Yesterday we met with our client who is moving from a suburban home on 2.5 acres to a townhouse in the neighboring city of Birmingham, MI. The above photograph of their current living room illustrates their appreciation of art, antiques and fine detail. We are taking many of these furnishings, objects and are and moving them to the new house.
This is the new living room. It has completely different proportions (floor layout, ceiling heights, window openings, etc.) which would usually require furnishing, lamp and accessory selections that reflected this more expansive space. Over the next couple of months we'll be sharing pictures of the transformation.
What we really want to share with you is the process a designer goes through when tackling a job like this.
Initially, we make an inventory of the clients' existing furniture, rugs, lamps, accessories, art and various other objects that make up their home. We document all of them with photographs along with meticulous measurements.. We take that documentation and develop an initial furniture layout with rug and lamp locations. This "map" illustrates where there are empty spaces requiring additional pieces. Over a series of meetings with the clients the proposed layout is reviewed and approved by them.
At this stage we keep things pretty loose and sketchy. Nothing is hard lined onto the drawing. We don't want to intimidate the client into thinking that the decisions are final and carved in stone. Continuing discussions lead to modifications. This drawing was developed for final review at which time the sofa facing the fireplace was switched with the two chairs and the sofa table was eliminated. Also, by request of the clients, the secretary and two chairs in the gallery hall are being moved into the great room and will be placed on the wall to the left of the fireplace. (I'm not sure that will work but we'll see at the time of installation.)
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