Recently a friend of mine moved to a new place and asked me for a color recommendation for her new living room. Her prized mid-century modern grey case study couch and some fiery orange chairs were the only furniture pieces making the move, so I had a great start! I decided to take this opportunity to create two room options that incorporate different color palettes, as well as different elements making for two distinct styles to be inspired from. I can't wait to see which she chooses for her new home and I look forward to sharing these with you...
Pops of color!
1>> The first thing to do is ground the living room with a gallery wall of art. I had been to Anne's previous home and knew that she had a great collection of posters, prints and kid art that would make a stunning grouping in her new living room. Creating a wall of smaller pieces is usually a lot more manageable than investing in a large piece of art, and typically everyone has moderately sized art pieces that when grouped have a huge impact. The internet has endless resources on how to create a gallery wall: balancing shape, size, color, etc. The wonderful thing about it is that there is no other wall like it, it is yours uniquely and can be ever changing depending on your collection! Check out Etsy, 20x200 and Hatch Show Prints
2>> With the neutral grey charcoal couch as my backdrop, I chose a series of colorful pillows to tie in the colors from the art. Pillows are the workhorse of the room, they not only provide comfort but color, texture and pattern. They are the easiest accessory to change throughout the year to convey your mood, the season, color trends, etc.. Sources: Crate & Barrel, west elm
3>> A well-used room needs plants to clean the air, add drama and assure that nature connection so necessary during our rainy Portland winters. These fantastic pots add some height, brilliant glossy color and channel some mid-century style. Source: sprout home
4>> Lighting is taken care of by two varieties of turquoise lamps, a table lamp and a floor lamp. These fixtures have very different styles, but the color and their playful lines coordinate with the rest of the room's casual vibe. Sources: Furbish Studio, Louis Poulsen
5>> This side table does double duty as additional seating and lends a sculptural quality to the room. The open weave of the antiqued bronze wire allows it to appear light while serving it's purpose. The Heath ceramic vases with those cute yellow flowers called Billy Balls, add color and whimsy in a small grouping. Billy Balls are wonderful for drying because they look practically the same fresh or dried. These can come in different colors and by layering them in your space you are visually continuing the color theme around the room. Sources: Crate & Barrel, Heath
6>> Taking cues off the existing orange chairs and basic color theory 101, I chose a blue rug which is opposite orange on the color wheel and therefore creates color harmony. This thick tufted lagoon colored rug would be luxurious under foot and the rich saturated color works well with the grey texture of the couch. Source: west elm
7>> I chose this coffee table because of it's retro lines and I liked how the red would look playing off of the existing orange chairs. The wood box top allows for plenty of hidden storage and adds warmth to the center of the main seating area. Source: blu dot
The neutral grey paint palette that I chose to go in this living room might seem gloomy, but paired with plenty of natural light and bright accents - it creates a cozy and intimate space that is perfectly suited for a young family's fresh living room redo.
Stay tuned for the next option. In the mean time, what are your thoughts? I look forward to hearing your comments!