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joyaudet8

Piano

13 years ago
Our piano is in its acoustically ideal location. How do I decorate around it in this open plan room? How can I bring color to this space?

Comments (37)

  • PRO
    13 years ago
    that darker accent wall looks quite nice in the room, perhaps try adding some colors to the current 'beige' scheme.
  • 13 years ago
    Thank you for your comment! And your definitely right about ideal location in terms of piano health. There is no available space for placement along our interior wall, as it contains all doors to a bedroom, bathroom and closets and an open kitchen. I don`t know how super well insulated our home is but it is newer. I just do not enjoy the sound of the piano against our outside wall - I know you understand this. That said, it does seem easier to work with there. I like your ideas about bold color and agree my dining room rug should be larger! Thank you, again, so much for your comments!
  • 13 years ago
    Thank you, Dytecture.
  • 13 years ago
    last modified: 13 years ago
    Too bad that FP wall is not large enough for the piano. It is really cramped for the FP. When you decide on a bigger project, consider building a taller pony wall where the piano is and moving the FP there, if it is portable and not dependent on gas lines. Looks like it might be alcohol, gel or electric.
  • 13 years ago
    Right! And, thanks!
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    What the back of this piece look like from the entry? It looks massive in the area it is placed.
  • 13 years ago
    Too bad you can't figure a way for it to be a room divider ...lol maybe a different pink and centered in room :)
  • 13 years ago
    *piano
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    would a curtain hanging behind the piano offer some protection and continuity of temperature for piano health - and inject a bit of colour too ?? and maybe a matching rug ??
  • 13 years ago
    It is massive in the areas it is place, Oellien Design, and is certainly a entryway statement. I am not partial to this piano, Bobby, but here in Quebec, the market for another type of piano is limited.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    You know I know you should never place a piano on an exterior wall but this case you should place the big dude on the wall between the living and dining spaces. The other furniture pieces can float in the room. I would think walking into your home and seeing the back of the piano is not sexy at all and then to have the big guy block the view and the light to the split entry is also not good. If you move the piano to the exterior wall just keep it out from the wall a good 6" so that air can flow around it. The big wall will reduce the scale the scale of the piano.
  • 13 years ago
    You can add an upholstered wood frame on the back of the piano.
  • 13 years ago
    Thank you.
  • 13 years ago
    For 30 yrs.. we have lived in the same house (built in 1800's). My dilemma has always been "Where to place the piano so that it looks like it fits into its surroundings, is located vs. an inside wall, and does not block one's view to the outdoors. Tho' our piano was purchased new in 1980, it still has enough height to block one's view to an outside window. Finally, after all these yrs., we are having an addition built onto our house. Item #1 will be the piano . . . this time, its bench will be next to an insulated, exterior wall, so that as I play, I can view the scenery around me. The piano will be placed vs. the northern wall whose windows will look out upon our land's least scenic view. Love the low-cut digital pianos but not their non-acoustic sound! :) This will be a music room. On display will be our collection of folk instruments. A curved bookcase below the windows will contain some of our many music books. Can't wait 'til it is done, so that our spirits will be elevated to want to play our instruments and make use of our collection of music.
  • 13 years ago
    I`m certainly envious. :)
  • 13 years ago
    My husband is an artist (has a studio above our garage)/art teacher of gr. 7 - 12. I taught elem. strings, gr. 3-5. Thru the yrs., we have collected various instruments: classical guitars, psalteries, dulcimers, banjo, talking drum, thumb piano, recorders, penny whistles, fiddle and classical music books, fiddle, as well as a large collection of Ty Baby (sp?) stuffed animals that I used when teaching Suzuki strings. Now that I retired, I need a PLACE in which to display the items that I used during my teaching career. Having them on display will invite us to take them out and use them for our own benefit, making music. :) This will be a room with lots of windows, facing East, South an West. The sun's rays energize me.
  • 13 years ago
    Well, maybe you can tell me what I need to do with my little one to encourage his interest in music. He is 18 months. :)
  • 13 years ago
    Where are you located? IN which state? Zoltan Kodaly, Hungarian composer & educator, devised a developmental way to teach music literacy/love for authentic, top quality folk music for children. In time, his system transitions to great classical music also. I earned a Master's degree in Kodaly Music Education from Holy Names Univ. in CA. Then, took many summers of string pedagogy at the Suzuki Short Term Teacher Training Institutes at Ithaca College in NY. Kodaly is to vocal music what Suzuki is to strings. They are the BMW of music education, in my opinion. Suz. strings start at age 3 years. They have a national directory of teachers, online. For Kodaly vocal music intro to music singing games/play, I would refer you to the person listed for your state.
  • 13 years ago
    last modified: 13 years ago
    Then you are probably aware of Oberlin College. Our little one sure enjoys this piano.
  • 13 years ago
    Yes!
  • 13 years ago
    My mother is a professional musician and teacher. We have always had the piano placed on an inside wall if at all possible. In some of the houses we lived in, that was not possible. The current solution is to place the piano out into the room and line up bookcases across the back of the piano. This moderates temperatures and also keeps the sound of the piano from overwhelming all ears in the high-ceilinged lath-and-plaster living room. With a wood floor, sounds are naturally very lively and the bookcases help tone it down a little. And our family abhors a room without books, so it fits well with our lifestyle.
  • 13 years ago
    I plan to have our piano's bench next to the wall, with the piano's being next to the bench, so i will face into the room, as I play. There will be a window behind the piano bench, sending light onto the music on the piano.
  • 13 years ago
    Perhaps put the piano where the sofa and chair are with a bookcase to the back (as suggested by Ruth Sings) and arrange the seating around the room in such a way that the size of the piano is balanced somewhat. If you have an upright piano it can't help but be a focal point, as it should be, in my opinion. The temptation to submit to decorating concerns over joy should be resisted. Much like a kitchen and good food, a piano can be another center that creates memories within the home.
  • 13 years ago
    Why don't you drywall the area behind the piano ? It would solve all your problems. Hide the back of the piano and give it its personal niche. I suggest you reunite the two armchairs and have them facing the piano, their back to the dining room, the way they are now makes the room incoherent. That looks like an electric fireplace, if it is , why not place it on the wall near the window and it them becomes part of the music/living room. Put the desk from the dining room in its place, move the buffet (?) up in its the old area where the desk was. try it , you might just like it. Also, if you do a frame display on your wall, the frames need to be very straight, It is quite pretty , but very distracting if the frames are crooked. I think it will look quite good when you are finished. good luck
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    I think you should start by subtracting. Remove the items from the top of the piano. If you can, loose the cocktail table and the arm chair visible in the picture. Bring in a table that is open on the bottom and add a lighter chair - brighter in both color and size. Look to crate and barrel or PB for reasonably priced pieces. Also, think texture as you add. Maybe a stone topped cocktail table and make sure the chair isn't in the same texture of the sofa - ie linen on one piece and velvet on another. An inexpensive sisal rug under the furniture would also help to lighten and add texture. Again, PB has a VERY reasonable sisal that is flat, not bordered, and very attractive. It comes in two tones. It looks like you have a lot of brown in the room. Bring in tan to lighten and then decide on ONE accent color (blue-green, orange, red, gold to name a few) which you use in various shades to layer into the room. Only buy things that can be returned in case it doesn't look right when you get it home.

