Less, and more, help to balance a living room
Jim Buchta, Star Tribune
PROJECT: A living room in Wayzata.
POSITIVES: Vaulted ceilings and lots of windows and natural light.
NEGATIVES: Poor furniture arrangement and too many wall accessories.
The rooms in this split-level house in Wayzata are well-proportioned, but the furniture arrangement in the living
room made the space seem awkward. A piano blocked part of the entry, making it difficult to enter the room. Too many things on the
walls made it difficult to focus. "The first thing I noticed was a little plant in front of the windows. As small as it was, it
actually distracted from the view," said Lori Matzke of Centerstagehome.com.
"Buyers are not only looking at the structure, they are also looking for proportion. They want to get a feel for how their own
furniture might fit into the space."
Here's what Matzke did to make the room feel more balanced and functional:
To draw the buyer's eye into the room, two large, bold prints were arranged on the far wall. Matzke removed most
of the wall accessories. New lampshades add more light for late afternoon and evening showings.
Moving the piano down the wall about 1 foot allows easier access into the room. Moving the sofa in front of the
windows, but about 8 inches away from them, helps soften the woodwork and makes the space seem more proportionate and livable.
Centering the coffee table in front of the sofa gives the room balance by filling up the awkward space in the middle. A decorative
bowl with a bright green silk arrangement on the table adds color.
Angling two velvet wingback chairs at opposite ends of the sofa helps make the entire space more user friendly,
while bringing the arrangement closer into the room gives the space a sense of proportion. Neutral throw pillows help downplay the
mismatched chairs.
To make a more radical change, the owners of this house could have painted the walls a medium shade of tan that
would downplay the dated woodwork and ceiling beams. Painting the woodwork and beams the same color as the walls would make them
blend in completely.
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