This pair of empty nesters migrated south from Colorado to Texas and settled in the lovely
historic Heights of Houston. With their human kids grown up and gone
away (they still have two feline fur babies),
they decided to downsize to a loft and upgrade to a more modern look.
Lofts present some spacial challenges because they are small and
relatively unstructured. In order to visually and functionally expand
the space, design must be streamlined and free of clutter,
with pieces strategically placed to add shape and form to the free
flowing nature of many lofts. Ceilings that cap at fourteen feet
definitely aid in opening up the area, and provide sufficient wall space
for this couple's extensive art collection, but this
tremendous downsize was still a challenge. See how we put their art on
display, complemented by some old and new pieces of furniture, and gave
their new home a modern, yet traditional and homey look.
Concrete floors
and exposed brick can feel a bit cold and industrial, especially
paired with the contrasting color combo of red, black, and white. In
order to bring in some unifying warmth, we featured
several walnut pieces throughout that blended the red-brown of the
brick with the black pieces that accessorize their home.
Finding a place to
sit in this living room is a nonissue. You can choose between the modern
sofa bench, the pair of matching chairs, or the four red hot bar
stools. To keep themselves and their fur babies
happy, the couple needed to use comfy yet sturdy materials that they
kitties could climb on and relax.
Speaking of seating,
this modern sofa bench not only opens up the space by providing visual
flow, but it also opens up the options of where to sit. The removable
seat backs provide guests with endless
possibilities to maximize (or even minimize!) their social
interactions.
This may seem like a
simple coffee table, but it is so, SO smart-- especially for this
space. Though a unique shape, the triangular with rounded corners is
perfectly positioned between the living room's
available seating. The base faces the sofa and the other two sides face
the matching chairs that seated at nearly the same angle. Still nothing
can get in the way of guests chatting and gliding from space to space.
Just beyond the
sofa is the dining area. Again, the sofa allows the living and dining
'rooms' to be brought together perfectly so guests can feel free to
glide from space to space. Here is a great example
how to blend traditional with modern: a refinished antique dining table
and chairs offsets the cool edge of the modern pieces.
Perfect for
parties, we equipped the dining area with a full bar cabinet to the
left, and a sideboard storage to the right that can easily serve a
buffet. This loft was designed for entertaining! However,
the large windows may make some nosy neighbors jealous they weren't
invited... Maybe next time, neighbors!
Enough talk about
the furniture- let's move on to the art and accessories! When space is
limited, its crucial that displayed items are always kept organized in a
way that looks deliberate. Board games,
books, religious symbols, family photos, and vases can all coexist on
these floating shelves in a visually appealing manner because they're
grouped by color and complemented by other items to be equal in height.
You can bet that I
needed a ladder to install the artwork here. Tall ceilings are lovely,
elegant, and elongating especially when the walls are adorned with art.
This couple had a fairly extensive collection
of pieces dear to them that they wanted to put on display. Even though
they downsized, there was plenty of wall space to accommodate.
The paintings were
continuous with the classic color scheme of red, black, and white
featured in the furnishings, textiles, and other accessories. Fresh
paintings subtly bring in more color to a space
to make it overall more interesting.
Just to brag about
these ceilings one more time, we had enough height to add not just one
but TWO chandeliers! In a loft, this is a big deal. One in the living
space and one in the dining area bring in
just enough light to the rest of the room.
What a wonderful,
fresh start for a new chapter in this couple's life together: a cool
loft in a hip part of town, modern, and designed with entertaining in
mind. They may be empty nesters, but their kids
are sure to stop in for a visit (or maybe just a drink or two!).
If you have a project in mind but just don't know where to start, we can help! Contact us!
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