This home includes an open hallway opening to the living room from the second floor, with the ceiling vaulted to two stories. A design like this involves some careful planning. The room needs to be inviting from the ground perspective but still have an appeal when looked at from above.

The designer for this room succeeded with both goals. If you walk into the room, glossy wood flooring, an inviting traditional area rug, the bank of windows and the warm gold and cream tones provide a rich interesting space.

It’s from above, however, that the room really comes into its own. From this angle, the antique light fixture becomes the focal point. Its bronze finish picks up the brown shades on the richly patterned floor-to-ceiling curtains and the dark tones of the area rug.

The fireplace to the right has a large enough profile to call attention to it even from the upper hallway and having the surround reaching the ceiling helps to connect upper and lower levels. Even the grand piano draws the eye upward from below, inviting a visitor to capture the feel of every level of this room.

The room itself it not very large, so it makes sense to choose a small sofa and coffee table that focus more on height than footprint. Bringing every part of the room together through color helps a smaller space feel larger and more congruent.

Overall, the design choices in this room meet the needs of the homeowners and visitors, providing an inviting vista from every possible level in the home.