Furniture back: New momentum for your apartment
How do I find the best place for my furniture?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: Are there any general rules and tips to keep in mind when using the large furniture backrest?
Jutta Werner, Designer: One should first consider which piece of furniture or what situation in the apartment is the main actor - and who the supporting actor. Apartments live from "living pictures" and sensible functional sequences. If I have a great big sofa and spend a lot of time there, I should put it in scene and support the effect with a nice carpet and good light. I like to cook for guests, the dining area is my main actor. Then I allow myself a generous table and comfortable chair and combine it with a huge picture on the wall. The living area becomes a supporting actor, maybe there are three small lounge chairs with side tables.
Which lamp optimally sets the dining table in scene?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: Our dining area is lit only by a floor and a wall lamp. How can I put him in a better light? Does it have to be a ceiling light?
Jutta Werner: Of course, not every dining table needs a ceiling light - on the contrary! Ceiling lights are fixed and fix the position of the dining table. In order to enjoy a central light source above the dining table, I would recommend a floor lamp with a long swivel arm, e.g. "Arco" by Flos or "Dimensions" by Ligne Roset.
How do I comfortably set up small rooms?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: I have several small rooms, in which I have put correspondingly small pieces of furniture, usually directly to the walls. However, the rooms are not comfortable. What can I change?
Hans-Jürgen Marx, interior designer: Small rooms with many small furniture seem over furnished and restless. It is better to put a few large furniture. For example, a beautiful sofa can dominate a room, the rest of the space is complemented with a few custom furniture, carpets and accessories. You can work with different light levels on the ceiling, wall and floor. So the room looks tidy and cozy.
How do pictures stay exciting?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: I have reproductions of modern pictures hanging in my apartment (eg by Marc Rothko). I still like her, but I realize that I do not really look anymore. What can I do against the habituation effect?
Sabine Bischof: It is good to hang pictures over and over again, to exchange them within a room and from room to room, thus creating new relationships with the furniture. This also changes the spatial effect. It can also be exciting to change the color of a wall, so that a picture may have a completely different effect.
How do you combine playful and strict?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: I like colorful vases, sweeping candlesticks, patterned pillows. But my furniture has a rather strict design. At the moment, my playful accessories are scattered around the corners of the room. How can I better bring both styles together?
Sabine Bischof, Designer and Interior Designer: Decorating is like clothing: good, timeless basics combined with trendy accessories can create an exciting contrast. One should not be afraid to bring the two styles together in close spatial relationships. The opulent chandelier looks as good on the simple wooden table as the colorfully patterned cushion on the simple sofa.
© Rinah LangWhat to do if it gets too crowded - but you do not want to part with furniture?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: I like having my furniture around me, they are like good friends to me. Some, e.g. an old dresser, are family heirlooms. But sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed by everything. Is there a good solution?
Oona Strathern, trend researcher: "autobiographical" living is very important for many of us, furniture often reflects a part of our past. When a piece of furniture tells a story, it is indeed difficult to part with it. Then it may be useful to change some pieces within the apartment every few months. Or you can store a piece of furniture in the attic for some time - and when you bring it back to your apartment, you can rediscover it and look forward to it.
Mix of styles or pure?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: In my apartment antiques and modern furniture are mixed. Does that go together at all, or would it make sense to separate them after all, ie to set up an "old" and a "modern" room?
Thomas Dietrich, Architect: Do not! Of course, the different furniture can stand together. In order not to weaken their effect, it helps to form groups.Connecting elements here are not only the age and style of the furniture, but also purpose, color and material. If, for example, modern chairs are combined with an antique table, a nice arc of suspense arises. Good furniture with strong character does not bother, no matter from which decade they come.
Where to go with the desk?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: My desk is made of glass and stands in the middle of the study. That looks great, but actually I have too little light. Does he have to go to the window?
Thomas Dietrich: If there is a glass table by the window, there may be problems with the reflection of the light on the glass plate and you will be blinded. That's why he can stand well in the middle of the room. If the entire desk is to be illuminated, soft, indirect light, e.g. from a ceiling washer. Otherwise, I recommend a desk lamp with a wide cone of light.
Create Atmosphere: How does it work?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: It is always said that color and light affect the room "climate". What should I put attention on?
Birgit Knutzen, interior designer: For colors, as in music, everything should be tuned to a basic key. Main color vehicle may be a wall, carpet or sofa. A cozy and at the same time dynamic atmosphere is created when one or two accompanying colors join the basic color. Earth tones, e.g. Sand, stand for security, reds for warmth and closeness, blue is the color of the distance, creates a feeling of space and has a calming effect. In light, it is important to distribute several light sources in the room. A combination of ceiling, wall and floor lamp or table lamp provides a homely atmosphere. And if you distribute several small light sources on the periphery of a room, it seems bigger.
Can you play with carpets?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: I would like to put it in a different way. Or do you always have to lie straight, parallel to the wall or to the sofa?
Birgit Knutzen: Carpets create islands, add furniture, e.g. Armchair, sofa and coffee table, to create a harmonious whole. Since these elements often have different shapes, colors and materials, it is better not to create more trouble with the carpet. In exceptional cases - if the carpet is the main actor - you can deliberately lay it a bit diagonally.
