Gillian Drummond, Comfort and Convenience

Here's a great article by Gillian Drummond, Interior Insights Creating a room of comfort and convenience

In choosing comfortable seating, use mostly upholstered furniture. Vary the size, style, and purpose. Use a mix of chairs and sofas to form conversation groups. In a small room, arrange the furniture to accommodate one large group of at least six people. In a larger room, consider having two or more groupings, which could be for as few as two people and, depending on the size of your room, as many as six or more. Also, use pull-up chairs with wood or painted frames to make a grouping more interesting.

Beyond choosing furniture that is comfortable, how else can you bring comfort to your seating arrangements? With tables and lamps. Place tables adjacent to the chairs and sofas. On each table put a lamp that casts a soft light — bright enough to lighten the room and for reading, but not too bright or poorly placed so that it shines in anyone’s eyes.

Tables are an important element in a room devoted to comfort and convenience. Keep tabletops clear for wonderful lamps and objects of beauty, which express your personality and interests. Use tables in a variety of sizes and shapes. Select from a wonderful array of woods and other finishes: mahogany, walnut, oak. Adding tables that are painted, lacquered or made of metal are other good options. Also, trunks and boxes can add variety and convenience as surfaces and storage. In addition to tables with legs, add ones with pedestal bases. When considering tables and chairs, be careful not to use furniture with too many legs in one room. Variety is the spice of life.

Drummond advocates using decorative screens for visual excitement and height in a room. She suggests adding furniture with mass to balance a room like trunks and armoires. She writes like she has been visiting our showroom.