Jodie Rosen’s got a knack for arranging things

[attach]7402[/attach]Growing up, interior designer Jodie Rosen would frequently rearrange her bedroom. She’d be consumed by thoughts of changing furniture layout when she was in someone else’s house, too.

“Everybody else would be sitting at a dinner table talking about current events and I would be thinking, ‘If they put that chair over there it would open up the space,’ ” Rosen said, laughing, during a recent interview with the Town Crier.

Having worked for several architectural firms, the graduate of University of Western Ontario and International Academy of Design launched her North Toronto-based interior design firm after being on maternity leave with her first child. Through Jodie Rosen Design, which specializes in residential projects, the mother of two said she is able to juggle being an entrepreneur and a mother.

Defining her style as modern with-a-comfortable-twist, Rosen offers a range of services, from sustainable design to custom millwork. Here she reveals some tips on the selection and placement of artwork and accessories throughout the home.

Size does matter

Proportion and size are important things to consider when selecting art and accessories.

Rosen recommends avoiding pieces that are too large for the space, that would wind up overpowering a room.

“You want to make sure it accents what’s already there, versus taking over,” she said. “The flip side is you don’t want to select a piece of art that is so small that it feels like it’s being swallowed in the room and you’re not getting the certain drama you’d get if it was a size that made sense for the space.”

[attach]7403[/attach]Up front and centre

Whether she’s working with existing art her customers already own or on selecting new artwork, Rosen said her clients pick out their favourite pieces, which she displays in prominent spaces in the house or apartment.

“The pieces that really speak to them and are of most interest end up in common spots,” she said.

Being odd is in

For interior accessories such as vases or pillows, Rosen suggests sticking to an uneven number for a balanced look that’s not too symmetrical.

“You’d want to keep it as a grouping of three or a grouping of five, not an even number,” she said. “Designers usually don’t put two vases together.

“It’s usually a grouping of three.”

Give it a test run Rosen feels it’s a good idea to prop pieces of artwork against a wall in the desired space to get an idea of how it will look before busting out the nails and hammering any holes.

“Leave them there for a couple of days to get a sense of whether or not you really feel like that painting, piece of art, photograph — whatever — would work before you commit to putting it on the wall,” she said.

Everything in its right place Although making sure pieces are leveled is also key, when it comes to hanging art, Rosen said, it’s important to leave some room around the work, including distance from the ceiling to the piece and any furniture pieces below it.

“If it’s going above a sofa or going above a table, make sure that there’s actually space between that furniture piece before the art starts, so it’s not crowding the furniture,” she stressed.

MAKEOVER 101:

Jodie Rosen’s quick fixes for revamping your home

• Out with the old, in with the new. “Changing up pillows on a couch would be a good way to get a different colour scheme into the room.”
• Bust out the paint swatches. “It’s sort of obvious, but changing up paint colour makes a massive difference.”
• Kitchen renovation. “Replacing the existing cabinetry with different hardware would be a great way of doing a quick update. Then consider adding an accent wall, maybe with wallpaper.”