Creating More Space for Entertaining

 After 6 months of living in their new home, Jess and Peter have learned how they live in the space and have reached the fun part of furnishing and decorating their house.  Now we can truly define how to use the space to best fit their lifestyle.  Peter in particular really wanted a larger table in the dining room to allow for more seating for dinner parties and larger games.  

In the dining room, new table and chairs are in place and look great, not only for a space to dine, but also a space to play games or just share a bite with friends. The new modern dining room furniture has clean lines and brings a fresh look to the space.  The furniture has less graining in the wood with that great dark espresso finish.  The table and chairs are part of the Abbott Place Collection from Hooker Furniture.  Peter and Jess have chosen the dark cherry finish, but the collection also offers a lighter cherry finish for people looking for a lighter feel.  

This room is filled with windows and has a lot of light. One thing this room really could use is the addition of window treatments. I often work with clients who have chosen to skip window treatments and wonder why the room still looks stark and undressed.  Window treatments are the jewelry on a great black dress, pulling the whole look together.  One idea is to add texture to the room, by using a linen or burlap style fabric in a green, cream or latte.  This echoes the burlap elements already in place in the living room with the sofa and pillows.  Ballard Designs has a selection of burlap curtains, but Peter is going to attempt to make the curtains himself using his sewing equipment in the craft room.  A nice tailored panel with a pleat or small cuff at the top will give them a drape look. Hang these on a rod with rings and pretty finials, and you will pull together a modern, easy going and elegant room that beckons everyone to stay.

Because they have a home office, a clearly defined space has been designated for working from home. With that is the great space in front of the book shelves where we repurposed the old kitchen table as a new conference / break out area. I love being green! The new conference table can be set up for collaborative projects and brainstorming sessions.  Also if you remember, we made the book shelves look great with paint and wall paper, so when the conference table is placed in front of it we have a professional look that also has a lot of personal mementos. This extra seating is also great overflow when entertaining. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres can be served at this space to save room on the dining table.

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