Living Room Designer VIP Day
The next room that we designed during this Design VIP Day was the living room! When it came to the living room, Candace wanted to make sure it was toddler friendly (of course) and had a relaxed, welcoming feel. She is an introvert who loves to be comfy at home and her husband loves to entertain so this living room will get lots of use! Just like we did with the dining room, we provided her with three different images of living rooms to help her identify which style she’d like to emulate in this hub of their home. Because I’ve worked with her before, I had an idea of what she would like but I always want to give clients the opportunity to freely express themselves. After all, our styles change and our preferences can vary based on the room. The three different styles that we presented examples of were:
Farmhouse - This style is what you will find at Pottery ban and got a huge boost in popularity by Joanna Gaines using it a lot on her show Fixer Upper.
Maximalist - A mix of furniture styles with lots of color, texture, and cultural touches. “More is more” in this style.
California cozy - Light natural colors with light wood elements throughout. Shea McGee & Amber Lewis are well-known for this style.
Living Room
Candace was drawn the the Califorinia Cozy style and we were happy to make that happy for her! After some deliberation about the sectional sofa, we settled on a Crypton performance fabric white sofa. At first she was hesitant about having white in a room that will endure so much traffic and toddler fingers but I share with her this video which beautifully illustrates how durable it is!
Ceiling Fan - In North Carolina, ceiling fans are necessary! Even with central AC in our homes, you still need some air moving on hot summer days. We selected one that has a beautiful woven
Sectional Sofa - If you know me, you know that I worked for Pottery Barn for a period of time and it was a great way to get to know upholstered furniture. They have such a wide array of styles and their quality stands the test of time. This sectional sofa is one of their bestsellers because it can come in many variations and is offered in Crypton performance fabrics!
Rug - They have beautiful grey-toned hardwood floors, so of course, we needed a complementary rug to protect them. We loved this option because it has a beautiful gold vein running through it.
Tufted Ottoman - With toddlers, you constantly need places to quickly throw their never-ending collection of toys. This ottoman has a removable top where she can hide all of her favorite play things and also coordinates perfectly with the sofa.
Media Cabinet - This cabinet is where they can store all of the things they may want quick access to in the living room. Books, board games, extra blankets. Whatever they may want to hide can live here.
Curtain Panels - To give that California cozy feel, we selected a grey canvas curtain panel with blackout lining. The grey canvas face is cozy and the blackout lining adds a weight that makes the curtains feel more substantial and luxurious.
Curtain Rod - We used the same curtain rods that we used in the dining room because, in an open floor plan home, continuity is so important! There needs to be a thread of things that are the same throughout the areas that are adjacent to each other. Having the same curtain hardware does that for them in this space.
Antelope Pillow - Y'all know I am drawn to anything animal print. :) But in this case, we loved the natural color and text which ties together the grey tones in the room with the light-colored sofa.
Grey Watercolor print pillow - This pillow gives another touch of sophistication with
Natural Wood Round Mirror - This mirror was absolutely stunning in person and pairs so well with their media cabinet. A mirror this size and with this beautiful wood frame would cost so much more if purchased at other stores. I’m a big fan of adding a mirror to an open floor plan living room because it bounces all of the light from the windows in the room.
We are SO happy with how it came out and she’s already received many of the items that she ordered. I was able to bring my team and hang the window treatments this week, and we’re planning on returning to hang all of her new and old art pieces next. I can’t wait to go back and see it fully furnished!
