Designers can provide a fresh perspective

Reclaimed Rooms

Have you ever gotten something in your head so badly, it is near impossible to imagine it any other way? A room arrangement can be especially frustrating when you feel you’ve exhausted all possible configurations. A designer can give a new perspective on – not just the arrangement of a room – but, also its functionality.

One of my recent clients was vexed on how to arrange her cavernous dining room. She had specifically designed it to be a dining room but, it was clearly the most visible room in the house with 15-foot tall ceilings, a huge fireplace/mantle and large bay windows overlooking the pool. It would have been an absolute shame to turn the most beautiful space in her home into the most underutilized, a formal dining room. This area needed to be used daily. With a bit of convincing and a heartfelt promise from me, she reluctantly agreed and so the trust began. I immediately started visualizing the layout of the room and decided to forego the extra expense of painting the entire space, and only painted the ceiling. One of the adjacent rooms was painted a beautiful soft blue which we borrowed to help unify the two. It was minimal, but very impactful. Blue then became our primary accent color along with differing metallics, grey and cream.

I always select larger items first, then build the room around them. I found a gorgeous linen, nail head sofa at Designers Showroom (on clearance). I knew it would work perfectly with an Eileen Gray antiqued-mirrored coffee table I’d picked up at a local auction a few weeks earlier. It was the perfect injection of formality into the room, but, the rest of the furnishings were more relaxed. A wonderfully shaped chair from Uniquely Yours sits opposite a beautiful paisley chair and ottoman from Haverty’s. The gorgeous 11-by-14 rug came from Southeastern Salvage. The pillows and framed Geodes (above sofa) are from Stein Mart. The gold and brass lamps came from Barrett’s, Brigg’s & Co. and Furniture Rental Service and add a touch of richness to the room. The round multi-mirrored piece, from Home Again, hangs playfully above a rustic mirrored piece, also from Stein Mart.

If the budget allows, I love to buy local, original art. The gorgeous piece above the mantle is by Katie Stevens Lewis picked from her booth at Kings Antique Mall. The window treatments are from Bed, Bath & Beyond. The blue fainting sofa was borrowed from the foyer and the super cool Lucite legged bench is from Tuesday Morning. Various side tables and accessories are from big box stores. The key to my rooms is a carefully selected balance of high/low items. If done properly, its near impossible to tell which is which.

My client has a beautiful new living room to entertain guests, or just relax while watching the children play in the pool. She absolutely loves it and can’t imagine the room any other way.