When my client asked me to help with the design of his living room, I did not expect to find it empty of all furniture. He was ready to start from scratch, he said, but needed help to make the room look its best. I began by asking questions:
- How will you use this room daily?
- How many people do you anticipate entertaining?
- Do you have a budget in mind?
- What is your time frame?
The answers to these questions help to define things such as seating, lighting, what kinds of places to search for furnishings and how quickly I need to push this project forward.
Then I looked around the rest of the house for clues to personal style. Clearly this is someone who favors the Arts and Crafts and Victorian styles, deep colors, rich woods, and antiques. He also is a serious musician and scholar.
I noted, too, that there was quite an imbalance in this large living area. On one side was my client’s black baby grand piano, and the entrance to a library filled with volumes on every subject from literature to music to philosophy. Framing the space was richly stained wood trim and leaded glass doors. The other side of the room was anchored by a brick wall with a very interesting fireplace. The mantle and overmantle were nicely scaled to the room and were set off by pillars on either side. However, the brick wall and the entire fireplace had been faux-finished by a previous owner in very light colors, greatly diminishing the visual weight of this wall and creating imbalance with the other side of the room. My client was hesitant to change the faux finish because it had been specially hand painted.
I suggested that we do another faux finish on the fireplace wall, one that would give it more character and relate to the rest of the room. In studying the columns, which had lovely egg-and-dart detailing around the tops, I was reminded of the beautiful ornamental iron work in train stations I had seen in Europe. With my client’s consent, I brought in master painter Keith Smith, of Esoteric Painting Design, to bring this idea to life. He softened all of the brick to a neutral color, painted the columns and back panel to look like iron and did the mantle and cross beam along the top to blend with the room’s wood trim. The fireplace now has a strong presence and balances the other side of the room, as well as creating a statement that references styles from the turn of the last century.
With the background settled, I focused on the furnishings. I wanted to have a blend of styles rather than a room that was a period piece, so I included contemporary and antique items. My client had an existing armchair that needed to have the seat reupholstered so I chose a dark brown-green velvet for the seat and had it trimmed with nailheads. Then I found a round wood table with very nice details at an antique shop; my client’s own lamp provides the soft light. We used his lovely Oriental rug and I suggested a contemporary glass table to sit on top of it. The table almost disappears in the room while providing a place for books and a glass of wine. The black leather sofa fits perfectly, layering in another rich texture, and a floor lamp illuminates the corner while offering light for reading. My client also has a collection of art and accessories from his world travels which we incorporated into the design. Finally, we hung a large Victorian mirror above the sofa - the last touch to a living room which invites quiet reading, listening to music or visiting with a couple of friends.
