the shadows in a painting so you bring out the three dimensions.


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling
The custom classical Persian hats we designed to go with our costumes.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does it have to do with Interior Design? I learned to solve all my Interior Design problems by dancing. This is Part 6 in my revelations from dancing on how to create your perfect space.

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

Learn more in my other five articles:

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.i

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

How Does Bling Relate to Interior Design?

As in dance, bling, is what finishes off the room, creates the mood, and helps tell the story.  Bling is the special elements, accessories, and accents.

Here are some examples of some favorite accessories or elements that can help create your perfect space. Some contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy something at no additional cost to you.

It is about more than beauty. It’s about the story it tells and the mood it creates.

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

Fire Can be the Best Bling

Fire adds light, sparkle, warmth and a magic all its own. It can be your best bling. A fireplace is perfect in a bedroom or living room. Candles can create the same effect on a smaller scale.

In the Edesign I created below,  the fireplace and candles are the main bling. Additional accessories which would highlight the colors and natural elements of this beach front bedroom are listed below.   

https://northernlightsstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Copy-of-Animated-Fireplace.mp4

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

Natural Elements Make Great Bling

Nature is great bling. A spectacular view highlighted by natural decor elements creates an inspiring and relaxing space.

While accessories made of natural elements such as wood, stone, plants, metals, and more are not often shiny, sparkly, or dramatic, they add warmth and texture and align the energy in your space with the outdoors.

In the Edesign I created below, the view is the bling, highlighted by natural elements for the decor such as the wood table, stone lamps and planter and plants. Everything is very simple, letting the view stand out as the main decor element.


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling
Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design


I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

Lighting is Great Bling

Lighting adds beauty, color, style and  creates the ambiance that can really make a room.  Layers of lights create the magic. Use overhead lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, and spotlighting for art and other elements. Learn more in my blog article, How to Make Magic Happen in Your Home with Lighting.

Below are some of my favorite table lamps. Some contain affiliate links.

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

Are You Ready to Create Your Perfect Space?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.


Aligned Design System

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.


What is Your Global Design Style? Take the Quiz

Why work with Northern Lights Home Staging and Design

Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer

Prices subject to change without notice.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com


I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing

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I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling
I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling
I Learned to Solve all my Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling

Get Your Free Issue of Seasonal Living Magazine!


Seasonal Living Magazine