Designer Lauren Robbins had two potentially conflicting goals for the large living room in the new construction house she was working on in a gated community that is just minutes from Augusta National Golf Club, in Augusta, Ga. Like many of his neighbors, the homeowner, who is an intelligence consultant, rents his house out for the week during the Masters Tournament, so the living area needed to be great for entertaining. However, the majority of the time, it’s just the homeowner, who’s a divorced father, and his two sons, so the living room also needed to feel approachable and warm. Ms. Robbins’s solution to both needs was to make the room very symmetrical. “As big as the room is, it feels balanced and comfortable,” she said. “It has a timeless appeal, but still has some curious and interesting pieces that are conversation starters.”

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