Welcome to What makes it work. Every week we will take one room, either from Pinterest, or someone else's blog, and we show you why the design of that room is so successful. This is something that most interior designers do when they walk into a room, mostly subconsciously, sometimes not. We are natural "pick aparters" and we just can't help ourselves. I know it drives my husband crazy since he lives with me. In a home. That I am constantly wanting to change and improve. Anyway, this is where we showcase the people who do it right. It also gives you an idea of why some rooms just look purposeful, because they are, and it takes a lot of thought to get there. Also, pay attention to the little tips of the trade highlighted below.

This week's post was chosen from The Suburban Bee's blog. To read the blog post regarding this room design, please click here.

1. These drapes are gorgeous. They tie in the green and the blue colors used through-out the room really well. Without the drapes, the room wouldn't feel as cohesive. And the drapery rod, those little beautiful details is what makes a space. Go to Suburban Bee's blog post for detail shots.

2. I LOVE the fact that they used a green sofa. So many people are afraid of using bold color in large pieces of Furniture, but really, when you step back and look at the whole room, it doesn't overwhelm the eye. It helps create balance. Plus, if you imagine a creme sofa in its place, the room would not look nearly as beautiful. TIP: Don't be afraid to use color in a room, even in a large amount. Just limit yourself to a couple of accent colors in one space.

3. These leather chairs are very nice, stylish, and add a little bit of an eclectic feel to the room. I like the fact that the metal finish of the chair is in the same color family as all the other metal finishes in the room. Since the brown leather is a neutral color, it gives your eye a break from the color in the room. Also the furniture layout is nice with these two chairs because it allows many people to fit in this room and allows for furniture flexibility if needed.

4. The pattern of the accent rug plays nicely with the mix of eclectic pieces in the room, it feels light and neutral which balances out the other colors in the room. Also I like that the rug color doesn't blend with the wood flooring color. I see that way too often. A rug helps define a portion of a room, it shouldn't blend in with the floor. The size of the rug is perfect. I also see people use rugs that are way too small for their space. This rug covers the space that the furniture occupies from one end to the next. TIP: Notice that the sofa's front legs are on the rug and the back legs aren't. In a home this is OKAY, especially if you can't have a custom rug made. Professional designers tend to see this as a design no-no. But as long as it doesn't effect the sit of the chair or sofa, I am okay with it. (The sit is effected if you sit down and the chair feels wobbly or uneven.)

5. These stools are great! Love the funkyness, and it compliments the pillows so well. Nice tie-in. Plus, bonus, you can move the stools around easily for a game night or party! 

6. The whole setup above the mantel just works. The scale of the Artwork with the sconces is perfect. If the sconces weren't there, I would say that the artwork should be a little bit wider. Also, the size of the sconces work. They aren't too small and they tie in the mod-funky-ecelectic style of the rest of the furniture and accessories. I am so glad that they didn't over-accessorize the mantel either. The bookcase to the right already has enough accessories on it. If there were tons more on the mantel, the room would be cluttered. TIP: You don't need to go crazy with the accessories in a room. Just enough so that shelves and bookcases don't feel empty. Especially if you have artwork in the same room, you don't want the accessories to compete with the artwork.

7. This bookcase is styled very well. Love the balance of the scale and textures of the items. Also, the wall covering in the back is a nice touch. Adds some texture, and a bit of a pop. I like that they duplicated the accessories on the left-side of the bookcase to give it visual balance.

8. Love the three pieces of artwork above the sofa. Again, the scale is perfect of how they all fit nicely inside the wall panel. If you notice, all the artwork frames in the room are the same finish. TIP: You can have all different sized and style frames in a room, or on a wall, as long as they are all the same color; it will feel right.

9. I like the scale of the chandelier. Some may prefer it a bit larger, but I think it works well in the room. Also, the height is perfect. I like that there is a bit of a drop to it, but it also isn't too low. Plus, being in the center of the room means that you can re-arrange the furniture one day if you like. It lends flexibility.

10. The mixture of pillows in the room is a nice balance. You have a variety of textures and colors that all help tie everything together. Very purposeful. 

11. Same comment as above, although I do want to mention that these pillows are a little bit of a brighter green than the sofa. That is OKAY. Many people think it needs to be EXACTLY the same color, but that's not true. As long as the colors play off of each other, and don't compete, it will work. TIP: Having different shades of colors and different sc ale of patterns give a room a lot of interest. Don't be afraid of them. As long as they look right and don't compete, you are golden.

Want us to break-down a specific type of room? Or even style? Leave a comment below, we are happy to take suggestions!