Photo study

This picture comes from my Idea file, which is code for "I stole it off the internet". So I am sorry I cannot give credit to the designer or photographer. (I have a sneaking suspicion it's Carolyne Roehm - must investigate!) It looks like a photo from a magazine or book, though.
If you keep photos of ideas you love, sometimes it is a great exercise to study the photograph. You can more clearly define what you love about the space and you also start to recognize some design concepts.
I'm positive I kept this particular photo because of the brown and cream color scheme. It's so warm and restful. As a designer, one of the constant requests I get when decorating a master bedroom is for it not to be too feminine and this room certainly fills the bill. Sticking to just 2 colors with high contrast is also appealing.
The design concept you see is that of symmetry. Notice all the pairs of things! Symmetry gives you a feeling of balance, that things are on solid ground. You are able to relax when you feel your surroundings are organized. Notice too, the simplicity of the items in the room. If it weren't for the carving on the bed or the frou-frou mirrors, everything would seem rather plain.