|
QUESTION -- We have recently purchased a new condominium apartment and plan to use the living room as a formal room for entertaining guests.
With its southern solar exposure from a large expanse of windows, the room gets a lot of natural sunlight.
The only major piece we plan to move from our current home is a baby grand piano and the rest of the furniture will be new.
The apartment is currently all off-white, including the walls, carpet, and trim.
The carpet will stay, but any color ideas would be welcomed.
ANSWER
--
When I create a formal space, I often like to combine a romantic mix of curved and elaborate formal and informal furnishings.
Added to that, I introduce a modest combination of ornamentation and an array of subtle patterns; all indicative of a more formal style.
A formal room will often feature architectural detail to make it appear more distinguished.
To help it along, you might consider some minor renovation work, including having thicker casement mouldings around windows and door openings; higher and more substantial baseboards; and cornice moulding around the ceiling line.
The area between the living room and dining room is a natural space for your baby grand piano to shine as a focal point.
Two generously-sized love seats provide a cosy arrangement around the piano, and a classically styled wing-back chair completes a seating arrangement for five.
When shopping for these sofas, try not to match these pieces too closely, but rather choose pieces that share common characteristics. For example, one of the five-foot seating units could be an antique piece or reproduction while the second sofa could be a more contemporary style that features similar soft lines and comfortable upholstery.
Antique stores and auctions will help to fill your room with wonderful items that can make it cosy, interesting and inviting.
Rather than buying pieces that will merely fill the room, choose furniture that you love and that will help to create an ambience.
I would strongly recommend a new wall colour to give the room a special feeling, unique from the rest of the house.
Consider a time-honored blue/green shade for the walls, complemented by creamy ivory woodwork and
moldings.
The ceiling could be painted in a shade of about 40 per cent and, if you choose to install it, the cornice
molding could be painted in a bright white.
When buying furniture or new upholstery fabric, look for light, uncomplicated patterns and
colors.
Creamy white and off-white combinations will contribute to the room's formal appearance and will work well with the existing beige carpet.
The strong sunlight feels wonderful as it pours in the room, but it can do irreparable damage to fabrics and woods. In order to minimize the impact of the forceful solar rays, it is advisable to install sheers to filter the sun at all times.
Over the sheers, you could install some classic silken draperies in a coordinated
color and pattern to the rest of the room's fabrics.
|
