Not to be dramatic, but so many home interiors are just so boring! What happened to the bold? Are you one of them? Are you willing to leave practicality behind, take the risk, and add drama to your home? 

Sometimes, we take ourselves too seriously when designing our spaces. Time and time again, I’ve seen my Austin interior design clients become so attached to every design decision, hoping to make the “right” choice—the choice for cohesion, function, and organization. And by God, harping on it can take the joy right out of the whole interior design process! 

Interior design doesn’t have to be so buttoned up. Why can’t we be dramatic, for drama’s sake? Sometimes, the best design decision is the one made purely to elicit a reaction, spark an emotion, or shake things up and get someone to say, “Whoa, that is fantastic!” That desire to be bold, transportive, and different is the secret to getting dramatic home interiors right.   

It’s time we designed for the plot! 

Take a Cue From Hollywood Set Design 

And where better to harness our flair for the dramatic than Hollywood? There are so many Old Hollywood movie interiors I’d love to call home, and I often find some of my best design inspiration in set designs of the silver screen. Hollywood sets embrace drama for drama’s sake. They’re carefully designed to evoke an emotion and create a sense of time and place to pull us out of our mundane daily lives. Why not do the same for our homes—our retreat from the minutia and chaos of the outside world? 

After all, there is a strong case to be made for doing something simply for the drama of it all. For example, Hollywood movies of the 1930s featured over-the-top musical performances and outlandishly designed sets. But all this drama and flair was not in vain. These directors and set designers took it upon themselves to create an escape for the masses living through The Great Depression. Our homes should serve as a similar escape, especially with all that’s currently happening in the world. Sometimes, we need to retreat into our own romanticized drama. And creating our personal escape is as good a reason as any. 

5 Ways to Add Drama to Your Home Interior 

Sometimes, we need to make design decisions just because we can! None of these treatments are “functional” in the basic sense of the word. However, they do produce an emotional effect, which is enough function for me. 

Conversation Starting Art Pieces and Accessories 

Why would you hang art to simply fill wall space? No, our art pieces and accessories should start a conversation! What would your guests have to say about a stuffed peacock perched high on a pedestal in your entry hall? Or you could be even more on the nose with a custom-made neon sign with your phrase of choice, like our Cape Cod client did in their nautical lounge. Kitsch or elegant—both have a flair for the dramatic. 

Decadent Upholstered Walls and Ceilings 

Upholstered walls and tented ceilings are classic yet unexpected treatments that will envelop your space in comfort and drama. Each has a long history of use, and they do dampen sound—all the better for tuning into the latest drama. We created a tented-inspired effect on the ceiling of our South Austin project. 

A Dash of Trompe l’Oeil or Wall Murals 

Hollywood sets rely on trompe l’oeil or the “trick of the eye” to create bustling streetscapes out of nothing. Similarly, you can use forced perspective and faux treatments to heighten the dramatic appeal in your home. We’ve used faux bois in our Holiday Haus project to mimic the look of a wood cabin and bold modern murals in our Zilker home to create a sense of playful fun. 

Unexpected Colors and Patterns 

Color and pattern are excellent ways to layer in drama. The bolder, the better! In our Shulle project, we literally set the stage for the client’s grand piano with a dynamic inlay floor pattern complemented by a bright floral wallpaper with more movement than the Flight of the Bumblebee. 

Transportive Design Motifs 

Let’s get to the real story of dramatic design. After all, we’re doing this for the plot! Transportive design motifs take us out of our current location and into our own fictional world. When you enter your home, you leave the bustling city at the threshold and enter a peaceful Swiss chalet, like our Holiday Haus project. Here, we used faux bois wall treatments, checkered curtains, and overstuffed furniture Heidi would approve of.  

Star Directors of Dramatic Interiors: Tony Duquette & Miles Redd

Two masters of dramatic interiors are Tony Duquette and Miles Redd. 

Tony Duquette was born and raised in Los Angeles and got his start in the design world, freelancing for set decorators. He was discovered by designer and socialite Elsie de Wolfe, and with her help, he established himself as one of the leading designers in Los Angeles in his day. Much of his work can be seen in Vincente Minnelli’s movies. He knew how to evoke emotion and loved to amplify real life by leaning into the magical. His book, More is More, is the bible of decoration for the sake of decoration! 

Miles Redd is a modern interior designer who never ceases to amaze me with his over-the-top, theatrical style. He studied fashion design and served as the creative director of Oscar de la Renta. He went on to start his own design firm in the late 90s, and his New York firm is heavily influenced by his experience in fashion and love of antiques. His book, The Big Book of Chic, oozes with his quirky, playful sense of glamor.

 

Lights, Camera, Design 

In a world that’s so full of the orderly and practical, be daring enough to create something nonfunctional and beautiful. Be dramatic, and embrace all the impractical design decisions that elicit pure joy. If you’re not designing for the plot of your story, then what are you designing for? 

 

Action!