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A House Beautiful report describes how interior designers use color, rugs, millwork and decorative vent covers to make common home eyesores less prominent. The examples show ways to redirect attention or blend features into a room, though results depend on the space and do not replace needed repairs.
Interior designers are using color, rugs, millwork and patterned vent covers to make common home eyesores less noticeable without undertaking a full renovation, according to a House Beautiful report. The approach, described as “decorative camouflage,” aims to redirect attention or help an awkward feature blend with its surroundings, offering homeowners options when replacement is costly or disruptive.
Rachel Simpson, a senior interior designer at Revive Design and Renovation, described using artwork, statement lighting, textures, plants, rugs and decor to draw the eye toward more appealing parts of a room. In one bedroom example, Simpson kept the old flooring and used paint and decor choices to lighten the space. The report says designers may pair older floors with complementary wall colors and use area rugs or runners to soften and visually break up the flooring.
Simpson also described a kitchen with a visible gap between upper cabinets and the ceiling. Her suggested fix was to paint the wall above the cabinets the same color as the cabinets, visually joining the two areas and making the gap less prominent. The report presents this as an alternative to a costly remodel, not as a change to the cabinets’ actual height.
For a family room with a sloped ceiling, Hilary Greenhalgh, owner and principal of Proper House Design, said her team built out the fireplace wall and added millwork and crown molding. The resulting strong horizontal lines were intended to make the fireplace the focal point and draw attention away from the ceiling. For air vents, Raquel Skrobarczyk of HS Interiors suggested covering them with wallpaper where appropriate or choosing decorative grilles, including geometric designs.
Low-Cost Ways to Redirect Attention
The examples address a common constraint in home projects: some features are functional, expensive to replace or difficult to alter. Changing the visual balance of a room can give homeowners another option when a complete remodel is out of reach or would cause significant disruption. The methods also vary in scale, from adding a rug to commissioning millwork.
The report’s practical point is that a room’s focal point can influence how prominent an eyesore feels. Matching colors can reduce visual contrast, while a strong feature such as a fireplace can draw attention elsewhere. These are design strategies rather than repairs; the source does not claim they improve a feature’s condition or solve underlying maintenance problems.
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Four Features Designers Reframed
The House Beautiful report groups its examples around four elements: aging flooring, a gap above kitchen cabinets, a sloped ceiling and visible air vents. In the flooring example, Simpson chose to work with the existing surface rather than replace it. For the kitchen, she recommended matching the wall color above the cabinets to the cabinetry.
Greenhalgh’s family-room example used architectural detail to establish a focal point in a space with several competing features, including a staircase, fireplace, French doors and an opening to the kitchen. Skrobarczyk’s vent suggestions focus on making a necessary airflow feature less conspicuous or more decorative. Each solution responds to a specific room; the report does not present them as universal formulas.
““By using strategic design elements such as bold artwork, statement lighting, interesting textures, plants, rugs, or thoughtfully placed decor, we can redirect the eye toward something more visually appealing.””
— Rachel Simpson, senior interior designer at Revive Design and Renovation
Limits Depend on Each Room
The report gives individual design examples but does not provide project costs, measurements, or evidence comparing the visual results across homes. It is not clear how well each technique would work in rooms with different layouts, materials or lighting. The article also does not specify whether wallpaper can be used on every vent cover; suitability may depend on the vent and its installation.
The suggestions concern appearance. The source does not say whether any flooring, cabinet, ceiling or ventilation issue required repair, or whether camouflage would be suitable where a feature is damaged or airflow could be affected. Homeowners would need to assess those conditions separately.
Homeowners Can Adapt the Examples
The report does not announce a new product, renovation program or scheduled follow-up. Its next step for readers is practical: identify the feature drawing attention, then consider whether a change in color, texture, furnishings or a room focal point could reduce its prominence. Any choice should fit the specific feature, particularly when working around vents or existing materials.
House Beautiful’s examples leave the final decision with homeowners and their design teams. Whether the solution is a runner over aging floors, paint above kitchen cabinets, added detail around a fireplace or a decorative grille, the aim is to change how the feature reads within the room.
Key Questions
What does “decorative camouflage” mean in interior design?
It means using color, furnishings, textures or architectural details to make an unwanted feature less prominent or direct attention elsewhere in a room.
How can homeowners make old flooring less noticeable?
Designer Rachel Simpson recommends choosing wall colors that complement the flooring and using area rugs or runners to add texture and break up its visual presence. Her example kept the existing floor.
Can paint make a gap above kitchen cabinets less obvious?
Simpson suggests painting the wall above the cabinets the same color as the upper cabinetry. The technique creates a visual connection; it does not extend the cabinets.
What did the designer do about a sloped ceiling?
Hilary Greenhalgh said her team built out the fireplace wall and added millwork and crown molding. The horizontal details shifted focus toward the fireplace.
How can an air vent blend into a room?
Raquel Skrobarczyk suggested wallpapering a vent in a wallpapered room or using a decorative grille. The report does not specify which vent types are suitable for wallpaper.
Source: rss
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