Before

Dining Room

Lift the eye. Take accessories all the way to the top of the armoire. The new grouping of objects is simpler but still in scale with the proportions of the furniture. A lot of small items gathered on the top of a large entertainment center will look fussy and unimportant.

Use plants to fluff corners and to fill an empty fireplace during the summer. If corners are dimly lit, choose plants that tolerate low light conditions. Lady palms, bamboo palms, and sago palms don't mind low light but may need to be placed on a pedestal to achieve needed height. Ferns need bright to medium light, but for special occasions you can tuck them in front of the fireplace for a lush, exuberant accent.

 

After

Add weight to focal-point pieces by adding overscale accessories. In the dining room, the pie safe seemed lonely, not quite filling the wall space. To bulk up that end of the room, a large urn filled with bamboo sticks was added. The light color of the urn partners well with the cupboard, and the sticks supply a strong vertical element without detracting from the pie safe. The original arrangement of orchids, candles, a wire flower, and a rattan basket made a pleasing crown for the pie safe. For a change of pace, however, potted ivy and a redware plate can substitute for the basket and candles.

Warm up windows with simple chevron-style valances. The fabric treatment softens the architecture and adds color and pattern without blocking light. Bringing the dark color up high balances the medium brown color of the floor. A plate rack brings dimension and interest to the corner wall.

Fill blank spots with furniture that is both decorative and functional. A handmade painted bench fills the space under the windows and serves as a shelf for plants.

Dress the table using a new rag rug spread on the diagonal. This brings touchable texture to the smooth tabletop. For meals, align the rug with the table edges and use place mats to protect the table from spills.

Accent with color. On the wall above the buffet, a large painting brings vibrant color to the room, replacing a group of four neutral-color prints (not shown). The orange in the artwork picks up the same tones in the buffet and table.