CreateGirl: How to Thursday - the empty room Stage 2B

Here we are at Thursday! It's time again for "How to Thursday" (I feel like I should have one of those high pitched announcer voices here....)! Today we will add to Stage 1 and Stage 2, click on either for a refresher. Our focus will be entertainment units and area rugs.

Entertainment Units have changed drastically over the last decade. Gone are the ENORMOUS armoires which screamed my tv is in here. They have graciously been replaced with scaled down unassuming units to compliment the flat screen television. All I can say is hip hip hooray, I never enjoyed having to design around a big hunk of wood.

Depending on your budget and size of your screen there are many options! Look around your home and find an existing piece of furniture which can be used as a tv stand. Do you have a bookcase or small chest you can use in a new way? It's great to be unconventional when trying to blend a piece into the room.

I love using an every day piece of furniture in a new way. Like this sideboard, it is perfect to blend into a room scheme without screaming here is the t.v.

Another nice option is working the flat screen into another functional piece. This acts as one complete unit, great storage and the tv is seamless in its place

Area Rugs: For me there are a few rules of thumb when I am using an area rug with a sofa, I set the sofa so at least the front legs are on the rug. It is my preference to never have the entire sofa on the rug, if it is, it usually means the rug is too big. An area rug should work as an "anchor" to the furniture in the room, especially if your furniture is floating in the middle of the space. By having each piece connected to each other on the rug you create a cohesive unit. This will also encourage a conversation space. When choosing a rug take into consideration how you will be using the space. Do you have kids who love to sit on the floor and play video games if so you would want a plush rug so it is comfortable for them (think shag!). If you never see yourself sitting on the floor and just plan to use it for an aesthetic purpose and to create a grouping you could go with something a bit more "flat" as in a sisal or woven cotton rug. Color will also play into the selection, as we talked about in stage 1. If you have selected your big pieces to be of a neutral pattern/color the rug will be the perfect opportunity to bring in a fun pattern or just a pop of color!
Let's get to a few examples!!