apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Can you build in shelving or bookcases on the wall with the windows, creating window seats and surrounds?? That would reduce the size of that side of the room, create storage and interest, and balance the space out.

I suggest aligning your furniture centered with the fireplace. That way, there could be a sort of "access corridor" to the french doors. A nice rug/mat in front of the doors could emphasize this. Then against the wall next to the fireplace at the end of the "access corridor" put a table or even a bookshelf. It would help if the furniture was thinner in proportion because the space doesn't appear that wide.
Good luck!

Perhaps getting a good carpenter to build built in shelves floor to ceiling wall to wall around it would be an option. Rather than the fireplace being one item off center it could be a part of the design. Perhaps on the right where there's more space you can add a place for a television or cool long built in desk as well.

Another solution is you could add another opening to store firewood. I don't know your dimensions, but it could give it the fireplace/firewood storage combo an overall wider appearance sprawling out into the blank area for a more balanced aesthetic.

I think trying to blend the fireplace might help too. Like paint it white if the walls are white. I also think anything large and tall on the right would help like a tree or a piece of sculpture or long art piece. It would balance it. I think the way they have the chair there helps too, gives the space purpose like they meant to offcenter the fireplace.

i say put a white marble surround or clad the whole wall with marble and put reveals in to match the lines of the existing fireplace!

Check this out:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/house-calls/before_080207.html

I know this is going to sound cheesy but I saw Kenneth Brown on HGTV tackle this same exact problem. He added wood paneling above the fireplace and created built-ins and a place for a tv and some closed spaces and open shelves on the other side.

It really created an interesting focal point in the room. There is a photo of it on his web site under rooms, http://www.kennethbrowndesign.com/rooms.php. He did such a great job, it looks like an original feature of the house.

If you did something similar, you could them reposition the sofa to face that wall and then create a different seating area behind it in the other side of the room.

Hmmm... does the term OCD ring a bell with you? So what's the big deal with having an off-center fireplace? Nothing in that room is symmetrical, so why should the fireplace be any different?

If anything you should be more concerned about that low ceiling and the lack of natural light.

I agree, what is so bad with it being off-centered?

Hmmm. It is hard to tell without knowing what furniture you have (as you have yet to move into the space). I would suggest bookshelves, as well or a bookcase. If you have a TV in that room, you could always place it in that spot.


If you go with built-ins (or bookcase, shelving, etc), you could place a chair stort of in front of it, but slightly to the side with a little side table on the other side of the chair with a lamp. Closer to the window than the one that is there now. Choose a chair that is not part of a pair. Then arrange your main seating area separately.

I suspect it was designed to do just what melissa4981 suggested. Since they knew the fireplace would be the focal point and the doors would need access, they built it so that both could be accommodated.

That's where ya' put the baby grand. Perfect!

I also agree with Melissa - always start with the simple and logical solution first. So much of good design is based on pleasing mathematical proportions. So create a visual/symetrical ballance aligned too the firepalce by placement of furniture AND THE LIGHTING FIXTURE (or the sad ceiling fan.)
The sugestion with a built-in niche with shelves will also work nicely - in addition to the above, if you need them. Form Follows Function.
Apropos fireplaces: Living overseas, I am always surprised by the US real estate developers' and the Suburban bougeoisie's fixation with fireplaces. Why the hell this medieval excentricity is so valued in todays "Airconditioned-SUV-I Forgot What God Gave Me Legs For" generation, is beyond me.

Once fireplaces meant "OK, I finally moved out of the tenement, now I can imagine myself as an English country gentleman, lord of my suburban sub-division."

well, you could set things up at an angle. right now, the positions of the furniture & rug are drawing attention to straight lines. look in the AT book. there's a section on seating. look at the part that talks about a sort of river line.

also, do what you can to make it less of a focal point in a room. the placement of that painting brings even more attention there.

maybe draw more attention to those gorgeous french doors.

It would not bother me a bit that it's not centered. I dislike anything too symmetrical or "matchy". I would find a fabulous piece of furniture or something to fill the larger side space. Maybe you could move both the chairs to that area and arrange them in such a way as to relate to the sofa and it would feel more cozy and conversational.

its not a big deal that its off centre, you just wanto something to balance it out. Leaving the top of the fireplace fairly bare will help, and definetly get rid of the picture, or at least centralise that. Id say put a tall bookcase or something in the blank wall to balance the hight and symetry issues. I wouldnt bother with any big built in units, thats just gonna make that room seem even smaller than it is. good luck

I agree that furniture placement is your friend here. Unfortunately, that may mean turning your sofa's back to the windows.

But, if locked into the current arrangement, paint that end wall a color (or at least value) similar to the brick, without high contrast trim. "Disappear it" with paint.

I like the off-centred-ness too, totally second Kurt's suggestion! And Melissa's - have a cosy furniture-round-the-fireplace thing going on and a little "corridor" for access to those lovely doors. And probably a lighter coloured rug to mirror the fireplace as a focal point. Post the pictures when you've finished it!

i would definitely put the sofa with its back to the doors. then you will be able to work with the space much better. i would also paint it white or whatever color the mantle is going to be so that it blends a bit.