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Dramatic Home Decor with Verticals - The Power of Up and Down Lines and how they affect you.

Updated: Feb 23, 2020

Learn how vertical lines affect you, your home, your art

Part 4 of a 4-part series


In the elements of interior design, there are 4 types of LINES:

Horizontals: Straight and parallel.

Wavy, Curved, Circular.

Zig-zag Diagonals.

Verticals: up and down.


The patterns and prominence of these lines embody your home, affecting your mood, mindset. Determine how you want to FEEL, and then let lines support you!


Verticals: are the most dramatic of all lines, commanding the most attention.


Their powerful thrust stands right, declaring, "I HAVE POWER!"

They induce the feeling of growth and being uplifted.

This is why historically churches have always used vertical lines to lift your eyes heavenward.


Vertical lines: By drawing the eye upward, they bring a feeling of height to a space. They can make rooms seem taller and wide spaces seem narrower, making them an extremely useful design element in rooms with low ceilings or that lack of a sense of impact.

Vertical Lines: Inspire awe!



Too many vertical lines may cause feelings of uneasiness or confinement. This is a personal experience, but one to pay attention to as verticals are the most powerful of all lines.



Tips for using vertical lines for Dramatic Decorating:

  • Hang curtains from ceiling to floor.

It doesn’t matter if your window is that tall or not; the higher you hang the curtain, the taller the window and your room will look. When hanging from the ceiling, install your brackets so that the top of the curtain is just a few inches below the crown molding or if you don’t have crown molding, a few inches below the ceiling.

  • Use tall pieces of furniture and place accessories on top of them to draw the eye up.


wix free
Ceiling-height drapes, light fixture, and tall upright piano with art above balance the build-in bookcases, giving symmetry and harmony to the room

  • Bring vertical stripes into a space via pillows, upholstery, and area rugs.


Wix free
Vertical stripe on bedspread leads your up to head board. These blue-gray stripes lead up to the circular gold focal point.

  • Hang large pieces of artwork.

If you can’t find one piece of art that is tall enough, hang a few smaller ones in a vertical composition.


Importance of texture in your home and art. Original watercolor by Kate Moynihan artist, "Grandam's Roses"
Look at your art closely. Some pieces allow you to hang them VERTICAL or HORIZONTAL (see roses in next photo).

Notice how the VERTICAL stripes of the rug lead your eye to the art! Then the HORIZONTAL art maintains the conversation area.

  • Verticals can provide an upscale, sophisticated feel. Perfect for entryways, formal dining rooms, and formal living areas.

Dramatic Home Decor with Verticals

The up-and-down format of verticals work nicely when ceilings are low and you want to create the spatial illusion of height in an environment, indoors or out.


The Power of LINES make home decor happen!


Simply determine the FEEL of the room you want, and apply the appropriate lines!


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