This time, I plan to mix things up a bit. I enjoy browsing my vendors' websites and looking at design magazines for new products and trends. I enjoy those "fun finds" that inspire me and arouse my creativity. This time around, I will show you, my loyal followers, how to use those fun finds to design a space in your own home.
Designing a room doesn't just happen in an afternoon. It requires careful planning and selecting the perfect pieces to give the room the look and feel that you are trying to achieve. With that said, the ideas I am about to give are just that....ideas. They will help you get started, and closer to finishing, than going it alone. So be inspired to decorate and create the home of your dreams.
Today we will be designing a small living room in an eclectic, casual but elegant style. I don't always get the opportunity to design an eclectic space, but I thought it would be appropriate since a lot of people seem to have things they've acquired over time and don't know how to pull them together. It is the common comment I get from clients "I don't want to get rid of _________" (fill in the blank).
Now let me just say that there is a big difference between junk and classic pieces that may be just need to be refreshed a bit. Too many times I've seen a bunch of old pieces destined for the trash thrown together in an "eclectic" styled room. Eclectic simply means "selecting or choosing from various sources". In our case, from different design styles and periods.
Let's start out with the main piece for our living room: A sofa
I love this sofa from Lee Industries. It marries the traditional look of a Chesterfield sofa with the contemporary high back and high arms and still manages to have a casual feel with the skirted, slip covered look. The fabric is a linen color, that will be a nice neutral base on which to start layering.
Next we'll introduce our cocktail table.
For a bit of the unexpected, this really cool cocktail table from Vivre will add some texture and visual appeal to the room.
Next we'll bring in a couple of occasional chairs. I usually do a pair to add plenty of seating
This chair from Bradington Young, also combines the feel of a traditional wing back chair with a contemporary silhouette. This linen fabric from Robert Allen will add that more casual feel.
Next we'll bring in the end tables.
I always try to bring in as much storage as possible in a small room. This hammered aluminum chest from Noir Trading is perfect for some extra storage, maybe by a window away from the general conversation seating area. a small side table in an ebony finish adds a casual, but contemporary feel and an asian inspired table is the perfect touch for our eclectic style
Time for the area rug. Keep in mind that it needs to be large enough to anchor the seating area
This croc inspired print wool rug is from Safavieh.
No room is complete without window treatments. All that's needed are non-functional pinch pleat panels to soften the lines of the windows
This gauzy striped, sheer linen fabric from Clarke and Clarke is perfect for framing the windows and still let in natural light.
Before we go much further, let's talk about our paint color.
SW6092 Lightweight Beige from Sherwin Williams is a great neutral
Now we'll bring in our lighting, pillows, and accessories
Last but not least is art
So there you have it, a casual, elegant, eclectic living room pulled together with my fun finds. Hope you are inspired by what you've seen. Feel free to leave me a comment or a question if you need more information on any of the products featured.
Each blog post I will be adding my top three fun finds of the week. Here goes:
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