Building Elegance is similar to building a gracious home.
In addition to providing this master floor plan to help navigate our companion websites, we believe it will enhance the sense of elegance as we stroll through the various rooms. In each room, we recommend websites that reflect the room's use. So, let's take the journey together, and as we move from room to room, we can consult the recommended website. You can register your thoughts and ask questions at any time by visiting www.circleofelegance.com or email us: grace@preservationofelegance.com.
MAKING A HOMEIt will be rare to have the perfect proportions in each room to accommodate the recommended furniture placement and achieve optimal clearance. Thus, you will have to apply the recommendations as best you can. If you are expecting guests, you may be able to remove some pieces of furniture to create more room. Conversely, you may need to bunch the furniture up temporarily to accommodate the situation. Major traffic areas 4 feet to 6 feet Minor traffic areas a 1.5 feet to 4 feet Seating between sofa and coffee table 1.5 feet to 2.5 feet Allow a minimum of 22 inches for chairs at a dining table Allow a minimum of two feet for each person/chair The dining table should be at least 3 feet from the wall It is customary to allow 5.5 feet to serve at the table. In other words, if you are having a buffet and your guests bring their food in on a plate and sit down, then this additional space is not necessary. The same applies if you are serving "family style". This term is used when the food is on the table and passed around. In these two instances, you need only be concerned with the 22-inch clearance for the chair and the two feet for each person/chair. However, if you expect your guests to be seated and served at their places, the 5.5 feet rule applies. Furniture with drawers requires 3 feet from other furniture in order to open the drawers. Leave at least 2 feet between the side of a bed and the wall. This will allow for getting in and out of the bed and also allows space to make the bed. Here is a tip about beds. If you have a canopy over the bed, it will collect dust. Place a flat bed sheet over the canopy in such a way that it covers it entirely but does not show. Then when you do your spring cleaning, simply remove the sheet "dust catcher", wash it, and return it until the next deep cleaning. You will find this particularly important if your canopy is not washable. Even if it is washable, you don't want to have to remove and replace it. Designing Your Surroundings It is tempting to duplicate a look you find in a magazine or perhaps in someone else's home. Generally, this does not work out the way you would hope. Pictures in magazines are very valuable to getting ideas and evaluating what looks appealing or what doesn't. However, remember that a room must be comfortable to be used. It is ideal if you use every room in your house or apartment. We think we can "seal" off parts of our home and make them more formal for special occasions. The question, however, is, "Why?" Unused space is expensive. It must be maintained on a regular basis. Plumbing must be used or the traps dry up. Most central air/heat systems are designed to circulate the air. If you interfere with that circulation by closing off a room or vents to a room, you won't be getting the maximum use of the system. You may even find that the system doesn't work properly. So, once again, the question, "Why?". Are you saving it in hopes that your son or daughter will come home again? Well, if they do, will that room suit them ever again? We all want a guest room that is kept perfectly ready for unexpected guests. This is generally a luxury that most modern homes can't afford. Does the room become the "junk" room or "catch-all"? If you use the room regularly then the clutter won't stack up. Make it into a casual "sitting room". This could be a great idea if your home has the popular "great room" concept. The cozy sitting room is a welcome spot for reading or listening to music. Include a sofa that makes into a bed and you're set for guests. With a few modifications, the room becomes a lovely suite for travelers. If you are fortunate enough to have a guest room, or a room that you can use for guests, be sure and test it from time to time. Make sure that it is comfortable and clean. Be sure everything works. Spend some time thinking about what you would want if you were staying there. Is there a convenient place for luggage? Is there a telephone, radio, TV, paper, and pencil by the phone for jotting down instructions or phone numbers? Leave useful information such as the telephone number for that phone, the street address, and the proper spelling of the street name. Are there power outlets for recharging cell phones and computers? Consider leaving a power strip so guests can recharge everything at once without having to unplug the lamp. The next time you are in a hotel, look around to see what amenities you find useful. Simple things like a shower cap or sewing mending kit can be very useful to your guests when they are passing through. Assemble an album with brochures of local spots of interest and write a history of your city. Include photos of you and your family at some points of interest. Putting out a few current magazines or a newspaper may seem outdated, so leave a picture book available for them to thumb through. That so-called "coffee table" book that features stunning pictures. When your guests retire to their room, they may not be ready to go to sleep. Perhaps one is waiting for the other guest to finish in the bathroom. Casual reading material would be very welcome. As you know, sometimes when traveling you just can't unwind enough to get to sleep. You might also have a deck of cards available. If you can find a CD player that has an alarm clock or speakers for an MP3 player, your guests will feel right at home.
