1. 44 WAKELIVING.COM
HOME INTERIORS
The Foundation of
ROOM DESIGNBY PAULA FULLERTON
A large, neutral couch can firmly anchor a room full of
bold design choices.
PHOTO CREDIT: SWAIM

2. WINTER 2014 45
he opportunity to decorate our living spaces is
exciting…but often daunting at the same time. We look
at on-line decorating sites for inspiration, watch design
shows on television for direction, and still feel confused.
Where do we start and how do we create a space that
we will love?
Design seating to establish conversation areas that will be inviting
throughout the year.
PHOTO CREDIT: SWAIM

3. 46 WAKELIVING.COM
HOME INTERIORS
Just as building a house starts with
a foundation, our rooms also start with
a foundation. We should take some
time to think about how our room will
be regularly used and how many people
will usually be in that space. We do not
have to have a room foundation based on
gatherings that happen only a few times
a year!
Seating is the foundation of any
room. We have a saying with our clients:
“Put your money where you put
your seat!” The sofas and chairs in our
living room, the bed in our bedroom, and
the chairs in our eating spaces will all get
the most use. When we set a decorating
budget, we should allot enough for
quality seating. Sofas and chairs should
have hardwood frames, 8-way hand
tied springs (which last longer and are
more quiet than sinuous springs), and
substantial filling in the seat and back
cushions.
The covering of the seating is just as
important as the frame! Fabric should be
upholstery weight, with a “double rub”
rating of at least 9,000 “double rubs.”
(This is an industry standard test that
determines a fabric’s “wearability.” One
double rub consists of sitting on the sofa/
chair once and getting off once.) Leather
should be fully analine dyed. Indoor/
outdoor fabrics are also a good choice
for upholstery material. Indoor/outdoor
fabrics are always a great choice for white
or light colored upholstery fabric. If your
sofas and chairs are likely to get soiled,
these fabrics are easily cleaned. And
indoor/outdoor fabrics are no longer stiff
and scratchy: they are now available in
soft weaves and even velvets!
There are so many choices in seating
available. We can choose from 2-seat
sofas to extra long sofas. We can choose
from sectional sofas with all seating or
sectional sofas that incorporate a chaise.
We can even choose the number of seat
cushions with some sofa manufacturers.
Custom made sofas and chairs are often
available in custom sizes. The rule of
thumb in selecting our sofa is that it
should be in proportion to the size of the
room. While that seems obvious, it is
often forgotten when we “fall in love”
with that perfect sofa or chair at the
design studio or furniture store! If our
room is not large, opt for fewer pieces of
individual seating. A tailored sectional
sofa would be a great choice in this
situation. If our space is large, opt for two
sofas and several chairs placed to create a
comfortable conversation area. And if we
have a “great room” or open concept floor
plan, break the space into several seating
areas. Again, each area should encourage
comfortable conversation.
If we are trying to maximize seating
in a room, choose a sofa with a single seat
cushion or one with three seat cushions.
These will comfortably accommodate
three people. In contrast, three people
will not sit on a two cushioned sofa. No
one likes to sit “on the crack” between
the cushions!
In building the foundation for our
room, the color and pattern of the
fabric we select is important. Based
on experience, designers recommend
selecting a textured fabric, a solid colored
This is a room shot from Thibaut's Biscayne Collection. The
room blends soothing neutrals and energizing bright colors with
patterns that emanate a cool, easy-going Bahamian vibe.
PHOTO CREDIT: THIBAUT DESIGN

4. WINTER 2014 47
fabric, or a muted pattern or stripe for the
largest pieces of furniture in the room.
These choices do not have to be boring,
but will support more pattern and color
in the complementary room furnishings
such as the area rug and chairs. We
tend to like the large pieces in our rooms
longer if they are not overwhelmed with
pattern and color. We can build on this
foundation with colorful accent pillows,
floor coverings, artwork, and wall color.
And a bonus is that when we tire of the
complimentary pieces they can easily and
economically be changed for new accents
for a fresh new look.
One of the most often overlooked
considerations when building the
foundation for our living spaces is whether
the piece will fit through the opening to
our rooms! Measure the actual door
opening inside the trim work for all
openings through which the furniture
has to pass. If the furniture will be on
a second floor (or higher) consider the
space that is available at the ceiling of an
enclosed stairway as well.
Decorating our living spaces should
be enjoyable. Start with selecting the
foundation for a room, and then build
on those pieces to make the space
comfortable, practical, and unique!
Paula Fullerton is founder of Sew Fine II in
Durham and a member of the company’s
design team. For more of her insight into
interior design trends, call (919) 806-3638
or visit sewfine2.com.
“Just as building a house starts
with a foundation, our rooms
also start with a foundation.
We should take some time to
think about how our room will be
regularly used and how many
people will usually be in that
space…. Seating is the foundation
of any room. We have a saying
with our clients: ‘Put your money
where you put your seat!’”
Solid colors and basic patterns provide a good
aesthetic foundation for any room. This set is by
Kravet furniture.
PHOTO CREDIT: KRAVET