Beauty in Pairs

It doesn't take a designer to tell you the power of symmetry. Designing and styling in pairs has visual power. Most mantles and console tables are finished in pairs: pairs of lamps, pairs of flower pots, pairs of sconces. When you have the luxury of space, pairs are easy and they fit.

But what about a few circumstances where pairs are less expected and work surprisingly well? Above is an image I've shown you before. It's a beautiful dining room where you might expect to see a large painting or a series of formal prints. The unexpected pair of venetian glass mirrors is brilliant- they feel appropriate with the delicate nature of the wallpaper and not just one big mirror, but two small, round, feminine mirrors. How refreshing!




Above is a dining area with two lanterns instead of one. It looks like a difficult lighting problem that was solved very well with a pair.




This small New York City apartment is the perfect place to emphasize pairs. Small spaces work well with pairs. The chairs on either end of this arrangement are large, but the lucite tables that make up the cocktail table and the end tables on either side of the sofa are slightly smaller in size, which makes this layout work visually. Check out the over-scaled lamp- there is another one on the other side of the sofa. Great use of scale and pairs...