Our Living Room

It’s been almost a full year since we moved into our house and the living room is finally finished! I’m so glad that we took our time with this space, adding to it slowly until it was just right.

Our goal for the room was elevated, colorful, and fun. But not fussy. A space that is both pretty to look at but easy to live in. That we could enjoy without feeling like we had to step on eggshells.

The shape posed a bit of a challenge because it is very long and very thin and it has an angled ceiling on one side and is open to our kitchen and playroom on the other with a wall that goes 1/4 of the way down the side. I had no idea how to lay it out.

Design

To figure out the layout and add finishing touches, I worked with a new Connecticut-based female-owned company, The Finish. They are interior designers who you can hire on an hourly basis to complete a room that is almost there but not quite.

They’ll work with online retailers to find what you want in any budget or can handle a project from start to finish. They do virtual consultations as well for anyone outside of CT looking for something like this. It’s a great option if you want to work with a professional but don’t want to spend a ton of money.

Wall Color

I started working with them when we were at this stage in the process. The first thing that our designer, Dana, suggested was to change up the wall color. I originally wanted to wallpaper the entire space but Anel wasn’t into that so she recommended either navy or white. Originally we were going to go with a navy but once we started testing colors on the wall, it just wasn’t working for us. The dark color contrasted against the white shiplap ceiling would have looked incredible but we just couldn’t commit!

As soon as we painted it white from the blue/grey that was there, the whole space brightened up. And we had a blank slate for window treatments and a rug.

Rug

With a big dog who likes to get into the mud and a toddler who likes to knock down every glass in her path, the rug and all of our fabrics had to be easy to clean. We used performance fabric on our couches which means with dish soap and water, stains come out in a matter of seconds.

We went with an indoor/outdoor rug in a natural herringbone which wasn’t the look I was hoping for originally but now I’m so happy that we made this call. The door to our backyard is right next to this room and Boots runs in and out constantly. Not having to worry about staining the carpet is a really nice change. This rug is made for mudrooms and porches so it can withstand a lot.

Because of the long/thin shape of the room, it was hard to find anything that would fit so we ultimately decided to go with a custom-sized rug from Annie Selke so that it didn’t look awkward or misplaced. And you can never go wrong with a herringbone pattern! It’s soft on our feet and padded so it’s nice and squishy. I love it.

artwork

It’s hard to tell from photos but the back wall is huge and dwarfs any artwork that goes there. We were thinking of doing something cool and sculptural and still might in the future but when we moved our favorite Gray Malin print from the kitchen to this wall, it transformed the vibe. It’s beachy and colorful and happy.

What’s funny is this print is almost 5 feet wide and looks so small here. Anel and I honeymooned on the Amalfi Coast and this photo brings back memories of that trip every time we look at it. I love that the room almost revolves around it.

Coffee Table

Dana, our designer from The Finish, had to design around the print plus the chairs, couches, and side tables that we already had. Originally, we planned to use a giant grasscloth coffee table but ended up moving it to our family room because it was just too big for the width of the room. Dana found a really pretty thin coffee table that looks like it was made for the space.

Like everything else in here, it’s durable and toddler-proof.

Window Treatments

The picture window in our living room is beautiful and giant. We opted for a cornice with double-width drapes in a fabric that I never in a million years would have picked out for myself. I usually go for safer options but the bold pattern and beautiful kelly green color looks especially pretty when it’s light out and you can see the trees as you look out the window.

Fireplace

The fireplace is off-center on a white brick wall and we had no idea what to do with that. We talked about centering it but the cost of that was astronomical so we decided to figure out how to keep it as is and design around it.

The floating shelves to the right of the fireplace make it feel like the placement is intentional. And they also make the perfect home for framed family photos.

In the winter, we make a fire almost every day so we needed a cute way to store firewood. I found these baskets randomly on Amazon and they’re super sturdy and fit perfectly under the shelves.

chairs

The swivel chairs have been such a clutch addition to this room. We can turn them in to have conversations or swivel them around to watch Amalia in the adjoining playroom. And they’re shockingly comfortable. I find myself working from one of them in the afternoons when the light is bright and beautiful in this room.

Decor

Throw pillows are one thing we haven’t really hit yet but I love the orange ones from our old sunroom and think they work really well in here. The blue and white pillows were something Dana pulled in from the porch as a temporary placeholder but then we ended up liking them.

I’m not 100% sold on the pillow situation but I’m waiting until I come across the perfect thing.

What I am overly obsessed with, however, were the lampshades we had made in Les Touches fabric to match our swivel chairs. Anel actually picked out the seagrass lamps (he made me promise to mention this fact!) which we bought without shades so we could add the patterned ones.

We needed a giant plant in the corner and this faux olive leaf tree fits perfectly next to the art on that wall. Boots’ bed is on the other side of the print but I think we might move it forward and add a second plant to fill the empty corner and give it some symmetry.

One day when Dana was here for the curtain install, she suggested moving a console table from our dining room behind the couch to showcase my ginger jars. Before that, they had been all over the house on various tables and dressers but her philosophy is if you have a beautiful collection of something, show it off all together.

We weren’t really using the full length of the room so although we lost about three feet of length, it actually feels much cozier and less awkward in shape.

And that’s it! I am so thrilled with how our living room turned out. Anel and I have been sitting here more often to chat or just work side by side. Every single night one of us inevitably says, don’t you love this room???

I hope you enjoy this little photo tour of the space! You can scroll all the way down for all product details.