Sep 3, 20233 min read

A Bold, Cozy Living Room

Updated: Oct 3, 2023

Deep, rich tones. Cabin vibes. Killer knickknacks. All the trappings of a bold cozy living room.

This project was a fairly straight-forward furnishing. We handled a few minor drywall repairs and painted the walls and ceiling, but the main focus here was on a streamlined layout and fresh furniture.

Here’s what we did!

This room started out with a pretty intense color on the walls. De-yellowing was step #1 in creating a calmer feel.

The homeowners toyed with the idea of painting this side section of the shiplap, but they knew they loved the wood look and together we trusted that keeping the paint just to the drywall would deliver the look we were envisioning.

The fireplace adds the charm that only a fireplace can add. And this family is active all year long- so they use this area as a place for drying out snow-soaked gear. This is a long room, and that can be tricky to work with. A large rug, the right piece of art and mantle accoutrements would help anchor this wall as a focal point.

They also love to entertain, so we made a plan for a new seating arrangement that promoted hangouts and gatherings where everyone was so relaxed and delighted by the charm of the room that conversation carried well into the night.

We chose a smokey white with a warm gray to bring some gentle contrast to the window trim and baseboard. With such a deep wood tone on one side of the room, I didn’t want to go straight white on everything and make the walls compete.

The furniture fabrics were selected first and foremost for comfort- this living room is where life happens and sometimes life demands a nap- and also as a way to bring in an anchor of rich hues. The sofa is a slate gray and the matching side chairs are a woodsy green. These chairs have a firmer seat to provide an easy up and down option for older guests. And then we needed something a little fun and funky, so I found this great boucle side chair. And it is soft and squishy. I imagined it as a place their kids would love to sink into- and a snapshot of the kids piled on top of each other on that chair was the first after photo they shared with me.

And did I mention the knickknacks? I had them pick some of their favorite items to incorporate around the room. I also shopped around to pull a few items in as well.

I was out at an antique store when I spotted a perfectly hideous viking ship ashtray. After years of having the Marlboro winds in its sail, it had turned a spectacular shade of puce. I jokingly sent a photo of it along claiming I had found the perfect thing for their coffee table. The husband is a major boat guy, like in a naval architect sort of way, so I was giddy as I hit send. Oh and it went over very well. The joke procured this actually cool viking ship- a vintage family heirloom. And checked patterns are seriously having a moment so this was an unexpected boon to the mantel design.

I did add in some flecks of gold about the room. This was moving a few steps out of their comfort zone, but I just felt like it would help to break up the textures from all the natural elements. And gold is a natural element too, so hey I'm on point here.

I really loved working with their textiles, bowls, books and all the personal items that they've collected over their lifetime. I see the new furniture serving as the base and their belongings as being absolutely necessary to that perfect final layer. This mix keeps a home timeless and full of meaning. I'm all for embracing trends that speak to you, but we need to keep our grip loose enough to let our most beloved trinkets into the squeeze.