After

To keep the traffic flow open, Anne Turner pulled the furniture away from the walls and into the center of the room―a type of arranging commonly referred to as a “floating furniture plan.”

To anchor the arrangement, she used an octagonal ottoman in a bold fabric set on a cowhide rug. “The ottoman’s shape addresses every angle of the room, particularly since the fireplace is catty-corner,” Anne Turner explains. “Also, it provides the comfort factor of somewhere to prop up your feet, along with the option of extra seating when we have company.”

Ottoman: Dorian Octagonal Ottoman (M1011) by Martha Stewart Furniture for Bernhardt; bernhardt.com or 888-562-7842 for stores.

Fabric on ottoman: Oxus Greige (2303-8) by Carleton V (carletonvltd.com), also available through DCOTA Design Services.