When juggling the demands of work and family, busy homeowners often reach for the ease and convenience of mass-produced décor to create an atmosphere that reflects their own personal style. However, this "one-size-fits-all" approach to home decorating can often lead to lifeless rooms that weren't created so much to be lived in as they were to be looked at. Experts agree that avoiding a cookie cutter motif is easier than you may think.

During his recent turn on Bravo's "Top Design" reality television series, Chicago interior designer, Erik Kolacz repeatedly demonstrated the importance of infusing personal tastes into the design of your home. "Regardless of whether you're reworking a family heirloom to fit your décor or browsing the aisles at Target, in the end you have to live in your home," says Kolacz. "Be patient, and stick to what appeals to you, and you can't go wrong."

Kolacz suggested that one of the easiest ways to work personal style into home décor is through thoughtful choices in artwork. "Utilizing the skill and expertise of a custom framer makes a huge difference in how well a piece will fit into your space," says Kolacz. "When choosing a custom framing professional to assist you, look for a framer that asks questions about where the piece will be and not just the piece itself."

As the owner of The Designer's Wall Gallery in Birmingham, Mich., Bonnie Palizzi concurs. "There are so many things a professional custom framer can offer to enhance your art as well as complement your interior design," says Palizzi. "A custom framer should be thinking about several things before they even suggest a design, including the art, the space where it will hang and the personality of the room." Palizzi even goes so far as to offer home visits to her customers, but acknowledges that this is not always a possibility. She suggested that one good way to ensure that the framing size will fit is to request a paper template that can be used to "test-out" the space. "There's no better way to make sure that what you and your framer have designed will really work than to have a visual to hang on the wall that you can step back and take a look at," says Palizzi.

Consider a few of these additional tips from Palizzi for creating a unique home environment that matches your distinctive style:

1. Remember that the frame and mat should complement the art, not compete with it for attention. "You want to pull the eye to the art, not the framing," says Palizzi. "The frame and the matting should never be the focus."
2. Size your piece to balance with the architecture in the room. "In a room with high ceilings, a solitary piece should be large enough not to get lost in the extra space," says Palizzi. You can create a larger look by using a larger mat design. "Crescent offers matboards in a variety of textures and colors that make it very easy to achieve this without sacrificing the integrity of the art," says Palizzi.
3. When framing, consider the room color and the particular space where the piece will be hung. "The eye will naturally go to the darkest spot if the room is light, and vice versa," says Palizzi. "Your framing should create a balance with the room's decor."
4. Don't make the mistake of limiting framing to canvas or paper artwork only. Palizzi has framed everything from silverware to fishing lures to musical instruments. "You might be surprised at how many things a custom framer can work with," says Palizzi. "And, often, these kinds of pieces make the most beautiful statements."

Finally, Palizzi recommends choosing a custom framing professional that guarantees your satisfaction with the finished piece. "If for some reason you find that the piece doesn't fit with your space, the advantage of working with a custom framer is that most are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you're happy," says Palizzi. "They've also got the advantage of having high quality materials that come with their own guarantee available to them. For example, Crescent's 100 percent cotton RagMat matboards are guaranteed safe next to any artwork for life. You can't beat that!"

Source : ARA