High/low: Contemporary sitting room

Can you tell the difference?

Which is high and which is low?

High: $20,514

1 ARTWORK, Roma by Larry Laslo with Antique Silver frame, Art Shoppe, $1,259. 2 ARTWORK, Gilded flower with Lucite shadowbox, Elte, $1,490. 3 FLOOR LAMP, Thomas O'Brien Studio metal Transitional in Antique Nickel, Union Lighting and Furnishings, $1,490. 4 ARTWORK, Dogs 3 by Valerie Davide with white frame, Elte, $595. 5 STATUE, Wood and cowrie Lady Hat Namji Doll in White, Snob, $375. 6 VASE, Narrow short earthenware Modernist in Mustard, West Elm, $29. 7 SIDE TABLE High-gloss round in Cenere, Art Shoppe, $799. 8 TOSS CUSHION COVER, Steven Alan silk Hand-Blocked Stripes in Golden Gate, West Elm, $39. TOSS CUSHION INSERT, polyfill, West Elm, $12. 9 SIDECHAIR, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams stainless steel and lambswool shearling Armand II, Elte, $2,876. 10 RUG, Wool and silk Art Day 103 in Platinum, Modern Weave, $8,950. 11 SIDE TABLE, Aluminum Marlow in Matte Brass, Barrymore Furniture, $610. 12 CHAIR, Brushed steele and hide Jimmy Sling in Serengetti, Elte, $2,285.

Low: $6,288

1 ARTWORK, Reverse Nebula, Susan van Beek Rogers, $30. FRAME, silver-leafed, Michaels, $235. 2 WALL ART, Gold metal flower in Champagne, Bouclair Home, $20. FRAME, Four Way Adjustable Shadowbox in White, Michaels, $30. 3 FLOOR LAMP, Polished chrome Retro Style, UpCountry, $995. 4 ARTWORK, Dog with black frame, HomeSense, $40.  5 STATUE, Wooden African, HomeSense, $25. 6 VASE, Ceramic in Pear, Bouclair Home, $20. 7 SIDE TABLE, High-gloss Eclipse in White, Structube, $179. 8 TOSS CUSHION, Pima Collection polyester in Yellow with polyfill, Bouclair Home, $20. 9 SIDECHAIR, Leather and steel Parr, Pavilion, $795. 10 RUG, Transitional Lifestyle wool and viscose M2058 in Patina, Black and Grey, Hellenic Rugs Canada, $3,250. 11 SIDE TABLE, Polished aluminum Lattice, Urban Barn, $249. 12 CHAIR, Leather and chrome Butterfly, HomeSense, $400.

Exhibit-style gallery wall

Even if you’re not an art critic or gallery owner, it’s easy to curate your own exhibit-worthy wall grouping. Here, the asymmetrical display reads as cohesive, thanks to a few key considerations: Larger pieces placed at the bottom ground everything (the smaller ones would have been lost down low); atypical sculptural objets add a little of the unexpected; and selective repetition of frame size and style (use the rule of threes) balances the look. The most important element, though, is remembering to map it all out before you break out the hammer and nails. Use painter’s tape or paper cut-outs to visualize how the pieces will come together. 1 ARTWORK Handmade paper Floating Square with white frame, West Elm, $119. 2 ARTWORK Gilded flower with Lucite shadowbox, Elte, $1,195. 3 SCULPTURE White metal animal, HomeSense, $30. 4 ARTWORK Coast in aluminum frame, Urban Barn, $89. 5 ARTWORK 5589-2, Structube, $79.  

Floor lamps

When you find the chance to savour some solo downtime at home, you need only one companion: an articulating floor lamp to illuminate the hobby at hand. Whether you’re cozying up with a book, catching up on handwritten correspondence or crafting a new project, these pivoting lamps provide a range of motion that will lend the limelight to whatever you’re working on. LEFT: Polished chrome retro style, UpCountry, $995. RIGHT: Thomas O'Brien Studio metal Transitional in Antique Nickel, Union Lighting and Furnishings, $1,490.  

Abstract rugs

Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) was one of the earliest abstract artists and remains one of the most influential to this day. So it’s fitting for abstract rugs that call Kandinsky to mind to find pride of place in a gallery-inspired room. The prints may seem overwhelming, but they work in neutral settings where they’re not competing for attention. FROM LEFT: • Transitional Lifestyle Classics wool and viscose CF67 in Pacific Blue, Grey & Putty, Hellenic Rugs Canada, $4,800. • Jaipur wool Kaleidoscope rug in Black Ink, HomeSense, $250. • Transitional Lifestyle Classics wool and viscose CF65 in Tranquil Water, Hellenic Rugs Canada, $4,800. • Viscose/Cotton blend Floral Bursts, Urban Barn, $499.