A Large Open Floor Plan on a Lake

I sometimes hear a mild panic in the voice of clients when they move from an urban condo to a much larger home in the ‘burbs: “We have no furniture — help!”

While this family wasn’t panicking, they were living with lots of empty space, having just purchased their home on a lake in a Boston suburb. The furniture that worked well in their smaller condo didn’t quite fit the new space — from scale to upholstery color. And even with a plan to buy new furniture, they weren’t sure how to arrange it.

Open Floor Plan: BEFORE

Open Floor Plan: AFTER

To add warmth and softness to the living area and create a stronger focal point, the fireplace was skim-coated with a pale taupe Venetian plaster by Pauline at Patina Designs, and a new walnut mantel and side shelves built (the old speaker cabinets flanking the fireplace were already empty) by Ramsey Brush and Hammer. Dark sofas and a richly-textured rug helped create a cozy space with the added benefit of being accident-friendly for a large & active family. Bucket swivel chairs allow for movie-viewing, or turning 180º to participate in happenings in other nearby spaces.

The family boasts several musicians, and with the new space there was room for a long-desired baby grand piano. With the extra square footage between the piano and dining room, we created a music seating area — the lounge-y feel meant to encourage spontaneous play, with rugs helping both define space and create a tone.

The family wanted to invest in a dining table to pass down to their children, so we sourced a custom walnut design from a maker in Quebec. The chairs are a classic vintage Danish set designed by Erik Buch and sold by a local Etsy seller. New light fixtures further updated the dining room and breakfast area, which doubles as a homework spot.

The last detail to bring everything together were drapes, which had to be custom-ordered to hang on the existing track system and cornices. A light gold linen drape, sourced from The Shade Store, brought just enough warmth to balance the cool tones in many of the other textiles.