Jennifer Adams loves to answer questions from readers of her books and fans of her Home by Jennifer Adams line of products. Here’s Jennifer’s response to a reader about how to blend modern low furniture with some of the newer, bigger pieces that are now trending…
Question:
My partner and I have been shopping for furniture, and I hope you can answer this question. Is it just us, or is furniture getting bigger all the way around? We have a lot of modern low furniture including a platform bed in our bedroom, and a low couch and chairs in the living room. We love the sleek midcentury look but are having a hard time finding new pieces that don’t dwarf us or make us feel like little kids. Plus our condo isn’t huge…help! What do you recommend? Thanks!
Answer:
Well, let me start by saying that it isn’t just you. You are right in your observation that there is an overall trend for larger-scale furniture. This trend actually started several years back when houses started getting larger and ceiling heights got higher.
The furniture that was popular at the time seemed to disappear in all that space. Thus, furniture started to grow to match the interior space of these homes.
It should be noted that this trend isn’t just limited to furniture, either. For example, today most newer bathroom counters are 36 inches tall, and everyone wants a king-sized bed. By contrast, in the 1950s a typical bath counter was just 32 inches, and a queen-sized bed seemed luxurious!
I personally love deep sofas and large-scale furniture, but I also understand this style is not for everybody — some people still prefer modern low furniture. At all the trade shows I visit, I’m still seeing plenty of low and smaller-scale pieces that would work for you.
Don’t give up; keep looking! It’s a style thing for sure. Large-scale pieces are often rustic, transitional or traditional, and I’m now seeing smaller furnishings in more modern styles. Look for stores that specialize in modern looks, and of course, keep an eye out for vintage stores.
Furniture manufacturers are also aware that a sizable number of people in our current society don’t have large homes. Look for furniture labelled “apartment-sized,” or ask about it at the stores you visit. Many pieces on display also come in smaller versions or can be custom made by request.
To blend larger scale furnishings with your low pieces, one design tip is to provide accessories that step up in size, or at least in height.
For example, if you buy a tall armoire for your living room TV, place some midsized plants or floor lamps around, and hang art on the wall that is at eye level. Then add lamps to low-end tables to help transition to the vertical level of your sofa and chairs.
The same goes for your bedroom, as well. Mix and match bedroom accessories to help minimize the visual difference in size between some of your furnishings. Throws, blankets, and pillows of different sizes and patterns can be used to help balance out the room visually, as well.
And speaking of accessory options, there are many great decorative pillows, signature throws, coverlets, and luxury blankets available in our Home by Jennifer Adams collection that comes in a number of visually-interesting patterns and soft colours.
We’re all about Redefining Soft and redefining interior design, and each of these luxury décor items is designed to look and feel as if it were custom-made just for you. We also have some nice items on sale in our collection that you can check out, too.
As always, thanks for reaching out to me! I always enjoy helping people to explore the opportunities when it comes to putting a personal touch on your house and really making it feel like home. Feel free to send me any more questions that may arise!
