Hey everyone! It’s been a while since I last blogged, so let’s catch up! I’m Brian Balthazar, a Director of Programming here at HGTV. While I spend a great portion of my time on the great design programs here at the network, I spend a lot of my remaining time doing interior design for homeowners in the NYC area.
Which brings me to this post! I’m currently working on a room for a wonderful New Jersey family… but there are still some finishing touches left for the room — and I’d like you to help me decide what to do!
First, let me show you two “before” photos.
As you can see, there is a lot of potential here. But also some interesting challenges! Among them: The walls on each side of the fireplace are uneven, making everything on that wall feel off center. The bookcases on each side only emphasized the problem.
Also, the furniture in the room was so bulky that putting a table in the middle was next to impossible if you ever wanted to pass through, but without it, the furniture seemed too far apart for a comfortable conversation.
Then there was the light. The large bay window overlooked a covered porch, so rarely (if ever) did the room get direct sunlight. As a result, the homeowners had decided against any sort of window treatments.
While the room is still in progress, I have some rough photos of how it’s coming along — and there will be more in my next post. First, I removed the bookcases, then I lightened up the entire space by ditching the dark rug and furniture. A fresh coat of paint in a lighter tone went up, and window coverings were installed slightly off to the side of the bay window, so they didn’t block any of the light coming in.
Now I’d like to seek the collective advice of the gazillions of loyal “Design Happens” readers!
While most of the furniture has arrived or is ordered, I am yet to be impressed by a coffee table for this room. It must remain narrow enough to accomodate walking through the room. And I’m not married to a traditional concept. In fact, I’m considering something apart from the long couch-length table that would be expected.
Below is a photo of the middle stages of the room redo. This was around the holidays, and the space has since been updated with new lamps and accessories. The holiday decorations are down, and the room is crying out for a table!
Post some of your favorite table ideas and links, and I’ll let you know which one I go with! I’ll also show you what the remaining corners of the room look like!
And finally, an interesting side note: Last night, as I planned this blogpost, I got a phone call about a coffee table that was, oddly enough, abandoned on the sidewalks of midtown Manhattan yesterday — left to be taken to a landfill! A very smart, resourceful guy (Thanks Dennis!) found a cab driver willing to help lug it into the car and now it’s waiting for a home! Is this solid wood piece THE coffee table for the room, refinished with a dark stain? Or do I have one extra coffee table in my living room until I find it a home?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas!
Brian
Wonderful neutral palate needs some cool and more warm colors. A dark redwood, hard to find these days, freeform with varying shades would be nicely balanced with accents of aqua or turquoise to bring interest and discussion.
I think a glass coffee table or clear acrylic would be your best bet. Or there is a cool round wire table at CB2 that could be interesting.
I agree with MP. Keep the area visually
open. Glass is often a knee banger for those
who don’t notice the edge. How about acrylic
cubes? Two or 3 depending on proportion to
sofa and they could be moved easily as needed.
I also needed a coffee table that wasn’t traditional. My space is very limited, and I had to have something long and narrow. My “aha” moment came at an import store that had these great benches from God knows where, and it even has a little door that opens up for storage! It’s perfect.
I’ve been looking for a coffee table just like that…clean it up and restain it!
Hey Jean! I’ve got it restained in chocolate brown – going to see what it looks like this weekend!
I like the acrylic cube ideas too…
Why would you want a big black hole staring back at you at night? Maybe some very nice grass, bamboo, or something on those lines for the window. It didn’t look like they were on a lake or wooded area, which I could understaand, but lets warm up the room, especially in winter. Maybe side panels with gromets and sheers. Lets do that window!!
I think that if you stain it to a dark tone, as you mentioned, it would look great in the space.
My first instinct was to face the sofa towards the fireplace, and Ditch the single chairs. Or purchase just four small club chairs around a small round coffee table near the fireplace. Since though you’ve already purchased a long sofa you could place the sofa so that it faces the window. Add a very narrow bench type seating across it under the windows instead of two chairs. Thick cushions on it could add lushness perhaps with tufting. Add pillows on it for comfort. Instead of a coffee table make a nattow bench reminisent of a kneeling bench this could be a dark rich wood so irresistale to the eye you’d never run into it.
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A SMALL CUSHIONED BENCH COVERED IN THE SAME MATERIAL AS THE THROW PILLOWS ON THE SOFA.
SMALL FABRIC COVERED BENCH, PLEASE USE THE SAME FABRIC AS THE PILLOWS ON THE SOFA. THEN ON THE BENCH A COUPLE OF SMALL BOOKS THAT WILL HI LIGHT THE RESIDENCES INTEREST AND A SMALL TRAY WITH OLD EYEWEAR THAT ENGAGES A PERSONS CURIOUSITY HUGH CO
VERED IN THE SAME FABRIC AS THE PILLOWS ON THE SOFA.
SOME SMALL PERSONAL BOOKS (POETRY) WOULD BE NICE ON THE BENCH WITH A SMALL TRAY OF OF OLD GLASSES
SORRY ABOUT THE WAY MY IDEA TYPED OUT, NOT MY FAULT…HOPE YOU GOT THE JEST OF IT….
