Strategically placed wood can transform a room to make it feel bigger, add contrast, and send the eye wherever you want it to go. By adding wood accents, floors, wainscoting, furniture or window coverings to your Durham, NC home you’re choosing timeless and transformative style.

When most people think of wood in interior design, they picture a retro basement with wood paneled walls or a rustic cabin with antlers and plaid. But wood is so much more than that. Wood can transform a space by:

1. Setting the Mood – Wood can instantly change the mood or setting of a room. From making a space feeling darker or more elegant to helping make a space more welcoming and easy-going, wood is the go-to material. For example, a Douglas Fir wood is much heavier and darker than a Cherry wood and would therefore make a room feel more elegant than informal or easygoing. Or, another example, is that a Colorado ski cabin and a Victorian mansion could use the exact same wood, but the feel of the location would change the feel of the wood. That’s why the first thing a lot of interior designers do when updating a room is to change the wood. If you’re going for a more modern look, try adding a reclaimed wood accent wall or window shutter set. If you want a theme, try matching the wood material and palate to the theme. Natural wood is always calming and would therefore work in a Zen or more Eastern style room over a Victorian room.
2. Creating Space – Wood is perfect for making a room seem bigger. Carefully placed wood can divert the eye to trick it into seeing depth that isn’t there or height that doesn’t exist. Bare wood flooring with unfinished or lightly finished wide planks can help accomplish this, as can dark wood shutters. You can also try light grey or white wainscoting, or a bamboo window shade or café shutter.
3. Adding Contrast – Contrast is a key element in home design, and wood makes adding contrast a breeze. For example, dark trims and shutters would contrast a lighter wood floor to add interest and depth to a room. Or, if you have the opposite, you can try adding lighter furniture or artwork for that important contrast. Wood is also key for contrasting texture. Texture is very important when designing an interesting and dynamic space. You can make hardwood floors softer and more welcoming with soft rugs or draw the eye to your wooden fireplace mantle by putting a slick mirror on top.

An easy place to start for adding wood to your home is with wood window coverings like shutters or blinds. Shutters and blinds add style, class and plenty of function to any home, but wood shutters are even more effective at transforming a space with whatever depth, design or feel you choose.

If you want to learn more about your options for Durham, NC window coverings or how to use wood in your home design just reach out to Kiwi Designs, Fine Blinds & Shutters.