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A renovated foyer gets some Asian flair
This month's highlighted project is the renovation of the upstairs foyer in my own Back Bay condominium. This renovation included:
- removing the existing railing at the top of the stairs and replacing it with shallow cabinets topped with a stone counter; this change allowed the space to become more functional by providing storage and a counter to hold items waiting to be brought downstairs;
- removing the door to the building's hallway; this change provided more privacy to the upstairs area;
- widening the door openings and replacing the all-wood doors to the adjacent rooms with doors with frosted glass inserts; the frosted glass provides the needed privacy, yet allows the light from the adjacent rooms to penetrate into the interior foyer even when the doors are closed;
- moving the fuse box from the foyer to one of the adjacent rooms;
- adding wainscoting around the perimeter of the foyer and building a cove ceiling with detailed molding to highlight the high ceilings and provide a backdrop for accent lighting.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
For the foyer's design theme, I was inspired by a Cambodian temple statue I had purchased at the annual antique show in Brimfield, MA. I have long been intrigued by Asian cultures. For the wall art, I framed photos that I had taken of the Forbidden City during a visit to Bejing, China, and purchased some Asian wood panels online. For the console, I chose a new Ming console from Baker's Milling Road Collection. This console is a modern take on Asian furniture, with clean lines and a red lacquer finish. To let the reds in the console and the wood panels shine, I chose a neutral rug with a subtle design of iron gates. A large brass chandelier with black lampshades finishes the room. I love how the serenity of this space sets the right tone as soon as I walk from downstairs (the more public areas in my condo) to upstairs (the more private areas).
  ["After" Photography by Randy Gross]
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The design rule of three
In the project highlighted above, you might have noticed an arrangement of 3 framed pictures hanging on the wall? Did the layout of this arrangement appeal to you? According to the rule of three, the answer is probably yes.
The rule of three is a principle used in various aspects of design: photography, graphic design, and architecture (it is often also referred to Rule of Thirds or Rule of Odds). It was first noted by John Thomas Smith in 1797 in his book "Remarks on Rural Scenery", where he declares that "unequal parts and gradations lead the attention easily from part to part, while parts of equal importance hold it awkwardly suspended."
The basic premise of the rule is that objects grouped in odd numbers are more appealing, memorable, and effective than even-numbered groupings. Having an odd number of things in a composition means your eye and brain can't easily pair them up or group them. Odd numbers create harmony, visual interest, and force movement. If you are familiar with principles of ancient Feng Shui, you might know that odd numbers give Yang energy (which expands and moves), while even numbers give Yin energy (which contracts and condenses).
Next time you arrange some accessories in your home, give the rule of three a try!
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