Leather Sofa

leather couch | American Furniture Warehouse    curtains | Target    

teal side table | thrifted    white pottery | ikea    stitched pillows | Pottery Barn    

monogram plate | Anthropologie    striped cushion cover | ikea    

tufted chair | American Furniture Warehouse    white dresser | second hand 

wall paint color | Sherwin Williams Agreeable Grey

We had been eyeing a navy couch at American Furtniture Warehouse for months. Labor day was finally here, and the sale validated us taking the plunge to purchase a sofa. But then, right when we walked in that Warehouse's doors - bam! We saw this couch. The lines, the color, the nod to vintage. All thoughts of the navy couch vanished. We needed a bit of an anchor in this room, especially one that was masculine and classic. We have visions of this room eventually being more of a library feel, with floor to ceiling bookcases on the far wall, maps and botanical prints framed in a gallery collection, and a hint of mid-century modern meets Wes Anderson meets crisp white simplicity. It is hard to describe just yet (and I know that decryption really does contradict itself) but I tell you, the vision is there -- I can see it. In the meantime, this couch is doing a wonderful job pulling things together. The walls are bare (yet painted!), fixtures still need to be changed out (that chandelier, yikes!), yet I don't care if that takes a year because we have a place to lounger when the morning and afternoon light are just right, and the sun creates dancing sparkles in the air, making you never want to leave. We have a place to sit with friends, Pale Ale's in hand, after a rousing game of Settlers of Catan and a belly filling supper. Plus, this couch feels like autumn to me. I'll choose a leather couch over pumpkin spice lattes to help transition our little home from summer to fall, any day.

Heirloom White Dresser

One of the perks to having a living room with only a dresser and secretary desk is that they can be rearranged over and over. I felt so inspired after painting what used to be the brown wall grey, that I played around with decorating the one lone surface of the dresser. This room is the first room you walk into from the front door, and even though we don't hang out on sofas in here yet, we still like to have a place to drop our keys and "land" in a sense before traipsing through to the rest of the house after a day of work. That, and we do spend quite a bit of time on the floor. I had forgotten how nice it is to sprawl out on carpet. But anyways, like I was saying, having a place to catch all our odds and ends became the purpose of this little white dresser's table top as I rearranged things today. (Also, how much better does that wall look? SO MUCH better!)

The dresser was actually a hand me down from my cousin Natalie. They recently moved and hadn't a need for it anymore. Its been in our family for years, so it only makes perfect sense to keep it as so! She actually painted it white the summer I first moved to Colorado. We spread out in her front yard painting, sanding, and painting. (And sanding, sanding, sanding for what seemed like a millennium.) Somehow, the memories of sanding furniture seem to stand out the most (perhaps because those are the most brutal DIYs?) Anyhow, she has twin taste to me, so it basically works out to pass anything and everything on to each other. Natalie is also the one who told me to paint my walls Sherwin Williams Agreeable Grey in Eggshell. Having cousins who are wonderful friends AND wonderful decorators is too good to be true.

Even in an empty room, there are always small and simple ways to decorate even just a portion, without having to spend a ton of money. Besides the dresser being second hand, the lamp, wooden tray, and frame were all on sale from Target. The books were thrifted, the yellow runner are actually placemats on sale from Anthropologie, and the framed "Hello" print a card I saved that was sent to me in the mail. It's all about saving little bits and pieces that you find while running your errands, cleaning out your closet, or thrifting. In the end, they all come together to make your home uniquely you :) That's the beauty of decorating.

(*The wall in the first photograph/the far left wall seen in the second photograph is the only one that's been painted grey so far. The other walls are a khaki color that the previous owners painted).

Burnt Mustard Ikea Pillows

I made a quick trip to Ikea yesterday to pick up a curtain rod. But you know I'd be kidding myself if I honestly went to Ikea thinking I'd leave with just one item. I could not pass up these $7 pillow covers. I have been wanting to change out the pillow in the front room, now that the couch is more of a focal point in the space and right front and center with our black and white curtains. After my last linen choices at Ikea being mostly floral and feminine in style for our second bedroom, I wanted a pillow that was a bit more masculine.

Little grand living room tour.

Our new living room functions as more of a big catch all of rooms. From the moment you walk in the front door you can see the kitchen and the entire living space and even into the second bedroom if the door is ajar. I love grand rooms. Ours is not the grandest of grand, but it has that fluid feel to it, especially with the kitchen peering into the living room like it does. Mmmmm, grand rooms. Open and bright and functioning as place to relax and lounge on a cozy couch, play a riveting game of Settlers or Rook, BBQ and have a night of baseball watching, sort mail and write letters as if an office, dine on fine china with pinkies up, enjoy a gallery of art and finds from travels, and spend time with the people that matter most. 

Just like our kitchen, this space is very mix and match. I love that about it. I get a lot of my design ideas from subconsciously taking note when I look at other blogs and design images, but honestly, I just "set up house" in a way I think looks good and what makes me happy. If I look at something and have one inkling of doubt after I style it that way, I most likely rearrange it ten more times until I'm happy (something you don't get to see in these photos). Maybe its from my childhood days of dressing sets and setting out props when I'd go with my dad to work. I used to put a lot of thought into "will others like the way this looks?" Now, I've realized, that is silly because I am the one who lives here. Life is short, so make your home unique to you, reflecting your experiences, personality, and style. And for me, well, you've probably picked up some clues as what makes me me from this blog AND you can see for yourself in our home tour continued. (But, really, I do hope yo like our little grand living room!)

Hang your coat here.

Cozy up.

Framed flower photo captured from our camping trip to the Rincon, CA (celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary).

Wine hutch turned everything hutch. 

These vintage prints are more fitting in our Colorado home.

Love this jute rug from Ikea.

Three is the magic number. 

Fernandolito has been with me since college

He is from a little artsy shop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Table lamp: Ikea, Books: Goodwill

 

This is our functioning office. It hides a wealth of mess inside. You would never know! 

All that is left for our home tour is the second bedroom and garage. It may be a bit for those, so hang tight, the garage needs to be finished first and then the cave can be turned into a lovely room.

What is your favorite living room detail? What is something that makes your home uniquely you?