Nicole is a sophisticated young professional, but she was
paralyzed by what she calls her decorating phobias: fear of color,
fear of commissioning custom cabinetry and fear of choosing art and
accessories.
Nicole is a sophisticated young professional, but she was paralyzed by what she calls her decorating phobias: fear of color, fear of commissioning custom cabinetry and fear of choosing art and accessories.
The result was a neutral living room that sported beige, beige and more beige. Nicole wanted to create a sanctuary where she could relax and entertain friends, but she had no idea how to begin.
When we arrived on the scene, I noticed that the space had what I call “great bones.” The living room and adjoining dining room had high ceilings, some really great quality furniture pieces and other attractive features like a fireplace and lots of windows. In order to transform it into the sophisticated, urban space Nicole wanted, I decided to add just a touch of color, lots of contrast and a hint of sparkle.
The key to conquering Nicole’s fear of color was to apply it sparingly. I chose a glamorous steely blue and used it on alternating walls, while the rest of the wall space was painted a creamy white. This gives the eye a break from the blue and tones down the color factor for Nicole’s sake.
The condo’s concrete ceilings presented a bit of a challenge when it came to lighting. The room’s existing track lighting fixture was too small and it just didn’t cast enough light over this space.
Since recessed lighting was not an option because of the concrete, we installed longer track lighting in an L-shaped configuration. One of the track heads was modified to accommodate a sleek, suspended light fixture over the dining room table. The new and improved track lighting boosts the overall light level in the room and some decorative sconces, lamps and picture lights highlight key areas.
Nicole’s television definitely had to be incorporated into the room. So I designed a stunning chocolate-brown custom entertainment center. Because TV cabinets are big, I always try to design something else around them.
In this case I decided that a hip, urban lounge area would add a touch of glamour. The entertainment unit extends into a bench with a padded backrest made from a luxurious blue fabric. The bench is functional, with lots of storage underneath. A small round bar table and a couple of stools covered with animal prints complete the lounge effect.
To incorporate the dining area into our design scheme, I had the chairs recovered with the same blue fabric used on the bench’s backrest.
The top of Nicole’s sideboard had seen better days, so I covered it with a piece of mirror cut to size. Finally, I added an elegant silver vintage wall mirror, and voila!
With the high ceilings, the sky was the limit when it came to drapery design. I decided to create some really unique window coverings for the patio door.
The top two-thirds of the drapery are made from a rich, creamy white fabric and the bottom third is made from an iridescent silvery-blue material that picks up the light and pulls in our color scheme.
I chose a few additional pieces of furniture that incorporated the steely blues, creamy whites and chocolate browns in the room. A couple of rich brown lounge chairs, a blue lampshade and lots of throw pillows carry the colors throughout the room and really pull it all together.
With just a punch of color, a touch of sparkle and a bit of warmth, the space was completely transformed into one that truly reflects Nicole’s personality.
