Is continuity important?

17 years ago

I keep hearing about "flow" on the TV decorating/staging shows, but am not sure how far one has to go to achieve it. Is it enough to have certain colors repeat from room to room? Must furniture styles also be the same?

When I was growing up, back in the Pleistocene Era, it was common for homes to have very formal and traditional living & dining rooms as well as more casual and contemporary family rooms. For example, my mother's furniture was mostly Chippendale in the formal rooms and Danish Modern in the family room & breakfast nook. She was pretty conservative compared to some of my friends' mothers, who made even more diverse choices. One that stands out in my memory had very ornate Italian themed living/dining rooms and chrome/Naugahyde/laminate in the family/breakfast rooms.

Our previous homes were mostly either beach cottage casual or very contemporary. Neither look works in our current house, and that furniture was gladly taken by our adult children. Our living room is more formal than we've ever had, although the soft leather Bergere chairs by the fireplace are comfortable and it's definitely a room to live in and not just walk past.

Dh wants the hearth room and breakfast nook to be casual, stain-proof and sturdy. Budget dictated that the tan microfiber sofa and loveseat that was meant for the basement must stay in the hearth room, at least until the economy improves. I'd prefer something like Ballard's Avignon table & chairs for the breakfast nook (http://www.ballarddesigns.com/Furniture/Tables/Dining-Tables/Avignon-7Piece-Rectangular-Table-Set/p/9193), but dh saw a rather chunky table and six sturdy chairs at a consignment store that he thinks would be perfect, since he & ds are big guys. It's something like this set at "O". The walnut of the resale set works well with both the kitchen cabinets and other furniture in the house. The breakfast nook can be seen from the open hall that runs beside the living room, which is the main reason I'm hesitating. Would you find it jarring to see casual dining furniture like this when the formal rooms have mostly reproductions of 18th C. English & French styles?

Here is a link that might be useful: breakfast nook table & chairs

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Comments (6)

Oakley
17 years ago
Not at all! In fact my favorite look which I'm trying to achieve is mixing antique furniture, reproductions along with new/semi-formal pieces.

Our living room has mostly new furniture with few antique pieces in a different type of wood and finish.

I think that table would not only be comfortable, but look nice in any home unless the home is ultra modern. And you can always "fancy" it up by putting a table runner and vase of flowers on it. :)
funkyart
17 years ago
I do think continuity is important but I don't necessarily think that has to mean all rooms have the same style, woods, colors. Threads of continuity can hit one of those elements or something completely different. It need not be so literal.

That said-- I don't like throwing classic MCM in amongst other styles. It is a personal preference. I might use some MCM fabrics or patterns though.

As for your options--I agree, I think the avignon set sounds like a better match for the home you have described. I also think it looks much more sturdy and comfortable. Just my opinion.
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awm03
17 years ago
I enjoy a mix of styles. It's visually refreshing and keeps a home from being predictable or too conventional. As for flow, my experience is one's tastes have a certain consistency to them, and that often provides the flow from room to room. I gravitate towards austerity with a few fussy patterns thrown in.
rockmanor
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks, y'all. I think price will win this one. The remains of TS Claudette blew down a huge tree on Monday and the clean-up cost blew my budget. Since the tree blocked our way out, the job couldn't be postponed. On the bright side, I have a fabric stash that will provide for recovering the seats so I can customize the consignment set without any extra outlay.
awm03
17 years ago
Oh my. Glad the tree didn't fall on your house, rockmanor.

"One that stands out in my memory had very ornate Italian themed living/dining rooms and chrome/Naugahyde/laminate in the family/breakfast rooms. " Ah yes, I remember that era! The reason I dislike anything "Tuscan" or "Old World" to this day :)
marthaelena
17 years ago
I do think a house should have a sense of UNIT and balance. It should not look like random pieces put together - the result could be a "Frankenstein".
You do not have to go to extremes where everything is "matchy Âmatchy"
Rooms could have different styles, colors and atmospheres Â still, Âsomething" could tie them together.
When we got married 9 years ago, we got a master bedroom set that is classic, real wood with some carvings (Kincaid - Laura Ashley). Since my taste "evolved" to a cleaner look and as at this time, I do not like the "sets" in one room, I spread some pieces to other bedrooms, placed some more contemporary art in the Master BD and now I am ok with it.