BEAUTY: Tableaux

I adore tableaux and I love making them. It is a very important part of designing an interior. If you have created a nice space, tableaux are the final layer; they create interest, add color and texture, direct attention, and highlight areas that might otherwise go unnoticed. Without them, a room can feel unfinished or un-lived in. Sometimes I create tableaux here at home when I am feeling down... it makes me feel better!

The art of creating a tableau is part intuitive and part formula. I have written about this art before but in a nutshell: it is about contrast and balance. You want to put smooth next to rough, shiny next to matte, organic next to mad-made, vintage with new. A concentrated collection of like objects creates impact. Flowers or greens are always appropriate. Follow the rule of three. And vary height by using tall, medium, and low objects. If you have something that isn't high enough, but you want to use anyhow, be creative and find something that will work as a pedestal. A stack of hardcover books can add height in such a case. Finally, add one unexpected element. Move things around and play with your composition... because that is exactly what you are doing. You are curating a collection, you are composing a painting, you are making a sculpture.

By Thom Felicia

Photo by Roger Davies

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