Some living rooms are little more than a coffee table where the mail gets tossed and a sofa where you collapse after a hard days work. Others are too stiff and formal to be of any real use, and because they go unused their occasional visitors feel uncomfortable, as if they too are on display like the candy dish and the fine books. Then there are the living rooms that combine the best of both worlds, and allow for both relaxation and entertaining. A living room I design knows how to live. It will be a room designed for comfort, yet gracious and formal enough for hosting even the most important parties.

My first priority is for the living room to welcome guests and make them feel comfortable and at home. The room will be designed for relaxed conversation: either one-on-one or an intimate group. And, there will be enough tables so that guests have a place for their drinks or snacks. Another function is simply for relaxing alone or with a companion. I try to make sure there are easy chairs that are so inviting that you can easily envision pulling up the ottoman, putting your feet up, and get totally involved in a new novel on a winter's afternoon.

It will be formal enough for entertaining, yet give the feeling of luxurious relaxation. Custom panel window treatments would add to the airy feeling, letting in loads of natural light.

Finally, everything in this room must work in harmony. The colors of the ceiling and walls must compliment the fabric of the furnishings. The chairs would be upholstered to compliment the curtains, and a neutral floor covering would prevent a floral pattern from becoming overwhelming. A vase of flowers would add a nice counterpoint to the printed flowers on the fabric.

All in all, this is a room that would give its visitors the relaxed feeling of an early summer's afternoon, at any time of the year.