LivingRoomViewThe second room in my home tour after the entryway, is the living room. If you saw my loft tour from this last March you will recognize pretty much everything in this room. The only new pieces are a few white vessels and the Smith & Hawken wreath over the fireplace. I will share the photos then give you the details at the end of this post.

Living Room Details ContainersLiving Room SofaLivingRoomDetailsDeskLiving Room FireplaceLivingRoomDetailsSofa

WALL PAINT: The wall color was already in the room, and since I liked the subtle color and brightness of the room so I found a match for touch-ups with Sherwin Williams Oyster Bar.
CURTAINS: I recycled four of the quatrefoil pattern curtain panels I had made for loft by adding invisible tabs to the back. I will be sharing this easy tailored curtain DIY in an upcoming post. I did move the curtain rods to the base of the ceiling molding to highlight and bring attention to the beautiful coved ceiling.
SOFA, CHAIRS, OTTOMAN & PILLOWS: Still loving my linen slipcover sofa, (my best Craigslist find and very similar to the Restoration Hardware Belgian sofas), I placed it in front of the fireplace, using the summer styled hearth as the focal point. The sofa is flanked with the two chairs that I had slip covered a few years ago and in the center of all, an over-sized Essex ottoman that I purchased at West Elm. The sofa and chairs are decorated with pillows that I made from fabrics with my favorite teals, aquas and yellows and the big white chair-and-a-half is topped with a fluffy white blanket making a perfect bed for Enzo to sit in the morning sun.
SIDE TABLES: I brought in my matching set of nesting side tables on both sides of the fireplace. These tables were indeed my first experiment with the Chalk Paint® decorative paints by Annie Sloan and are painted in the graphite color and finished with clear soft wax. A note about the graphite paint. Though it looks quite black on her website, every piece I have painted with this color does have a grey-blue hue. I love this color but if you are looking for a neutral grey or black you may want to try another color or paint. The side table at the end of the sofa is a log that I literally found on the side of the road. After peeling off the bark and letting it fully dry, I gave it an oil finish to bring out the rich wood colors. The other side table is made from one of my favorite West Elm pieces. A silver lacquer tray, perched on top of their low butler tray stand. I love the mix of vintage painted, rustic wood, and modern chic of these tables.
DESK & STOOL: Two of my favorite painted pieces, this desk and stool are also finished with Chalk Paint® decorative paints by Annie Sloan in graphite and clear wax. I found them on separate occasions at local antique stores. The stool is topped with a handmade cushion picking up the yellow in the room.
ARTWORK & ACCESSORIES: The desk holds my Asian horse sculpture (the one I rescued from the Home Goods bargain bin with missing ears and cracked foot) now standing proud with a fresh coat of Chalk Paint® decorative paints by Annie Sloan in Provence. Alongside the horse is my vintage globe and a yellow ball I have been carrying around since owning my flower and gift shop. Above the desk hangs my favorite piece of art that I have created. Odd, right? But I love it. It is simply paper triangles decoupaged to a white canvas. On the adjoining wall is another of my favorites. A manzanita branch that I painted white. . . hanging on the wall. Across the room over the fireplace is a diptych that I literally painted with my fingers. You can see my finger marks all over this modern take on ocean and sky. The paintings are styled with a Smith & Hawken wreath I purchased at Target. On the adjoining wall to the fireplace I hung two black and white prints of tree branches. I have used these pieces in all of my interiors for many years as I see them as a great addition when you need a quieter wall. I have collected the ceramic vessels, bowls and candle holders from Ikea, West Elm and other shops. The teal glass candle holder is a Glassy Baby that I bought when I visited their Seattle studio.
LAMPS: I only have three lamps in this space and am looking for at least two more to finish the room. The floor lamp is a beauty from West Elm and the two stacked silver ball table lamps were found on Craigslist.
RUG: I found this grey heather wool rug at Home Goods.
FIREPLACE STYLING: Here is the post where I show you how I styled my fireplace for summer.

Stepping back and looking at this living room, it is my favorite that I have designed for my space over all the years. I will be changing it out to a winter color palette in the Fall and will share my process with you then. My bit of advise to those of you who are creating your beautiful living spaces. . . surround yourself with pieces you love. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to do this. As you can see, everything in my room was either upcycled, made, repurposed or found at deep discount and I am in love with every piece. If you don’t have one already, start a Pinterest home decor board and beginning pinning images and designs the catch your eye. I remember at one point looking at my HOME LOVE board and seeing a trend. . . and that is when I realized I was drawn to white furniture. And finally, handcraft some pieces for your space. Start with something small like a pillow or a framed drawing then keep making and creating. This is how I now have this beautiful space. Cheers! ~ Lia