    As an example, the throw you have on the piano could be folded over the back of a new chair in tan. That would lighten, open up the space, and add a pop of color without being overpowering. Make sure the chair is not skirted and has legs that are at least 4" high. that will begin to lighten the area. Have fun with it - enjoy.
  • 13 years ago
    Hi Joy, Beautiful room and congratulations on having music in your home. I think that you have a nice setup the way that it is. I would suggest perhaps just a very small change for your art on the wall just above your sofa area. I see you also have a desk just to the left of the sofa. If this is so, may I suggest to hang the ladder horizontally on the wall just above the desk, and hang the two prints that you have, centered, just below the ladder, above your desk area. Ensure that the ladder and two prints are centered above desk and high enough and low enough that it looks balanced on the wall. In the space that is now available above your sofa area, I would hang a large piece of art, something that you love, but larger....so that it fills that space. Making this small change, now connects the whole room on that side. Sounds like you have an artistic family, so maybe someone could paint a piece and hang it there. Good luck,
  • 13 years ago
    The room looks cluttered with all the heavy bulky dark fabric furniture. A nice slim-lined modular lounge (one which you can still see the lovely wooden floor underneath) would work wonders and also would tone down the impact of the bulky (but beautiful) piano.
  • 13 years ago
    I would place an airy but decorative panel behind the piano and light the area with a beautiful chandelliere. Float the sofa towards the piano for listening pleasure and add some substantial colorful artwork to the beige wall that incorporates the small writing desk.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Do you have space to move the living room furniture forward, and put the piano behind the sofa, almost like a "sofa table" so it's in the center(ish) of the room? You could play around with flip-flopping the dining room & living room. It looks like you have many options.
  • 13 years ago
    RuthSings, pianos and bookcases make great combinations. I appreciate your, `go for it`, comments myrnamargaret! pivoines, I agree frames need to be `crisp`. While `trying`my idea, I didn`t get that far, thanks! I like your minimal approach, cliffordthedog, with punches of color. Thank you for adding detail to your comment. Great idea with the ladder and prints, stylishdigs! Thank you, plentr. Colorful artwok is inspiring, Idoyal. Kris Porter, we do have options. The dining room/living room exchange idea offered even more. Thanks!
  • 13 years ago
    Is the Piano too big to put 'cocked' in the corner, with the railing to th right? If not, you can dress up the area by adding a few bright colors: Mossy Green & Coral with a little Cheddar Yellow would be great accents on curtains, throw pillows, a bright rug, as was mentioned earlier. If you have the time, or know someone who sews, three-tiered (or 3-sectioned) grommet curtains would be excellent & easy to make! Also stencilling the walls. (Yes, its still in fashion yet) Stencil just above the chair rail & around the window & door framing (or just @ the moulding @ceiling) using a few of those same accent colors may improve a plain palate.-How about a unique stenciled Pomegranite in pumpkin color, moss green & brown? Could you paint some of your furniture to give the room some pop? If that isn't possible, maybe you could stencil a few pieces of furniture? I see that you have a plant on your piano. You could opt for a long traling Ivy (Live or Silk) & put it in a Coral colored pot on the far right of the Piano top & let it hang over the edge, then put a brighly colored pillar candle in the center, on a dish. Make use of brighly colored silk flowers here & there. Tie in your color palate by putting a folded throw cover over the sofa back. Matching colored Lamps, even small candles add to the look. Add a "Mrs.G--Cleff" wall art sculpture on the wall by the piano.. Perhaps a grouping of similar musical items on the wall. Caution is need though, don't add so much that the room gets cluttered. Hope this helps.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    I think your furniture is misplaced. I would put the piano against the wall, and figure out where the rest of the furniture goes.

