A few weeks ago I wrote about our needing a new cocktail table for our family room and I asked for input from you, the readers. Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful suggestions and ideas. Some of you confirmed what I was already thinking and others gave me new food for thought.
In the end though, the decision has to be what works best in this room.
Every room has issues and in this one it is allowing for a traffic path.
Let me show you what I mean.
Our family room is in the center of the back side of our house. As a result you have to be able to walk through those french doors from the dining room
through this door toward the other rooms on the back side of the house.
This means that with the exception of the media center the bulk of the furniture lines up on the south side of the room leaving a large open space that results in an off balance feel.
The media center needs to be on the only wall without windows. As you can see, I don't have a lot of furniture placement options here and so I have chosen my pieces for this room with this thought in mind.
The sofas and chairs were new early this year but the existing table is something I have had for years.
I still love this trunk but it is undersized for the room as it is arranged now and a bit too rustic for the look I am going for.
My goal was to choose a piece that would help me fill in the center of the room better and to visually pull some weight toward the media center.
I would eventually like to add two small benches or stools to the right side of the new table to help distribute the weight of the room out even further. Something like this.
With my room in mind I went looking for a table.
First of all I knew it had to be over sized. Really big.
All other things being equal I would have liked to have had a round table in the center but after thinking it through I realized that square would be a more functional option allowing access to the table from most of the seating.
So then I had to think about wood or upholstery. Because we like to put our feet up here I decided upholstered was more comfortable.
I knew it when I saw it. I only have the factory image but I went with this table from Norwalk.
It's an over sized 47x47 inches square and the best part is that it opens up for additional storage. Something an old house like ours never seems to have enough of.
Finally I had to decide on a fabric. I wanted it to wear well and with all of those windows I really needed it to be fade resistant. I was also hoping for a vibrant splash of pattern and color.
So what did I decide?
Well I went with the Norwalk storage ottoman in this Sunbrella fabric.
I can hardly wait for it to arrive.
It isn't what I first imagined but we all have not only style to consider but also shape, function, and size.
I think I'm going to like this here.
Stop back later this week for a reveal of my black and white Hollywood Regency inspired painted cabinet, a review of a new skin care line, and some very easy fall decor ideas that will take you beyond Halloween.
xoxo,
p