Q. I have a family room that is 15 feet by 23 feet. There are no full walls in the room, making everything looked cramped. When I moved from my previous home, I had to bring along a beautiful custom-made bar. I am trying to work around it. I even got rid of a big-screen TV for more room. There is a sliding-glass door that leads to our yard and has a beautiful view of the hills, so I put the sofa where I would be able to enjoy the view. The fireplace is sort of stuck in a corner, so I painted the bricks white to make the room look a little bigger.
I have made so many decorating errors in this room. I bought a sofa and chair that looked much better in the store; they are blue-and-white plaid, and I think too colonial looking. I really want this room to be modern, since I have a living room full of antiques. I recently had the room painted a very soft light gray, and I love the color. I would like to add some brighter colors and keep it very casual and comfy, instead of tacky. Help!
–Patti Murray, San Ramon, Calif.
First of all, there are no decorating errors–in my book, anyway, says Toni Berry of Marie Antoinette Custom Home Interiors in Sunol, Calif. Relax and try these tips.
– In a room with no full walls, it is best, aesthetically, to float your seating arrangement. Couch, armchairs, end tables and coffee table can be clustered in the center on a color-coordinated rug.
– Keep the light gray walls and add plain crown molding at the ceiling level painted in Benjamin Moore’s Dove White. Paint the window casings in this color also. This will make the room brighter and give a finished look.
– To reduce the cramped feeling, reduce the size of the custom bar you brought from your previous home. It may not be the right scale for this room, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it. A good cabinetmaker can reduce it to better fit the existing space.
– The fireplace bricks can be repainted in the soft gray wall paint to give a full, wrapped effect in that corner. Add a mantel to match the bar and hang some interesting art above it. Also add two 14-inch-tall lamps. All this provides mood and interest to the fireplace.
– Instead of slipcovers over the blue-and-white, colonial-looking couch and chair, reupholster the pieces in a contemporary geometric chenille print. Add lots of solid pillows. Then add a smart leather ottoman in a bright color for visual “pop” in the room.
– You can bring in a few of the antiques from other rooms and still retain the contemporary feel of this room. A lamp or table will do fine.
– You mention a sliding-glass door. No window coverings? Good. Just add a top treatment; a modern Roman shade is ideal. This understated look will add to the contemporary style you want.
