Our client had inherited a baby grand piano and it was inhabiting a corner of his living room. But with its Victorian carved wood detail, it didn’t tie into anything else he owned, which was mostly a modern mix of furniture and accessories. The piano was, in short, the proverbial elephant in the room. The walls were painted a cool blue and the room features a black marble fireplace surround, so we felt the room needed rounding out with transitional lines, medium wood tones and warmth, warmth, warmth. The client's overstuffed red sofa and love seat weren’t doing the job.

Red and blue were colors used throughout the home, so we employed them freely in this space - tempering the brights with wheat tones and flaxen golds, as well as hits of black to tie into the black marble fireplace. A complete reconfiguration of the furniture was also in our design plan.

We chose Levolor wood blinds in an oak finish and Pottery Barn's French Stripe curtains, along with oil-rubbed bronze curtain hardware and rings from JC Penney for the relaxed family and media room. A neutral sectional grounds the space, while warm barn red walls provide a color accent. An arc lamp and reflective wall art amp up the modernity. We complemented the red with a French blue in pillows.