Design by Jhane Barnes

In putting a room together, look at the lines of your furniture first, says Barnes. Barnes recently designed a boxy sofa called Headline. "I didn’t want it to look too bulky and like deadweight, so I put a very skinny cushion along the top of the base. It gives the eye relief so it’s not all a big box." Similarly, look at pairing furniture and textiles that have similar lines and aesthetics, says Barnes. On a recent room design project, Barnes chose a plain carpet with two "very skinny, bright pinstripes" to complement the sleek lines of the furniture.

A line of Barnes Byline chairs for Bernhardt (www.bernhardtdesigns.com) show off their sleek design.