Get the Look for Less: A City Loft

More often than not, we're accustomed to systematic decorating that pressures us to find the "right" color combination, to match styles exactly and to get the proportions perfect. But remember, our home accommodates us; we don't accommodate our living space.

Amid the backdrop of ubiquitous cream walls and warehouse windows is a study in casual living. Quite liberating, I think. A home that looks and feels relaxed will lead to a relaxed and happy family. This fiesta-worthy room from The Way We Live in the City by Stafford Cliff takes on an artistic quality. The homeowners boldly placed seemingly disparate pieces together in a room; the French Campaign folding chairs and the American Adirondack wicker armchairs almost look like they belong together.

© Gilles de Chabaneix from The Way We Live in the City by Stafford Cliff, Rizzoli New York, 2007

Painting the column and the window frames in the background was smart. In a loft, it's important to make the building's architecture part of the decorating process. I just love that in this home, it looks as if parents might, just might, be ok with their kids accidentally drawing on the dining table with their crayons. Copy the casual look for less with our product picks.