Christine Langlois is a guest columnist
for the Home & Garden section of the
News and Observer

Start with Color to create a cozy new look
as featured in the Raleigh News & Observer

 

Dear Designer

I have a living room with sloped cathedral ceiling (12-17 feet). I would like to redo the living room with new furniture, but I am at a loss; thus, need your advice.

I would like to give the room a cozy and classic Italian look with burnt sienna, deep gold and green hues. The room can accommodate at least 6 people at a time. The arrangement should not block the foot traffic between the kitchen and entry foyer. Adjoining rooms (kitchen/breakfast nook and piano room) are faux painted golden brown and burnt orange. I would like the living room to have a consistent look and feel. And I do not like shabby chic. I prefer a classic, but comfortable look.

Dear Ms. Kim,

Your use of golden brown and burnt orange color faux painted walls is a good start to creating a cozy and classic Italian look in the adjoining rooms. I would use brown, gold and artichoke as your base color scheme in the living room to maintain continuity with the adjoining rooms. I also recommend that you update the following items:

Walls
To give the eye a rest from the faux painted walls in the two adjoining rooms, paint the living room a solid color using the same golden brown hue from the faux painted walls. Keep all the wood molding and ceiling white, since the adjoining rooms ceilings are painted white. Normally, I would recommend that you paint the ceiling a lighter value of the wall color.

Furniture You have two furniture options. If your existing frames are solid and you still love their style, then simply reupholster them. The sofa and love seat would look rich and inviting in an artichoke color chenille fabric. The wing back chair could complement these pieces; yet stand out on its own, with a tapestry fabric in colors, which go with the room color theme. You can also choose to purchase new furniture. First decide how much you want to spend and then commit to finding the best quality furniture for that price. Most people fall in love with just the visible appearance of a piece, but don’t forget to assess the quality of the hardwood frame. Next, select a fabric that will endure steady wear. You might choose a classic style in soft, supple deep brown leather for the sofa and loveseat. Replace the wing chair with 2 lower back club chairs, in an artichoke and or gold color chenille or tapestry fabric again to go with the room color theme. A square ottoman upholstered in either leather or fabric can be used to add extra seating. Like the upholstery pieces, you can either refinish your existing coffee and end table or purchase new. Refinishing the tables can save you money and if the end result isn’t pleasing, you can always use the yard sale proceeds to purchase new. For refinishing, I recommend a dark brown stain followed by a cream hued crackle finish on just the tops. If you decide to purchase new, then you can soften the square angles in the room by purchasing round tile topped tables with either a black or rust distressed iron base.

Furniture Arrangement
Your current arrangement lacks intimacy and the furniture seems to be placed randomly in the room. Start with the largest pieces of furniture, the couch and loveseat, placing them end-to-end on an angle against the back wall (forming a V). The inside seating should face the fireplace focal point. Place one club chair on an angle across from the loveseat and the other against the stair wall. The coffee table in the center of this arrangement will give you a place to put drinks or books. The ottoman can float on the opposite side of the couch. Lastly, move your current bookrack table from the stair wall to the back of the loveseat. Windows You have a beautiful bank of symmetrical windows. Leave the blinds in place. Install a substantial iron curtain rod with the same iron color as the new coffee table base. You can hang this rod between the two rows of windows, along the center window molding. Add stationary drapes on the sides of the windows in a shimmering gold duponni silk fabric.

Accessories
Now it’s time to have fun and shop for accessories.

• Place a large area rug on the same angle as the furniture. There are so many options; I intentionally left the carpet on the floor plan blank.
• Mix assorted color and texture pillows, on the upholstery pieces.
• Use urns and candles of varying color and size, and stacked leather boxes.
• If your touchier halogen lights still work for you, place one by the chair and the other behind the sofa. Purchase an urn style table lamp for the sofa table.
• The current fireplace picture is too folksy for the style you are after. Replace it with an appropriate picture of similar size. Zgalleries, a specialty store in Raleigh, has a large selection of pictures to choose from. On the wall behind the couch and loveseat, hang three vertically long pictures with thick frames to mimic the window pattern.
• Remember some greenery, a large plant behind the sofa will look great. Depending on how much money you have left over from this room makeover, I recommend either a $12 bottle of Gabbiano Chianti Classico, or a $215.00 bottle of LeMuse Piane Pinot Grigio to celebrate your new Italian villa.

 

Christine Langlois, Allied ASID, IDS Associate, IADA, , Green AP
(919) 599-7476
chris@keepsakeinteriors.com