This article as written in 2007 and I find that it still speaks to me today. I hope you find it both entertaining and informative.
Rules in decorating...WHAT there are rules?? 
The rules of decorating are so deeply ingrained in our consciousness that we rarely consider challenging them. Keep colours complementary. Follow the architecture. Don't mix periods or pedigrees. All the furniture should coordinate. But as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
It's often the elements you don't think will go together that bring real style to a room, adding a jolt of personality and the freshness of the unexpected. Consider the concept of harmony, which characterizes the best interiors. Harmony is achieved by a synthesis of different tones, a careful blending of seemingly incompatible elements. Just as a choir made up solely of tenors or sopranos can't produce the full brilliance of a musical score, a room decorated exclusively with antiques or modern furniture, or fitted out in a restricted palette, will end up, at best, a one-note wonder that quickly looses its appeal.
Think about the notion of balance. It is what we strive for in our lives - between family and career, indulgence and discipline, exhilaration and relaxation, ego and empathy. To create a room that is balanced requires juxtaposing objects that, at first seem to be contradictory or clashing. If you are thoughtful in your composition, you can put together an ensemble that embodies the Chinese yin and yang principle, which holds that all of life can be understood by the complement of opposites - male and female, light and dark, hot and cold, positive and negative.
Furnishing a gracious and handsome room, like assembling a savory sandwich or planting a splendid garden, depends on the nuanced contrast of textures, colours and shapes. Consider juxtaposing the refined and the rustic or highly decorative pieces with simple shapes and watch how your room grows in richness, becoming a reflection of your own complex and multifaceted personality.
Of course, you need to be at once careful and fearless when breaking the rules. There must be method to your madness - shop at The Passionate Home or have our interior decorating consultant find the balance.
