Dear Joe,
My partner and I have decided to hit the after-Christmas sales for a sofa to go in our livingroom. The only good wall for the sofa is about nine-and-a-half-feet long. We have two other chairs in the room. My partner wants to get a small sofa and put tables on either side. I say forget the end tables and get a big sofa for maximum seating. Please help settle this.
-- B. Seated
Dear B. Seated
It's hard for me to judge without seeing the room, but the space sounds small. I would probably side with your partner. A large sofa could look out of scale with the rest of the room. A love seat (approximately 60 inches) would provide seating for two and leave room for handy end tables on each side to hold lamps. Another point to consider is the number of people who will actually sit on the sofa. It seems that no matter what the size, no more than two people usually feel comfortable sitting together on a sofa.
Dear Joe,
I just moved into an apartment and don't have much furniture. Some friends were over the other night and one of them said that I need something to display my stuff. He used some French sounding word. I was too afraid of losing my gay card to ask what he was talking about. Any idea?
-- Embarrassed
Dear Embarrassed,
My guess is that your friend was talking about an etagere. This is an open, free-standing shelf unit supported by four columns. Etageres come in different styles for almost any decor. They also come in various sizes and can be used individually or in a series. They are very useful for holding books, collections, or audio and visual components. Etageres are a great investment because they can be easily moved and re-worked into new interiors.
Dear Joe,
Since you specialize in windows, I hope that you can help. My condo has windows all the across the livingroom and bedroom. They are floor to ceiling (about eight-foot high). I need privacy and a way to block the morning sun. The former owner left some ugly blinds that I would like to replace, but I don't want to obstruct the view in any way.
What is my best option?
-- View Finder
Dear View Finder,
There are many different options here. You first need to be aware that any window treatment will need to stack somewhere when it is open and will, therefore, block a certain amount of the view. If you decide to use draperies, the large amount of fabric could take up a good part of the window when they are open. Vertical blinds (although overused) are a possibility if they fit in with your decor. They will still take up space when open, although not as much as the draperies. Mini blinds and other horizontal blinds are a good idea because they stack at the top of the window. This way you are only losing a small part of the upper view. If you want a softer and more finished look, Roman shades could be the answer. They are drawn up to stack at the top of the window (less than one foot in your case). Roman shades can be made in many different styles and fabrics that are both formal and informal. It is a nice look that is available for a wide variety of designs and budgets.
Please e-mail your questions to jos.riceinteriors@att.net . In the subject box, fill in "WCT Design." Joseph Rice is an interior designer who offers full decorating services. With 21 years of experience, he specializes in "hard to treat windows." You can reach him at Joseph Rice Interiors, Inc. (773) 271-2361; jos.riceinteriors@att.net
