Gilles Clement's Roomscapes: Asymmetrical Rooms

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Asymmetrical rooms are often found in older Connecticut homes and represent a certain challenge to design. This particular living room is opened perpendicularly on two of its four walls, making the furniture lay-out and the need to sit at least eight people a difficult task. Often, the answer hides in the problem; the asymmetry of the room. Here, the only solution was to aesthetically reframe the area by cheating the eye around the focal point, the fireplace.
By using a pair of elegant and transitional Hickory Chair sofas covered with exquisite fabric from Beacon Hill, the room suddenly gains back its visual balance and gives back to the fireplace its role of focal point. The exquisite fabric pattern of the sofas picks up the colors of the rug, creating a visual balance between the furniture and the fireplace. Furniture lay-out is fundamental when decorating any space, but so is the scale of each piece. In this room, the two demi-lune consoles by Councill emphasize the symmetry created by the sofas, while offering natural display for accessories, and maintaining the scale small and discreet.

Naturally, one side of the room will find itself with a larger space behind the sofa. Therefore, the two custom made chairs, dressed in beautiful Beacon Hill silk in front of the windows, punctuated by a stunning center display cabinet by Century Furniture, serves as the perfect balance for this space. And offers the two additional required seating in case of a party of eight. On the fireplace wall, the pair of Italian sconces and the pair of English artist prints by Throwbridge from England, also emphasize the symmetrical design of the room. When using sconces and art on the same wall, try to place the electrical outlets at a height that will level your sconces’ lights with the center of your art’s frames.
It is important, when designing a rectangular room, to break its length through smart design. One of the most efficient ways to do so is to introduce options that emphasize the room’s height. In this case, long drapery panels placed as high as possible, over the two beautiful long windows, flawlessly balance the shape of this room by creating a more dramatic aesthetic statement. The display cabinet is also high, offering a direct view of the homeowner’s collection without being obstructed by the sofa’s height. To build a successful color palette, start with a rug, and choose contrasting colors that will coordinate the tones of the rug. As Mongiardino pointed out so well: “Rooms speak, just try to listen…”