A-tension!

One of my favourite things to do is create some design tension in a space. If a room is too perfect - everything matching just so, lined up "by the rules", or a formulaic paint-by-numbers space - then it's not alive, for me. We live in our homes and they should be as dynamic as we are. That's not to say that monochromatic, or neutral schemes don't work, because they do. But, even those become much more interesting when there's something a little "off", or an unexpected punch of colour or texture is thrown in the mix. My favourite design tension is mixing the antique with the modern. This chair below, with its classic wood tones and lines, a bit of chinoiserie influence, and some fairly ornate carvings would be predictable in a subdued solid velvet or damask. It would have been beautiful, for sure and would have blended in perfecly. But, when I saw it, I thought it could be elevated to so much more by playing against type and going for something at odds with its history: something punky, something vibrant, something that would move it from an accent chair to a chair with an accent - probably Vivienne Westwood's!