The Center Of Attention

Cool and crisp, this great room is inspired by the desert adobe whites and vibrant reds of the American South West.

Two distinct seating areas — one with four, red leather armchairs, the other with a contemporary sectional sofa — create separate spaces within a single room yet can easily be combined when entertaining. Opposing fabric textures — one sleek and urban, the other rougher with a casual, more laid-back feeling — add a pleasing sense of contrast without causing visual distraction.

Sensuously curved earthenware pots and vases displayed in rectangular art niches provide most of the art components here. However, a large area rug with traditional Native American geometric patterns and red accents ties the room's uncomplicated shapes and colors together into a dramatic whole and creates a visual focal point that invites people to pause, relax, and visit.

A contemporary, gas fireplace that's eye-level when seated is transformed into a piece of artwork by using two different materials — marble and plain, painted surface — for the surround. Staggering the line where these two materials meet subtly enhances the desert theme by mimicking a mountain in a distance.

Best of all, when the doors to the spacious outdoor patio are thrown open, indoor and outdoor living merge together seamlessly.

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