When it comes to redecorating a home, two spouses do not always
equal one design scheme. Sometimes it’s hard to arrive at a
compromise when it comes to interior decor, and the impasse is
enough to derail even the most ambitious makeover.
When it comes to redecorating a home, two spouses do not always equal one design scheme. Sometimes it’s hard to arrive at a compromise when it comes to interior decor, and the impasse is enough to derail even the most ambitious makeover.
Such was the case in Katherine and Nicholas’ living room, where lots of antique furniture and dark woodwork combined to produce a dated, dim space. Katherine wanted a bright, modern room perfect for entertaining and showcasing her plants. But Nicholas was determined to keep his treasured antiques, inherited from his family’s home in Ireland.
Just when it seemed there was no solution to this design dilemma, the “Divine Design” team arrived on the scene. Using creative lighting techniques and a wonderful palette of reds, creams and yellows, the room got a big boost of color and those cherished antiques got a new lease on life.
I chose a bright, sunny yellow for the walls. A fresh coat of antique white paint instantly brightened up the mantelpiece and the rest of the room’s trim. It’s amazing how much this small step illuminated the entire space, which is exactly the result Katherine was looking for. And, by brightening up the room’s architectural woodwork, Nicholas’ dark antique furniture instantly took center stage.
The only lighting in the room had been a couple of table lamps. To increase the overall light level, I added strategically-located recessed lights in the ceiling. Two of Nicholas’ family portraits were illuminated by recessed lights. I also chose two wonderful sconces and used them to frame a new oval mirror over the fireplace.
Antique gold pelmet (a kind of valance), also from Ireland, had presided over the room’s two doorways. I lengthened one pelmet and applied a faux finish to camouflage the new section. Now it’s the crowning glory to a wonderful, new multi-layered drapery treatment using cheerful floral and striped fabrics. By lengthening the pelmet, we opened up more of the window, making the room much brighter. The other pelmet was placed over the doorway into the hall.
Although I used most of Nicholas’ antiques to furnish the room, I did bring in a new straw-colored sofa to brighten up the space before the window. One of the existing love seats was recovered in a cheerful, red diamond fabric. To add more seating and to make the room more conducive to entertaining, I flanked the fireplace with two small slipper chairs. I also used slipcovers in cheerful, floral and rich, gold fabrics to cover up some of the other dark antique chairs.
In keeping with Katherine’s love for plants and gardening, I found a wonderful, floral-patterned screen to disguise a corner radiator. A couple of new plant stands showcase two gorgeous ferns.
The room’s new design incorporates both the present and the past. Warm lighting, fresh paint colors and cheerful fabrics combine to create a bright, contemporary look. By reworking the pelmets and the other antiques, Nicholas’ family heirlooms remain in honor of the past.
The result is a divine compromise that suits both Katherine and Nicholas. Design dilemma solved.
