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Solving the TV problem in a dark living room

The curtains were always closed to avoid glare on the TV; now there’s a new focal point.

Michael J. Lee

When interior designer Lisa Tharp came on board, the focal point of this living room in a home outside Boston was the television. The room had “a dark, heavy feeling,” recalls Tharp. “There’s a lovely window wall with a view of the English-style garden, but the blinds were always closed to avoid the glare” on the TV. An active family owns the home and relied on the Concord-based Tharp to make the space more inviting. By relocating the television, the windows took on new prominence. To balance the weight of the room’s woodwork, the new palette is centered on pink, camel, and orange tones. Tharp mixed in furnishings from various eras to enliven the traditional space. As a nod to the garden, “we played with the pattern and scale,” she says. “It’s a happy, pretty room. The handsome millwork doesn’t overwhelm the space, and mid-century pieces give it a slight modern edge.”

1. To draw the eye to the ceiling, Tharp had Boston-based Patina Designs hand-stencil the panels in an overscaled leaf motif. “It’s a play on the iconic William Morris acanthus leaf pattern,” says Tharp.

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2. Walls are sheathed in a custom-dyed pink burlap wallcovering by twenty2.

3. Custom sofas upholstered in pink velvet Schumacher fabric are eye-catching and wonderfully comfortable, says Tharp. Throw pillows add a touch of masculine appeal.

4. A citron ikat rug from Steven King is layered atop a broadloom carpet. “I felt the extra layer was one of the details that really elevated the design to a more finished and happy conclusion,” says Tharp.

5. Vintage pieces add textural appeal, including the 1960s travertine and brass coffee table and the Karl Springer-style grass-cloth console.

6. The fireplace’s original surround and hearth were replaced with a more streamlined Vermont marble. The built-in bookcases are lined with the family’s favorite titles. “While I love good styling on a bookcase, a home is most alive when the shelves are filled with books,” says Tharp.

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Michael J. Lee

7. The roman shades are custom-colored Galbraith & Paul hand-blocked linen. “I just love the profusion of pattern,” says Tharp.

8. A new window seat provides a relaxing perch to take in the garden view. Built by Littleton craftsman Freddy Roman, the base matches the existing woodwork. The seat cushion is upholstered in a lively Peter Dunham fabric.

9. Goat-hide stools with polished-nickel surrounds can be moved around the room as needed.