Question: I live in a duplex apartment that has a bedroom, living room, kitchen, bath and laundry room. My problem is the living room and how to place my furniture and Oriental rug. Can you provide some ideas?

Florence Hiring
Mill Valley

Answer: Your small in-law unit has decorating potential written all over it.

If any interior design project includes an Oriental rug, begin with it. Its colors will drive all the other decisions -- wall and trim paint colors, window treatments and upholstery.

The rug is also where to start the furniture layout. Putting it on top of the existing wall-to-wall carpeting will anchor the space and direct the placement of most of the furniture. Fortunately, at 9 by 12 feet, your rug is the perfect size for this room.

On the room's long side, in front of the window, place the sofa. Its length will give the illusion that the room is longer than it actually is. It also leaves you with space to bring in more furniture for entertaining guests.

To make the space more dramatic, place draperies on this dominant window and part of the wall at each side. Consider using sheer drapes over the window itself. They can be opened or closed during the day yet still admit light, and at night they provide privacy. The drama will come from side panels of a fabric with colors complementary to the Oriental rug and upholstery. Your butler's table goes in front of the sofa. To make the most of the limited space, keep its edges folded down until you have guests and need a larger surface for serving. One comfortable reclining chair instead of the two you currently have makes a perfect place for relaxing with a book. Add a small floor lamp over your left shoulder that's strong enough to illuminate your book and you're all set for hours of pleasurable reading. Between the sofa and your reading chair put an end table that defines this corner of the room. Select a table with a drawer (for coasters and napkins) and a shelf below (for books and magazines). On the end table set a lamp. On the opposite end of the sofa place a floor lamp to balance the lighting. On the wall opposite the sofa let's put a long console cabinet. It provides additional storage and could hold your television. Ideally, the TV would be a flat screen that can hang on the wall above the cabinet. That would free the surface of the console for decorative objects and flowers, as well as allow room for a pair of tall candlestick lamps that would supply additional lighting.

For dining, playing cards with friends and having a work surface, I've placed a square table under the high window. It has four upholstered dining chairs that can be brought into the main area near the sofa to accommodate guests.

Against the wall between the dining table and kitchen I suggest adding a long, tall hutch. Use it for storing serving plates and showing off decorative objects that will be visible from the sofa area.

For the color palette of this room we'll go to your Oriental rug for guidance. All Oriental rugs have a field color that's visually dominant. The other colors that make up the rug pattern can be brought forward in the fabrics you choose. By picking one of these colors for the largest piece of furniture in the room, the sofa, you'll make that color in the rug more important.

The side panels in the window treatments are another place where strong color can be used well. Fabrics throughout the room should have texture and slight color variations woven into them for added visual interest. I suggest brocade, shadow stripes and small, tight patterns.

Continue using these colors in other upholstered pieces and complement them in accent accessories like throw pillows on the sofa, table-lamp bases and shades, a comfortable lap robe and vases with flowers. Remember that the wall is another place to bring color into the space. It can be a paler version of the dominant color in your palette.

 

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