The Elegance of Ambiance or Ambience and How to Create It in Your Interior Design and Decorating
As in so many things, You have to begin right in order to end right. You have to ask the right questions, to get the right answers, so you can get the right results.
What is Ambiance or Ambience?
Ambiance is the mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere, etc., particularly of an environment or milieu. It’s the intangible element that you experience that makes a room seem “magical.” Creating ambiance is more than creating a “look”… it goes far beyond that! It is an Emotional Feeling as well as an Aesthetic Powerhouse.
BTW … Ambiance is the French version of the word and Ambience is the English version of the word.
The Problem with “Just a Look”
Many “looks” just seem to be superficial and lack the depth and draw power that a room with real substance has. It is very much like a person who has depth of personality. They may look beautiful or handsome, but they also have personality plus. The more you get to know them, the more you want to know them as well as the things about them that make them so unique and memorable. They draw you in, vitalize you, and invigorate you! Isn’t that the way you want your room or home to be described?!
These same personality plus people come from all walks of life. Some are subdued, some are gregarious, some are mild-mannered, some are racy; but you get what I mean. The same happens in wonderful rooms. They also come in various looks, colors, themes, and backgrounds. But rooms of excellence have ambiance or ambience regardless of the degree of formality or informality.
The First Step or Question to Defining the Right Ambiance or Ambience for You and Your Home
The first step to obtaining ambiance is to define it; not just the dictionary version; but your version. How do we do that?! With words! Words are containers for expressing and articulating thoughts, ideas, and emotions.
So what kinds of words shall we use to define your ambiance? The answer… adjectives! We will use adjectives to define our objective. Adjectives will give form and substance to the intangible aspect of ambiance. This is particularly helpful for those who don’t have the ability to visualize well.
So, I ask the client to answer this question by describing or explaining to me… “What do you want this room or home to “feel” like?” The usual response is this… “I want my home to feel cozy and comfortable.” Can you see the necessity of getting beyond that definition and the need to go much deeper, so that you can have the kind of ambiance that is the unique expression of you and not like so many others who have not taken the time to get below the surface issues?
The Second Question to Ask
My next question is to ask… “What does cozy and comfortable mean to you? How do you define that?” At this point many will say… “I just never thought about it” or “I have never thought about it that deeply before.” Bingo! That’s why they have never experienced any ambiance in their home, their whole life.
The Right Lighting is Also Important
Lighting has a major impact on the feeling of a space. Without proper lighting we don’t experience the space as it should be experienced. Colors, forms, textures, are all revealed by the quality and type of lighting. Lighting also affects our feelings and emotions. So it’s important to realize that all of this is tied together.
Now Is the Time!
Now is the time to change all of that and get you to experiencing your environment on a much higher level and in a much deeper way.
The information in this article should stimulate your own mind and enable you to dig deeper into being able to express your true self in your own environment.