One of our favorite clients had this mostly empty sunroom that was adjacent to the breakfast area and kitchen.  She wanted to furnish it in a way that allowed the room to be used on its own but also be able to accommodate an overflow crowd when entertaining.  She found a magazine photo that she liked which we used as a reference.  The photo had antique style occasional pieces surrounded by fresh and bright upholstery that kept the room from looking dated.  The client likes greens and golds with pops of red and these colors flow throughout the house.  Given the open nature of the floor plan, we had to select fabrics that would blend nicely with the nearby living spaces.

Suzanne, our design consultant on the project, suggested the bench seat in order to accomplish the goal of seating in the room that also allowed seating facing the kitchen during parties.  The paprika bench with barley twist legs is fun, functional, and does not block the view of the open room.  You can’t see the doors on either side, but the bench can be moved against the wall on the right, between the drapery and the door, if the client wants to open up the room.  Click here for a full size photo.

The rug is a banded grass cloth, which keeps the room casual and is consistent with a sunroom theme.  The lamps on the rich walnut console table are shabby chic, with distressed bases and contemporary brown shades.  The side tables are available for drinks or books and complete the desired eclectic look.  The client didn’t want the room to look “matchy matchy” (a designer term!).  The nonfunctional drapery panels are intended to add color and frame the windows without heaviness or blocking the view of the outdoors.  They are hung on wrought iron poles that bring in a touch of black but do not draw the eye up or conflict with the molding.  The chairs are covered with a large scale apple green contemporary botanical which also reinforces the sunroom theme.  Notice the little leaves?

The client is thrilled with the fun and casual yet elegant results, and come to think of it, the room really reflects her personality.

To learn more about Suzanne, click here.

According to designer Nathan, there is no reason for families to sacrifice style in their family rooms, even when they have kids and/or pets.  The key, he says, is to focus first on where the kids and the pets are going to be in the room, and then buy comfortable, dual-purpose furniture.  According to Nathan, family rooms are often one of the rooms that can really benefit from de-cluttering.  “Because the room serves so many different purposes for different family members, it’s easy for this room in particular to end up with too many furnishings.”  For that reason, he believes that it is important to keep the family room furniture classic, durable, and simple.  He suggests buying furniture with tough fabrics, such as polyester and blends, and keeping the colors neutral.  Instead of using occasional tables consider using cocktail ottomans that will double as extra seating for parties, a place for snacks, or an additional work surface when needed.

Nathan recommends replacing any loveseats with two or three chairs.  “In a casual setting, love seats are often only used by one person at a time, so it’s more practical to replace them with separate chairs.  And when you have chairs, it also makes it much easier to re-decorate and move them around when you’re ready for a new look.”  Sofa and chair pillows should also be purchased with a dual-purpose in mind. “If you know your kids will be spending a lot of time on the floor,” Nathan says, “it’s a good idea to buy sofa and chair pillows that can be tossed on the floor and sat upon or used as armrests.”

Next Tuesday I’ll be sharing some tips with you on how to furnish a smaller home.  Nathan has some great ideas.  Talk with you then!

Deborah
A.k.a. Design Sleuth