Balancing proportion and scale

Sometimes the simplest solution comes from balancing scale and proportion.  In this suburban Detroit home, it was hard not to be daunted by the soaring fireplace wall.  While the grandness of the space is wonderful, the fireplace was lost in a sea of drywall and there was no visual focus. Without a reference to human scale, this wall was adrift!  We designed a fireplace surround and mantel, which introduced a strong horizontal line and...voila! ..the scale of the wall is broken down and your eye has a comfortable place to rest.  But why stop there?  With the remaining wall above the fireplace, we punched the center back to create a niche for artwork and added wall sconces flanking the newly created niche.  So, by adding several very simple horizontal and vertical lines, the proportions and scale are adjusted.  Add the interest of new materials, textures, and lighting and this wall now anchors the room.