Appointed Furniture Placement

Over the past 48 hours I shoveled my driveway six times - four times with snow accumulation of five inches or more and two times with a mere dusting. You might be wondering why I thought it was necessary to shovel the two times when there was hardly any accumulation. I'm still wondering myself - as neurotic as it sounds I found gratification in staying ahead of the predicted snowfall and satisfaction in how the driveway looked - perfectly void of any snow while all around the snow is piling up in record depths. My driveway is asphalt and this past summer I had it coated with the black tar that is suppose to prolong the driveway's life. The contrast of the black against all of the white was actually appealing to me. I liked how the shape of the black driveway became more apparent to me as the snow piled high around the edges where the driveway meets the lawn - now buried four feet under.

I've always been drawn to things that have contrast. I find things to be more interesting when there is contrast to make whatever being compared more obvious - each component is more engaging because of the stark differences between the two. For instance Central Park would not be as interesting without the backdrop of the surrounding buildings of New York City. And a silhouette is pleasing because of the stark difference between the background and the foreground - one enhancing the other and vice versa.

Loving What You Have sometimes means creating contrast between the built environment and the furnishings - stating the obvious and making the pieces of furniture stand out against the background of a room. The example above is of a living room in a home near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. The "Before" photograph shows a room with furnishings that neither engage the viewer or stand out against the background that is the architecture. There is just the right amount of seating for conversation except that not all of the pieces are working at their fullest potential.

In the "After" photograph the wing back chair is moved next to the fireplace. This brings added height to the corner of the room - resulting in your eye being drawn to the furthest corner of the room versus your eye stopping in front of the room. The wing back chair also disguises the radiator visible in the "Before" picture. The pair of accent chairs cradle the end of the room opposite the fireplace (one chair was moved out of the picture frame for this particular shot). The mantel accessories are thoughtfully composed in a way that bows to the fireplace - standing like attentive servants waiting for direction. The only end table is now between the sofa and the wing back chair. The books and accessories in the bookcase are recomposed for a better visual from the front entry hall. Finishing touches include fresh flowers on the cocktail table and a fire in the fireplace (Asiatic Lilies have a distinctive sweet scent and the flowers themselves last for several days). The room is very warm and inviting. The furnishings are appointed and patiently wait for an unexpected guest. Loving What You Have means taking care in the things you have - your favorite book, the cushions on your sofa, and the beautiful vase that was once your great grandmother's. Love what you have and what you have will love you back.   Jay Nuhring