Who wouldn’t welcome the graceful presence of a bay window or the warmth of a fireplace in their family room? One family with both those features in their home hired C&M Interiors to devise two layouts that would complement the room’s prominent architectural elements. Let’s see how principal designers Maria Hogrefe and Channing Krichevsky and lead designer Jessica Kilian worked them into the clients’ 350-square-foot space.
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C&M Interiors
Option 1 - Serene Retreat
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C&M Interiors
Option 1 - Serene Retreat
Option No. 1: Serene Retreat
1. Seeking to evoke an airy vibe, the designers chose furniture, fixtures, and walls in white, beige, and cream with blue accents.
2. A vintage travertine coffee table, imported from Turkey, and coordinating side table add visual interest. Incorporating rich, natural materials, says Hogrefe, gives a room texture. A gold console table behind the sofa provides a touch of light.
3. The best lighting choice for a room with 8-foot ceilings and a TV above the fireplace? Two cylindrical flush-mount fixtures. "Having flush mounts—rather than a single chandelier, which you see all the time—felt unique to the client," says Krichevsky.
4. The clients wanted the fireplace to serve as the focal point of the room, so the sofa was centered on the fireplace and the TV installed above the mantel. Two swivel chairs were placed to the side of the couch, says Krichevsky, “creating a nice conversational setting.”
5. The clients requested a dedicated space, amply lit, for reading. The armchair to the left of the fireplace serves as a cozy place to relax.
6. A small round table in front of the bay window could be used in several ways: to share a meal, play a game, or enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the view. The table is placed slightly off-center, for a more informal look.
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C&M Interiors
Option 2 - Moody Moves
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C&M Interiors
Option 2 - Moody Moves
Option No. 2: Moody Moves
1. With no TV over the mantel, and no round table in the bay window, the designers opened up the layout to new possibilities. In contrast to the neutral palette in the first look, in this layout richer tones and ornate forms are layered with a mix of dark finishes and wood furniture.
2. The added space gave the designers room for a second sofa, this one in front of the bay window. The extra space footage also made is possible to situate a console table behind the sofa.“There’s a little bit more flow with this design,” Krichevsky says. “We didn’t necessarily want to tuck [the table] into the window in case anybody wants to walk around the sofa.”
3. Tartan wallpaper adds weight to the room and the rich details in the fireplace. “It creates a very moody feel,” says Hogrefe. A low-profile bench or ottoman offers additional seating options without blocking the view of the fireplace.
4. In this layout, a single long light fixture hangs over the length of the cocktail table. “We’re not putting the television in here, [so] that gives us a little more flexibility on the height of the fixture,” says Krichevsky.
