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Article: Simplicity a key to being `sophisticated'; Solid-looking server could be too bulky Q: My condo on the beach has large sliding-glass doors leading to a terrace, and the living room thus lacks wall space on which to place furniture. I like the look, but I do want to add a buffet-type server, probably against the back of the low sofa that sits in the center of the room and faces the terrace. The piece I'm considering is about six inches higher than the sofa; it has cabinet doors and a finished back. What do you think of this proposed placement? A: Frankly, I don't like it. One problem is that the height and depth of such a solid-looking server would produce greater bulk than is usually desirable in the center of a room, particularly in a beach condo, which is supposed to have a light and airy atmosphere. And I certainly wouldn't want to be sitting on that low sofa of yours when the server that backs onto it is filled with food and dishes. Keep in mind that a server doesn't have to have a closed-door storage compartment. I advise you to choose something with a more open appearance preferably, a piece that also has more than one surface area. The kind of server I'm suggesting is shown in the photo. Manufactured by the Milling Road Furniture Company, it's a stylish adaptation of a 19th-century Chinese altar table. Notice its three separate surfaces, each of which can be used for a different purpose when you're having a buffet-style dinner party. The lower two levels could, for instance, hold bottles, glasses and plates. A piece this decorative and visually sheer could be placed right in front of your sliding-glass doors without obstructing the view. That will obviate the problem of having too much bulk in the center of the living room. The durable double rattan poles wrapped with leather bindings make this piece particularly appropriate as a stand-alone item in a setting such as the one you described.
- Article from:
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI)
- Article date:
- July 7, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Designers often use one-word descriptions in defining the style
of a room. We all know what these terms mean, but as is the case
with any profession, the interior design world tends to speak in a
jargon that outsiders can't always decipher.
"Sophisticated" is an adjective that's commonly applied to
interiors these days. A number of readers, understandably perplexed
by the term's vagueness, have asked me to define it.
Fair enough, I think at first, but it turns out to be a word
that's easier to define visually than verbally.
One thing that can certainly be said about a "sophisticated
interior" is that not everyone is going to like its looks. That's
why I often use the analogy of women's ...