You have got a great mixture of light and dark colors in the room. I think if you were to take a slab of wood a two lengths of 4 x 8′s glued to gether (pine or fir maybe because they’re light) slightly burn the grains and laquer with a poly eurathane (old masters) it would give great contrast in the colors of the room along with a warm natural surrounding.
i think your right on track with the chairs around the fireplace as the centerpiece. cushions made for the right table or bench seating in the bay window? chairs need the right tables or something and don’t forget the right lighting for just the right atmosphere!
I think some stationary panels on both sides of the window would look just beautiful! How about beige fabric with some medium to large size modern print in browns?
Two Pillows to match the drapes (print) and one in a solid chocolate on the sofa would bring the room together. The table probably would look good if it's stained same color as the round little table and add some glass on top. I also can see a customized rectangular ottoman, that opens on top,(for extra storage), upholstered with solid fabric in medium brown (not chocolate). Oh! how about adding some natural green, probably a sleek bamboo tree behind the striped chair? Good Luck.
Not sure that the furniture has to be pulled to the outer limits of the room (or so it appears.) I would put the sofa in front of the fireplace and bring thing into the center of the room. Cluster it up a bit.
Intimate. Your (found) coffee table… some new nobs (loose the bin pulls) and maybe some large scall sea grass basket(s) underneath for added storage. Not a dark stain either (expected) … but something like silver leaf paint would be soft and reflective.
I would put a tall slender green plant in the corner to the left of the fireplace.
I love that table. I would refinish it in a rich wood stain.
I used to have a small living room. I used a round end table for a coffee table. No corners but helped with the need for something.
It is now used to hold a chess board in my bigger house.
If you cut the coffee table in half lengthwise, you would still have a table but one that really fits. Paint it a lively color and add an orchid as these need light but not direct sun to thrive.
I like the new found coffee table. It looks like it’s not to big or small for the area. It seems as though you could be pushing the design style in a craftsman / modern style. I would recommend adding a piece of rectangular base moulding around the bottom of each leg and refinishing the whole thing with a rich dark stain. That would help separate the couch from the rug. The new larger base to the legs of the table will help give it a more planted and prominent look.
I think a trunk coffee table would would set the whole room off. Even something like an old world Bombay trunk coffee table. All the colors will tie in to the whole room.
I like what you have done. After reading your post, my initial thought was something acrylic, like a long bench or 3 cubes. What I also think would compliment the room nicely is a “skinny” bench with clean lines upholstered in the same leather as the chair. Top the bench with a textured tray with accessories.
Hey Brian! Pop it up! Go oval or round. There are enough squares and rectangles with the big window, fireplace and furniture. Break it up!
Use a rich color to ground the room to distract from that window. How creative are you? Can you use power tools??? lol
Hold on to that other table for something more traditional and paint it MS Bulldog Black and add some chrome pulls.
This room looks organic, try something with any shape other than rectangle, even cut a round table in half for a crescent shape? They will still have walking room and it would break that square up. Good luck! Can’t wait to see it!
Furniture appears to be dark..walnut? Need a coffee table…how about two very narrow dark wooden ones. Straight leg lines and open underneath to not box out the room. You have a lot of squares and hard edges. Is that the look you want or do you plan to soften up some of those edges. If so, how about 2 leather (same as chairs) squares?
Ok, the couch you chose seems Beautiful, though I’m not sure I get the colo r exactly as it was intended. Sort of a beigy-pink, is that the idea? Then I love the concept of using the found furniture so we can jump at the chance to be green even though the project may not emphasize it this time. And cutting the table horizontally is a wonderfulidea, as is the orchis that could bring a more organic and natural feeling to your life-giving shades. Speaking of light, also, the windows may need no cover during the day, but again, energy roman shade will offset the lines of the orchid, table and couch. And again, I know the windows want to be clear to all the most light possiblem but a soft curtain, trananslucent panel on either side will dramatize during the day and maybe make the evenings a bit more cozy. Good luck, what a lovely project.
Love, Granmabronwyn
The family is either very courageous or VERY clean to have a white rug (with a raised design yet)in this area. How about a patterned rug that shows less dirt. Ottoman instead of a coffee table (extra seating). Window treatments could be half roll ups so bottom stays down and tops let in light. Lucite cubes are better in theory than practise. Stick with the table you've refinished. Not a big fan of the B/W chair next to the couch – too much furniture on that one long wall. Overall looks way better than before.
Brian, did you ever decide on your coffee
table? I still think acrylic cubes will
keep the visual lines to the fireplace open. The poinsettia and the amaryllis are
probably dead by now. You need color! The
new Spring yellow in accessories?
I just bought a house with surprise, the same long and narrow room with a bay window and fireplace. I love what you have done so far, but I am concerned that you have sofa facing a wall instead of the view out the window., The coffee table should be painted or stained chocolate brown to tie in the brown leather chair and anchor the light carpet. I will be watching the final results with great interest., I hope you don’t mind that I am going to copy what you have done.
Yes, what did you decide? Can you post an updated photo to help out the curious? I was leaning toward the glass or acrylic solution, due to the lack of light.
I am in the process of renovating and decorating an entire home at once. I would like for everything to be functional and people-proof. Due to some trees I can't remove (not on my property), I don't have the amount of natural light I would like. I was thinking of glass for the coffee table, side tables, dining table, etc., to add sparkle, reflective surfaces and visually expand the space. Now our pals on this site are talking acrylic. How does it wear? Scratches? Children rarely enter my home, but most of my friends are klutzes, so I have the same concerns as parents of small children. What do we think?
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