One of the greatest things about our generation, is our ability to adapt. Whether you want to blame or praise technology, it definitely has kept us on our toes and gotten us accustomed to a constant influx of change. When it comes to the way we live in our homes, we are less constrained by the ideas of what “should be” and tend to adapt our spaces to the personal life going outside of them.
Why not turn the formal living room into a playroom? Or a formal dining room into a shoe closet?
My client, the same one with the very yellow walls in the kitchen, would like to transform the living room into a piano room, which isn’t a huge twist except for the fact that it’s actually quite old school. Interestingly enough, she is the second of my clients in the last few weeks who requested help with the very same thing. If a horse can have its own room, then the piano certainly should as well!
Here is the before for her space:
Besides the fact that my client adamantly wants the walls addressed first, I think an area rug, bookshelves, and, of course, the piano will be our next priorities. I think the hardest part will be trying to decide whether to go light or dark because either one is pretty spectacular if you ask me!
Which way would you go if you had this space? Dark? Light? Or Somewhere In Between?
Here is some more inspiration to help you choose…
As much as the colour choices are a fun final step, the most important aspect of this room will be the acoustics. How is this room going to be used? Is the owner a pianist that will practice in this space, is it for entertaining, recording or just a focal point? My daughter studies opera and believe me, the room may look beautiful, but if the acoustics are not addressed first, no one will want to use it. There are many aspects that must be addressed before dark or light. Even that you need to know what time of day the room will be used the most. A dramatic dark room if used mostly in the evening is phenomenal with accent lighting and candles. A light room seems better if used mostly during daylight hours when the ambient lighting is more important. Design has so many questions.
Anne, you are so right! I think the family uses it more as a hobby so I think for them it should be ok, but thanks for that great reminder!
As much as the colour choices are a fun final step, the most important aspect of this room will be the acoustics. How is this room going to be used? Is the owner a pianist that will practice in this space, is it for entertaining, recording or just a focal point? My daughter studies opera and believe me, the room may look beautiful, but if the acoustics are not addressed first, no one will want to use it. There are many aspects that must be addressed before dark or light. Even that you need to know what time of day the room will be used the most. A dramatic dark room if used mostly in the evening is phenomenal with accent lighting and candles. A light room seems better if used mostly during daylight hours when the ambient lighting is more important. Design has so many questions.
Anne, you are so right! I think the family uses it more as a hobby so I think for them it should be ok, but thanks for that great reminder!
As much as the colour choices are a fun final step, the most important aspect of this room will be the acoustics. How is this room going to be used? Is the owner a pianist that will practice in this space, is it for entertaining, recording or just a focal point? My daughter studies opera and believe me, the room may look beautiful, but if the acoustics are not addressed first, no one will want to use it. There are many aspects that must be addressed before dark or light. Even that you need to know what time of day the room will be used the most. A dramatic dark room if used mostly in the evening is phenomenal with accent lighting and candles. A light room seems better if used mostly during daylight hours when the ambient lighting is more important. Design has so many questions.
Anne, you are so right! I think the family uses it more as a hobby so I think for them it should be ok, but thanks for that great reminder!
Light! The lighter rooms in your inspiration photos appealed to me the most. And the piano is most likely black, right?
Light! The lighter rooms in your inspiration photos appealed to me the most. And the piano is most likely black, right?
Light! The lighter rooms in your inspiration photos appealed to me the most. And the piano is most likely black, right?