Spatial shifts: Back-to-back couches

Small dining area? Maybe make it even smaller.

You’re probably getting this newsletter from me, Emily Grosvenor, because you love controlling your life through design and the process of changing with your home.

If you know me, you might remember that I find open living spaces tyrannical.

Most people have no idea how to make them work or understand that being able to see everything all the time is doing nothing to help you deal with your feelings of overwhelm from modern living.

For this reason, designers often recommend “creating rooms” where they don’t exist — like dropping a pendant light over a table or putting rugs under things. During the pandemic, people stuck at home wised up and started building better boundaries in spaces (like arched openings) so we don’t have to become the all-seeing, blazing eye of Sauron.

Which brings me to back-to-back couches.

Last week, we replaced the old Wayfair (forgive me) velvet couch in our upstairs hangout space with a new one that wraps around the room (I am trying to keep my teenagers home more). Our friend needs one, and we obliged.

“Where are you putting it in the meantime?” Adam asked.

“Just stick it anywhere,” I said.

It stayed upstairs for a few days until I was leafing through one of my favorite design books, Jeffrey Billhuber’s Everyday Decorating. It’s one of the unhailed genius design books I’ve held. There, I happened upon a solution: Back-to-back couches! So we did it.

Our dining area is already small. Cozy. We already have seats with green velvet.

And yet. One Mother’s Day gathering later, I knew that back-to-back couches was the best thing that ever happened to entertaining in a small open living space!

I obscure faces to protect the innocent.

Now, I’m all in. I am laying down after dinner. I am laying down and reading in the dining room. Basically, I am doing my favorite thing (laying down). I am even talking to people on the other side of the couch like with those old French conversation chairs(practicing boundaries!).

Except that we are giving the couch away. We promised. Oh well! I’ve learned what I need to learn.

What’s your favorite design learning moment you’ve experienced?

Questions no one has asked me

🐊How many NYTimes stories have you read about alligators eating humans?

All of them. I read the NYTimes while I am doing my vision therapy exercises and lately they’ve been doing deep dives on what is pretty much the only lingering ways humans can be eaten by dinosaurs. Consider this your dinner party fun fact. Here’s how to avoid being eaten by an alligator.

🎥 Do your viewing habits with pre-teen son overlap at all?

Yes! Apprently we like unhinged, off-the-rails suspense comedies starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick.

🎧 Do you believe in telepathy?

Yes, of course. I’ve done it, and do it. Now, the world might believe me after this podcast on non-verbal autistic people who use telepathy to communicate! I know I already told you about this, but YOU MUST LISTEN. Mind-blowing.

😦What have you been doing differently?

Good lord. I sent the exact wrong text to the exact wrong person this week. Mortifying. It was just enough words to be interpreted incorrectly. I’m checking myself thrice now.