Home & Garden Creating a cohesive style for a living-dining combination
By Mari-Jane Williams December 23
THE CHALLENGE Robin Citrone is trying to make the most of the 11-by-21-foot living and dining room in her Reston townhouse. She wants to include her large mirror and a TV, but she’s unsure about how to arrange the furniture around the sliding glass doors to create a cozy, comfortable retreat, while also making the living and dining areas cohesive.
THE SOLUTION
Designer Lena Kroupnik updates Citrone’s sofa and chairs with accent pillows and strategically places the furniture so that she can watch TV or enjoy the view outside.
Give the room a warm backdrop with greige paint, such as Drabware by C2.
Consider adding a railing between the living and dining areas to better define the spaces, when the budget allows.
Keep the existing dining table, but paint the top a rich walnut brown to complement the legs of the new side chairs.
Live plants, such as a fiddle-leaf fig, bring life into the room and will soften the area next to the television.
Mix ceiling, table and floor lamps to provide proper lighting for the room’s many uses.
A bronze and glass coffee table adds a touch of elegance and a classy backdrop for displaying items.
Anchor the seating area with an area rug in a subtle abstract design.
SHOPPING GUIDE
Furniture: French linen slipcover dining chairs in bisque ($738 for set of two, lampsplus.com); Julianne dining chairs ($700 for set of two,macys.com); Pavo side table ($398, anthropologie.com).
Accessories: Villena brass buffet lamp ($321, likemodern.com); Broche six-light 517-GA chandelier in antique gold ($798, crystoramalightinglights.com);embroidered edge curtain panels in Sienna ($158 for 96-inch,anthropologie.com); Magical Thinking Fezo woven bolster pillow in orange ($69, urbanoutfitters.com); Astor floor lamp ($249) and Maddox orange 18-inch pillow with feather-down insert ($35), both from crateandbarrel.com); Laton buffet lamp in brass ($213, amazon.com).