Look at the Big Picture

This photo shows a beautiful space. The vaulted ceiling provides a great open feel, the glass doors allow the bright light to spreads throughout, and the wood floors are a rich beautiful medium brown that works with just about anything.

Just about anything, that is, except for the furniture shown here. Let’s take a minute and figure out why.

By themselves, the elements that make up this furniture grouping work well together. The pink on the pillows and throws are echoed in the tables and large pot. They are also in proportion with each other. However, there is no connection to the space they inhabit.

Consider color. The white walls and wood floor are clear tones. This makes the “sort-of” white wicker loveseat frame look dirty, which is echoed by the dull grey cushions. The white-on white plus grey on the largest piece of furniture doesn’t give it enough color strength to stand up to all what white. Pulling in black through painting the wicker and changing the cushions would give the loveseat more presence and anchor it in the space. The two tables coordinate well with the floor, but get a bit lost by echoing the wood tone. The pink pot needs to be brighter to really link well with the other pieces.

Size is the other disproportionate factor. The grouping is simply too small for its space. Creating a bit more separation among the pieces, adding furniture elements and adding one or more large art pieces on the surrounding walls would help pull everything together.

Are there places in your home where the space and its furniture just don’t suit each other? Look beyond the immediate view and take an opportunity to see the big picture. You may find that a few changes create the connection you want between your home and its décor.