Top 10 Designer Tips

1. Barry Dixon

Embrace infinity . . . expand your horizons
“To make a room feel larger, use a round rug on the floor. The circle represents infinity, and a round rug brings that esoteric idea of ‘no boundaries’ into reality as a visual element. In this client’s dressing room, I used both a round rug and an overscale round tufted ottoman to create a sense of unending space. Besides helping to increase the perception of space, the round ottoman provides a panoramic view of that gorgeous Virginia countryside.”

Dixon shares another horizon-stretching tip: “So often when we decide to do built-ins for our dressing rooms and closets, we just presume they must go floor to ceiling and have conventional doors. A much more interesting look is achieved when you build quasi-furniture for your storage. As built-ins, I designed five large armoires that fall a few inches short of the ceiling and are raised, on bun feet, a few inches off the floor.”