Custom drapery complements wide range of colorful furnishings

Homeware and furnishings designer Allegra Hicks wants homeowners to create a visual pathway through their homes that connects all corners, surfaces and interior shapes into a cohesive whole.


Hicks, the author of the book, An Eye for Design, told the London Telegraph that tying together furniture, fabrics and cushions and the accessories that surround them is like creating conversations between the various pieces of a room's décor.


"Complementary colors speak to each other as in a dialogue," she told the newspaper. "I like to encourage such conversations, which create pleasant visual tensions. Scale is important in any design whether it's a rug, a dress or a piece of jewelry. And you've got to interest the eye at different heights, whether you're sitting or standing."


In Hicks' own Victorian home in London, a steel-framed daybed, an 18th century sofa with distressed wood and a modern couch are united by a large rug in a wavy shape.


"Visually a room should stimulate all the senses," said Hicks. "Colors evoke emotions, memories, moments and places."


Another complementary element in a room is a window treatment of custom drapery that comes in a wide variety of fabrics, colors and prints. Different styles in drapery hardware, curtain rods and finials can also create a personalized look.