    Also, a large area rug will bring the place together (the one you have is very small).

    You can replace some of the pillows on that couch with more colorful ones for added interest.

    Also check out my art. I have hundreds of configurations available with different sizes. https://www.etsy.com/shop/katshoa

    Good luck!
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Well. If you decide to leave the piano there, you could consider engaging the space directly above the piano with a mobile. I bought a colorful mobile with transparent, clear jewels tones from a museum store for about $35.00. Or suspend something long from the ceiling above it. You could see something hanging there from below. Maybe use one of those tree branch long lights. I have a piano and it is in a corner with a big window on each side. It is not ideal, but our house is small. I caint let the tail wag the dog, in my case
  • 13 years ago
    You need to move the piano to the wall between the windows. It look like there is only a guard rail behind it. This is not safe. Also, the space is small and open enough, with several hard surfaces, that it shouldn't matter acoustically where you put it.
    I would put the piano against the wall between the windows, closet to the table, and move the seating area towards the stairs. The room will flow better. For color, I would get a larger, colorful patterned rug for the seating area, and add some bold colored throw pillows. The moved piano will also add some contrast/color to the long yellow wall.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Your sofa sitting area would benefit from more color and more lighting. For lighting the floor lamp is a start. I suggest you replace the small table lamp with a larger one or another floor lamp with a translucent shade. A significantly larger area rug in bold colors - one that goes under your sofa and extends out several inches or more. You want to anchor your sitting area on that area rug. Add throw pillows in bold colors to go with the rug. Instead of a coffee table (You have no leg room with one) have a set of contemporary nesting tables or C-tables that you can move near where you and your guests are sitting on an as-needed basis.
    Good Luck on making your new house into a home!
  • 13 years ago
    If you love your piano please keep it out of the light! I just had my baby grand refinished and it cost over $5000! The refiisher said it had faded badly over the years in my mother's house even though she had the curtains closed. He advised putting it in a room with black out curtains or shutters. If you leave your piano in the light the finish will fade and probably crackle plus the heat from direct light might affect tuning or cause warping. Anyone need a good refinisher? I have a name in Chicago.
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