MAKING A HOMEIt will be rare to have the perfect proportions in each room to accommodate the recommended furniture placement and achieve optimal clearance. Thus, you will have to apply the recommendations as best you can. If you are expecting guests, you may be able to remove some pieces of furniture to create more room. Conversely, you may need to bunch the furniture up temporarily to accommodate the situation. Major traffic areas 4 feet to 6 feet Minor traffic areas a 1.5 feet to 4 feet Seating between sofa and coffee table 1.5 feet to 2.5 feet Allow a minimum of 22 inches for chairs at a dining table Allow a minimum of two feet for each person/chair The dining table should be at least 3 feet from the wall It is customary to allow 5.5 feet to serve at the table. In other words, if you are having a buffet and your guests bring their food in on a plate and sit down, then this additional space is not necessary. The same applies if you are serving "family style". This term is used when the food is on the table and passed around. In these two instances, you need only be concerned with the 22-inch clearance for the chair and the two feet for each person/chair. However, if you expect your guests to be seated and served at their places, the 5.5 feet rule applies. Furniture with drawers requires 3 feet from other furniture in order to open the drawers. Leave at least 2 feet between the side of a bed and the wall. This will allow for getting in and out of the bed and also allows space to make the bed. Here is a tip about beds. If you have a canopy over the bed, it will collect dust. Place a flat bed sheet over the canopy in such a way that it covers it entirely but does not show. Then when you do your spring cleaning, simply remove the sheet "dust catcher", wash it, and return it until the next deep cleaning. You will find this particularly important if your canopy is not washable. Even if it is washable, you don't want to have to remove and replace it. Designing Your Surroundings It is tempting to duplicate a look you find in a magazine or perhaps in someone else's home. Generally, this does not work out the way you would hope. Pictures in magazines are very valuable to getting ideas and evaluating what looks appealing or what doesn't. However, remember that a room must be comfortable to be used. It is ideal if you use every room in your house or apartment. We think we can "seal" off parts of our home and make them more formal for special occasions. The question, however, is, "Why?" Unused space is expensive. It must be maintained on a regular basis. Plumbing must be used or the traps dry up. Most central air/heat systems are designed to circulate the air. If you interfere with that circulation by closing off a room or vents to a room, you won't be getting the maximum use of the system. You may even find that the system doesn't work properly. So, once again, the question, "Why?". Are you saving it in hopes that your son or daughter will come home again? Well, if they do, will that room suit them ever again? We all want a guest room that is kept perfectly ready for unexpected guests. This is generally a luxury that most modern homes can't afford. Does the room become the "junk" room or "catch-all"? If you use the room regularly then the clutter won't stack up. Make it into a casual "sitting room". This could be a great idea if your home has the popular "great room" concept. The cozy sitting room is a welcome spot for reading or listening to music. Include a sofa that makes into a bed and you're set for guests. With a few modifications, the room becomes a lovely suite for travelers. If you are fortunate enough to have a guest room, or a room that you can use for guests, be sure and test it from time to time. Make sure that it is comfortable and clean. Be sure everything works. Spend some time thinking about what you would want if you were staying there. Is there a convenient place for luggage? Is there a telephone, radio, TV, paper, and pencil by the phone for jotting down instructions or phone numbers? Leave useful information such as the telephone number for that phone, the street address, and the proper spelling of the street name. Are there power outlets for recharging cell phones and computers? Consider leaving a power strip so guests can recharge everything at once without having to unplug the lamp. The next time you are in a hotel, look around to see what amenities you find useful. Simple things like a shower cap or sewing mending kit can be very useful to your guests when they are passing through. Assemble an album with brochures of local spots of interest and write a history of your city. Include photos of you and your family at some points of interest. Putting out a few current magazines or a newspaper may seem outdated, so leave a picture book available for them to thumb through. That so-called "coffee table" book that features stunning pictures. When your guests retire to their room, they may not be ready to go to sleep. Perhaps one is waiting for the other guest to finish in the bathroom. Casual reading material would be very welcome. As you know, sometimes when traveling you just can't unwind enough to get to sleep. You might also have a deck of cards available. If you can find a CD player that has an alarm clock or speakers for an MP3 player, your guests will feel right at home.