View full sizeHanging chairs, awaiting guests, blend practicality with whimsy.The wide-open spaces of a loft are appealing but can pose a quandary about how best to use, furnish and demarcate the space -- especially when company's over.
Judy Longbrook, a loft owner and designer who operates
offers some tips for creating a loft that works well both for everyday living and for entertaining:
Establish distinct areas within the open space.
Because most lofts have few rooms, Longbrook advocates creating areas defined by carpets or a screening element, such as floor-to-ceiling curtains. In her own loft, Longbrook strategically placed area rugs and furniture groupings within the open, L-shaped space. This way, she says, "During a gathering, people can be together, yet doing different things --like a good beach house."
Opt for fewer, larger furnishings.
Resist the temptation to decorate with small furnishings. Slightly oversize furniture, and less of it, can make a smaller place appear more spacious.
Consider architectural embellishments to soften the hard edges.
Longbrook's goal was to moderate the industrial look of her loft. She added details you'd expect to find in a traditional house, such as tall baseboards, a concrete-and-plaster faux fireplace and a built-in bookshelf capped with substantial crown molding. Well-chosen elements, such as midnight-blue silk drapes and a romantic chandelier of rock crystal and beaded iron, complete the eclectic interior.
Make sure you have extra seating handy.
Longbrook has accomplished this with her whimsical grouping of suspended dining chairs, but you can simply use folding chairs that tuck away in a closet. One tip: Choose narrow chairs so you can fit more around the table. Longbrook says it's perfectly fine, and sometimes adds to the fun, if guests have to crowd in, bumping elbows.
Have fun.
Whether decorating for the holidays or the other days in the year, feel free to inject some humor. "You've got to take chances or it's boring," Longbrook says.
-- Carolyn Donohoe Marieb
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