Small Changes, Big Results

A project doesn't have to be worthy of a spread in Architectural Digest to be rewarding to a designer.  Sometimes, a handful of small changes can make a whole lot of difference...and sometimes that handful turns into a couple of handfuls!

We were recently hired by a client who had seen our articles in the Tampa Bay Times.  We were asked to make recommendations on how we might change this fireplace wall.


Before

The home is a charming little Mediterranean, where the small scale living area blends right into the central dining area.  In contemplating a design solution for the fireplace wall, it was almost impossible for the imagination not to spill over into the rest of the room.  So I decided to take the approach of, "Here is what I would do if you went away for two weeks, gave me the keys to your house and said I could change anything and everything in the room that I wanted."  Well, with just a couple of slight changes along the way, they got on board and we transformed their living space.

Here's what the fireplace wall ended up like.

The vintage photograph contains a family member, so it retained it's prominent position above the fireplace (with a new, more substantial frame), flanked by a pair of transitional sconces.  We painted the fireplace in a tone that blends it with the travertine mantel that was installed prior to our involvement.  We also removed the dated, glass fireplace doors (tore them out in the first hour I was there!), and replaced it with a new screen.  The wall surrounding the fireplace was painted with a Martha Stewart potter's clay finish to add some texture, and the color adds an accent and picks up tones from the new area rug.  We also painted the hearth in the same color as the cabinetry flanking the fireplace to unify these built-in units.  And by mounting the TV on the wall, we open up additional space that could be used for overflow seating.

Moving around the room....

Before

We changed out the wood coffee table for one made of Travertine with a dark metal base, replaced the dark leather sofas with lighter pieces covered in a micro-fiber.  We also added curtain panels in a subtly striped pattern to add depth and texture, and bring more attention to the window wall.  A pair of new floor lamps and a new table lamp better distribute soft light around the room.

Before

On a couple of walls in the room, we removed a grouping of small art pieces and replaced them with a single piece with more generous proportions.  Some of these were new, and some were scavenged from other rooms in the house!

Before

The table pictured had been the coffee table (see previous photo), and the client had recently had this made to match the built-ins they had done for each side of the fireplace.  We repurposed it by having legs made to bring it up to entry table height.  The mirror greatly simplifies this space, and again the lamp brings light to this dark interior corner.

Before 

Again, trading the art grouping for one single piece makes much more of a statement.  Here are a couple of other details.

This subtle, tropical-themed rug replaces the original dark one.  The leaf pattern adds a lot of texture to the room, and the colors in the rug provided inspiration for other design elements.

Looking around the house for accessories was fun, and allowed us to bring disparate elements together and get them out into the light of day again!

It was a lot of fun working on this project, and the clients are really enjoying their brighter, more open space.  Now, they're ready to start on the dining room.  Ideas are on the design table right now!