Similar to a statement-making outfit or a bold lip, a room with a sense of drama demands to be noticed. We’re talking about those spaces where your eyes dart uncontrollably from one intriguing aspect to another. In the quest to decode how some interiors get their flair for drama, we asked our favorite design pros how they go about dialing things up. It turns out, there are a handful of tricks and key elements most designers add to take things up a notch. Take your pick from the list below, or use them all for a space that’s sure to be unforgettable.
Add … High-Impact Art
“Fabulous art will absolutely transform and add drama to a room. There is something very dramatic about a large installation, just as there is with just one small solo piece. A room is never complete without art.” —Barrie Benson
“My murals of course!” —Raji RM
“Large art can be so dramatic.” —Alyssa Kapito
“I add drama by playing with scale and balance. It’s so important to get the proportions of a room dialed in with the furnishings, but then I like to add drama with an oversized piece of art, or a tall floor lamp paired with a petite side table.” —Catherine Kwong
Add … Eye-Catching Accessories
“I add drama with accessories! I use them to bring a room together and give it personality.” —Jenny Wolf
“A beautiful, oversized mirror.” —Paloma Contreras
“My favorite drama tools are the sparkle of a mirror, the unusual shapes in vintage lighting, and some big time house plants.” —Celerie Kemble
Add … Major Lighting Moments
“Decorative lighting can really set the mood and add drama to a space. We often work with local designers to try and create something unique that creates a true “wow” factor. We work with fixtures that are anywhere from minimal, transitional, traditional, and so forth.” —Studio Life/Style
“Statement lighting!” —Tharon Anderson
“Lighting is everything–it creates the mood.” —Pierce & Ward
Add … “Wow” Wallpaper
“Wallpaper does the trick quickly, as does a bold lighting fixture.” —Sara Gilbane
“Wallpaper! Whether on the walls, the ceiling, or both, wallpaper always makes a big impact!” —MA Allen
“A large scale wallpaper will do the trick every time, especially if the room is lacking strong architecture.” —Meg Braff
Add … Bold Paint Hues
“Contrast ceilings and doors!” —Nick Olsen
“Color is by far our favorite way to add drama to room. We like to paint the ceiling a different color from the walls of the rooms we decorate, and often it’s an unexpected pairing, like the cantaloupe melon-colored ceiling we painted in a blue-paneled bathroom we decorated recently.” —McGrath II
“Paint a room dark to really showcase the landscape outside a window.” —Cortney Bishop
“Nothing gives a space drama like a little lacquer! And if lacquer isn’t in the budget, high gloss paint will do.” —CeCe Barfield Thompson
Shop More Dramatic Decor >>
Lead photo by Raji Radharkis and Rikki Snyder @rikkisnyder photo, courtesy of Raji RM & Associates
