Designing Around a Focal Point

Focal points are an essential element in every space…

and designing around them is all about creating a place for the eye to land. Whether we’re designing an entire home from the ground up, remodeling one room, or styling built-ins, we’re always considering how to build on our focal points.

Here are a few of our favorite tips for designing around a focal point:

From our PC Contemporary Project.

No. 1: Identify your focal point

First things first, identify your focal point. While focal points can certainly be created, be sure to look around your space and consider any existing focal points.

A focal point can be architectural or decorative. Fireplaces, windows, large artwork pieces, mirrors, and views are common focal points.

While the general rules of thumb focus on one focal point, there may be more than one architectural focal point you want to bring attention to in some cases. For example, if you have a room with a great view and a fireplace, you’ll want to keep that in consideration when choosing your furniture orientation, color palette, etc.

From our Rye, Ny  Project. 

From our Midcentury Loft Netflix Remodel.

From our Crestview House. 

No. 2: Arrange your pieces around your focal point  

When choosing furniture placement and the overall layout of pieces in a space, adjust accordingly to your focal point to make sure you are adding to it, not distracting from it. More often than not, we tend to orient furniture pieces facing the room’s focal point or focal points.

From our AZ Homestead Project. 

From our Beckham Project. 

From our PC Contemporary Project. 

No. 3: Use decor to bring the eye into your focal point

Incorporating surrounding decor is a great way to design around a focal point and bring the eye in. We love incorporating built-ins around a fireplace to create a place for styling decor that centers the focal point or pulls out colors from a piece of artwork.

Our Scattered Thoughts piece styled for McGee & Co. 

From our PC Contemporary Project.

From our Pine Brook Home.

No. 4: Bring attention to your focal point with lighting

Lighting is a great way to design around a focal point and highlight its details. We love using picture lights over artwork, chandeliers to draw the eye up to the windows, and even using lighting pieces as a focal point.

From our Sunset House.

From The McGee Home.