{"id":268043,"date":"2018-01-11T18:32:33","date_gmt":"2018-01-11T23:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?p=268043"},"modified":"2021-12-15T07:44:22","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T12:44:22","slug":"make-big-spaces-feel-homey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/make-big-spaces-feel-homey\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways to Make a Big Space Feel Homey"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A

A wide-open lake house in Texas, designed by Fern Santini<\/a>, feels relaxing, thanks to plush furniture in the living room and sunroom. Photo by Nick Johnson<\/p><\/div>\n

Large rooms are not inherently conducive to relaxation. They can feel drafty, echoey and isolating. However, some strategic design tricks can make the biggest of spaces (yes, even a ballroom) feel a bit snugger.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about finding small ways to inject warmth into the design mix: Layers, texture and filling depth are key. Here, the pros tell us how they steer oversized interiors into cozy territory.<\/p>\n

\n

Devise a Space within the Space<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Photo by Ashley Hicks<\/p><\/div>\n

Inside an 18th-century English country house in Devon, Ashley Hicks<\/a> ingeniously transformed the ballroom into a place that would feel comfortable for bonding with the kids and for entertaining lots of guests. To do this, the designer says, \u201cI proposed four sofas which join together to form a giant hexagonal sitting area. They can be undone and pushed into the four corners of the room to convert it into a party space for dinner or dancing.\u201d<\/p>\n

To ensure the sectional sofas<\/a> wouldn\u2019t feel overwhelming, Hicks picked neutral gray upholstery that he accented with crimson cushions<\/a>, complimented by red Perspex tables<\/a> and a huge ottoman<\/a>. The strategy of creating \u201ca space within the space,\u201d says Hicks, can be achieved with other furnishings as well. He recommends dividing up a large interior with bookcases<\/a> or even creating a tented area inside a room. To test how a new setup will look beforehand, you can make use of interior design apps<\/a> that allow you to preview a space.<\/p>\n

\n

Make It All Special<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Photo by Grey Crawford<\/p><\/div>\n

Betsy Burnham designs by one seemingly straightforward rule: \u201cMake each piece something special,\u201d she says. Her mantra worked to great effect when transforming a large-scale Beverly Hills living room<\/a> into a more inviting space. She started with the geometric wall treatment, which, she says \u201ccreates a bold statement and serves as one of the only patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the rest of the decor, Burnham decided to stay \u201cnarrow and deep with the palette and made sure fabrics were luxe.\u201d Wool suiting, velvet and tweed add tactility throughout the room. \u201cTexture creates intimacy,\u201d she says. \u201cThe best rooms have simple palettes but a great mix of fabrics and accessories<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Find an Anchor<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Photo by Tim Street-Porter<\/p><\/div>\n

At another Beverly Hills home<\/a>, a sitting room attached to a kitchen left an expanse of space not ideally suited for snug family time. So Jeff Andrews anchored the room with a u-shaped sofa. \u201cIt creates a perfect area for both kids and guests to relax and hang out in view of the kitchen,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Andrews stresses that it is better to choose one large, comfortable piece of furniture rather than \u201ctrying to fill a room with a bunch of smaller unusable pieces.\u201d He also chose two fabric shades for the sofa, utilizing the darker one on the outside to frame the seating area.<\/p>\n

\n

Vary the Height<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Photo by Brooke Holm<\/p><\/div>\n

A New York City townhouse with a vertical orientation<\/a> is not unusual, but the airiness was an issue for Giancarlo Valle. The designer says he often aims to \u201cmix heights to create depth and layers in a space. If done well, it can give the feeling of people in a space even if it is empty.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this living room, Valle balanced the openness by installing caf\u00e9 curtains, which blur out the lower half of the windows and \u201ccreate a more intimate and calmer backdrop when you are seated.\u201d Valle also utilized strong colors (on the fireplace, upholstery and light fixture) and texture (as with the jute rug) so that each piece has plenty of character.<\/p>\n

\n

Fill the Depth<\/h2>\n
\"\"

Photo by Victoria Pearson<\/p><\/div>\n

The cavernous living room of a house in California\u2019s Pacific Palisades left Madeline Stuart<\/a> with a lot of air to fill. Her decorating solution? \u201cAll the elements in the room possess patina and depth,\u201d the designer says. \u201cRichly textured fabrics, plush rugs<\/a> and coarsely woven window treatments imbue the space with warmth.\u201d<\/p>\n

These materials visually soften the wood<\/a>, stone<\/a> and iron furnishings<\/a> found throughout the room. \u201cMinimize the metal!\u201d advises Stuart, who also hung the light fixture<\/a> several feet down from the high ceiling to humanize the space. \u201cBy lowering the overall height of the chandelier, we\u2019ve subliminally insinuated a lower ceiling, which people find more comforting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Split the Width<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Photo by Christopher Patey<\/p><\/div>\n

Big interiors require focal points for visual and physical comfort. In a family home in Pasadena, California<\/a>, the large living room with a horizontal orientation has a built-in dominant piece: the fireplace<\/a>. Betsy Burnham decided to eschew the obvious and \u201cignore the fireplace completely,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s when it finally came together.\u201d<\/p>\n

She put a daybed<\/a> in the center of the room, thereby creating two separate seating areas. Each one had its own sofa<\/a>, cocktail table<\/a> and area rug<\/a>. \u201cNow, the family has a room that can be intimate for a handful of people and can also accommodate a crowd,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\n

Get Glowing<\/h2>\n
\"\"

Photo by Gibeon Photography<\/p><\/div>\n

This Big Sky, Montana, living room is indeed big<\/em>. To combat the expansiveness, William Peace<\/a> paired new pieces with antiques, all of which have a rustic commonality<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He made sure there was plenty of \u201cglow\u201d: There’s the fireplace, of course, but also a multi-bulb chandelier and indirect lighting aimed at the wood-lined surfaces. The reclaimed log beams help frame the space, making the height of the ceiling seem lower than it actually is. Peace dubs it \u201cthe ultimate cozy room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
Browse Furnishings to Fill the Void<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t