Room for Personal Style

Though it may not be obvious from the weather, the vernal equinox will soon arrive and spring is on the way. With this comes a touch of decorating fever -- an urge to lighten up our living spaces, maybe even consider a whole new look for the living room. To give us inspiration, we asked designer Kenneth Dietz of Dietz & Associates in Jamaica Plain to furnish a recently refurbished Victorian South End parlor -- in two completely different styles.

We knew the room, which has lots of period detail, would lend itself to a traditional look, but we also wanted to see what it would take to give it a completely modern sensibility. Dietz, whose firm has designed homes for home-improvement maven Bob Vila, Boston salon owner Mario Russo, and Boston architects Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti, among others, is enthusiastic about new permutations and appreciates, for instance,"how a family antique mixes with contemporary art."

For this project, Dietz decided to keep several items consistent in both design schemes to demonstrate that "you can dramatically change the look of a room without changing every detail." He kept the windows bare in order to emphasize the room's architecture and made the "sculptural, geometric" Dessin Fournir chandelier a focal point in both treatments. "I felt it added to the transitional feel of the space, being both contemporary in style and traditional in design."

Dietz also used the same artwork for both designs. "Good art," he says, "can transcend the decor. I find that the art you love will complement the furniture you love as well."

First, Dietz had to overcome the narrowness of the room, which measures 12 by 26 feet, by carefully situating the furniture and carpeting. For the contemporary design, he created three areas, with the furniture in arrangements that cater to more than one use. The key item is the three-piece lounging sofa by Flexform (from Repertoire in Boston): "It allows you to move from one end of the narrow room to the other without cutting it in half or blocking the fireplace." In the window bay, a dining table with zebrawood finish is matched with Philippe Starck's polycarbonate Louis Ghost chairs, a sideboard, and two folding tables by Kartell. The opposite end of the room features a cozy reading area. Rugs, art, and minimal accessories provide just the right balance.

For the traditional setup, Dietz placed the sofa in the light-filled window bay but turned it at an angle. "It allows the other pieces to be present without obscuring the windows or artwork," says Dietz. He used more upholstered pieces than in the contemporary room and created distinct sitting areas at each end, making the dramatic fireplace a focal point. "I chose lighter colors for this room," says Dietz. "Ivory quilted silk on the curved sofa, pale yellows and stripes on the chairs, off whites and toast browns. The steel and glass coffee table complements the chandelier and adds another transitional piece to the scheme. The red-leather occasional armchair carries the bright reds in the oil painting to the opposite end of the room."

Dietz not only mixes styles, he blends expensive pieces with more affordable items. He advises that even on a tight budget, do-it-yourself decorators can achieve a sophisticated look. For example, in the contemporary room, he used Kartell tables and lamps, which are both well designed and reasonably priced, with more expensive pieces. For a traditional look, he recommends starting with a few pieces of family furniture and building around them with items purchased at clearance sales and auctions. "Always visit the used-furniture shops when traveling out of town," he says. "Keep your eyes open for pieces and how they could function in your space." He also recommends the twice-a-year red-tag sale at the Boston Design Center (this year the public sale is May 1 and 2), where floor samples are sold at deep discounts.

If Dietz had to put his money in just one place, he would invest in good rugs. "Even if you have to pay for them over time," he says, "they will last a lifetime if chosen wisely." More generally, he says, "rooms should have a subtle flow to them, leading your eye from one place to the next. You don't want your space to look like a furniture showroom." Nor do you want it to look like someone else lives there. Even when it is steeped in history and tradition, says Dietz, "your home should reflect your own style and personality."