Sara’s Design Dilemma
Sara begged us to rid her of her butterfly chair and spiff up her living room on a beer budget. Here’s her hysterical letter:
We need help with the furniture arrangement for our long, narrow living room! I want to lose the country blue and make this casual, modern, and neutral. I love what you’ve done with your home- we’re also the proud owners of a 1950′s home! I’m more of a Target/Walmart gal but I like what I see in Pottery Barn/West Elm stores (with more of a beer budget). The couch, loveseat and wall color (water chestnut-love it!) are the only things that must stay for now. However, we’d like to see your ideas for new couches as they will be a future purchase and I also like a cool color palette for the room in general (red and orange just isn’t our thing). My hubby also mentioned it would be nice for some type of additional seating (please help rid us of the butterfly chair). The picture window has defeated me in battle (I did manage to hang the curtain rod high and wide but curtain hunting has left us with temporary curtains that are making me dread messing with the other window). Some wants/wish list items: a new tv stand, a console table (if it works in the space), new end tables & a coffee table, curtains, and a new area rug (my cheapo 5×7 doesn’t seem to work). Thanks again for taking the time to fix this sad room. I love your blog and can’t wait to see what you come up with! – Sara
So we searched cyberspace for some stellar deals and cobbled together this casual and modern mood board with easy breezy style to spare:
Here’s the mood board breakdown.
1.You’ll notice our proposed makeover is really crisp thanks to an abundance of cozy white pieces. We’ll also be bringing a few pale blues and greens into the space and the brown color represents the medium wood tones while the lighter tan color represents Sara’s existing wall color (Glidden’s Water Chestnut) and a swanky new rug for the room. While Sara’s walls will happily remain unpainted, we actually think she should whip out her roller and prime and paint her existing TV armoire, which will look clean and current in crisp white (for extra credit, Sara can add sleek brushed nickel hardware). It fits really well in the space so instead of replacing it she’ll save some green by repurposing it.
2. As for the current furniture arrangement, we think it actually works really well aside from the fact that the loveseat looks too far back. Instead of placing it against the back wall, we think moving it forward a few feet (to create an L shape next to the current sofa) will allow the room to breathe and look sophisticated and inviting. By moving the sofa away from the wall, there will be room for a console table behind the loveseat, which can bring balance and light into the space with two matching lamps on display (see #8). And at only $109, it’s a total steal (you know we adore that x-detailing on the sides).
3. Sara wanted a suggestion for a new couch that she can snag down the line, and we just couldn’t get over the warm yet modern lines of Ikea’s new Karlstad sofa with a floorlength slipcover. It’s a dead ringer for the PB Square from Pottery Barn (at about a third of the price- it’s just 499 beans!). And the matching loveseat is just as dreamy (and easy on the wallet). With prices like that, Sara may even be able to snag that new seating area sooner than she originally thought.
4. And speaking of super fabulous steals and deals, this sleek white coffee table will definitely finish off the entire seating area with West Elm style on an Ikea budget. Coming in at only $29.99, this table will ground the couch and the loveseat in style (while saving Sara some much needed benjamins).
5. We loved the fresh Crate & Barrel look of this neutral patterned rug and adored the fact that it injected a bit of the wall color into the center of the space. No one will believe that it actually hails from Walmart (and comes in well under $150!). The measurements are also perfecto. At 4.5 by 8 feet, it’s longer and thinner than Sara’s previous rug, so it will really anchor the narrow room’s seating area thanks to the fact that it’s wider than the couch (a definite rug rule of ours).
6. Another no-brainer for the space were these swanky glass side tables which will add to our light and bright feeling while breaking up all the white furniture in the space and adding a bit of sparkle. At under $69, these showstoppers are almost too good to be true.
7. Here’s our pop of personality for the space, which also echoes the subtle leaf pattern that we introduced in our rug. This sophisticated slipper chair will happily replace the ol’ butterfly chair while adding a splash of those pale blue and greens that Sara admittedly adores.
8. We mentioned that two matching table lamps would swankify the console behind Sara’s loveseat to no end, and two of these beauties would take the cake. Clocking in at $30 a pop (how can lamps this gorgeous be on clearance?!) they have to be our favorite deal of the day (and possibly the decade).
9. To finish off our subtle and soft leaf motif, these understated and effortlessly elegant curtains are IT. And at just 29 beans for two (!) Sara can win the battle with her picture window and still have enough moolah to snag a matching pair to flank the window behind the loveseat.
And that about sums it up. Sara’s leafy and luxurious living room makeover on a dime. We can’t wait to hear what you guys think!
Update: We sadly can no longer find the time to take on client commissioned mood boards (we now whip up general inspiration boards instead) but if we ever reinstate them we’ll make a big announcement!
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This is one of the best Design Dilemma’s I’ve seen on your site! These are some GREAT deals, and I definitely plan on picking some up for my own livingroom “design dilemma”!
I love it, especially the colors! But I think you’re linking the curtains to the lamp. (Proof that I love it–I was sourcing every item on your mood board!)
Very Cool! When you are doing your room designs on a budget, how do you start? Do you look for the most expensive pieces first then design around them?
I love everything except the coffee table… The Ikea Lack line just screams dorm room/first apartment to me. If budget is an issue why not scour some thrift shops for a pretty mid-century modern-ish table that is made of wood, not particle board. Plus, if its not white it might actually show up on the the cream colored rug.
One more from me…
I love the idea of having a cream or white couch, but if you have a dog and children who all slobber and eat on your sofa, what neutral color would you go with then?
We had white/cream slipcovers for our previous couches, and they were very dog friendly (we have FOUR golden retrievers). It was super-easy to keep them spiffy looking with weekly washings with oxygen bleach. In 4 years, we never had a stain that wouldn’t come out (even GA red clay)! I would recommend getting two sets of slipcovers so you can rotate them for washing. Recently, we got a charcol couch, and it seems to actually show dirt fairly easily (not quite sure on how or why)…
Hey everyone,
Glad you’re diggin’ the latest mood board. It was one of our favorites too, so it’s nice to hear that it’s a fan favorite. And thanks for the heads up about my link issue Jules. You’re the best.
As for Amanda’s comment about the coffee table, it’s true that different people have different associations with certain pieces of furniture (like Sara’s hatred for the butterfly chair), so we can certainly appreciate that you think the lack table looks dorm-y. See, because we can only choose one coffee table for each mood board (sometimes we’re dying to toss out three options so everyone will like at least one, but it just gets too complicated) we pick one that we think will work the best for the person’s style and budget. But it’s really a super subjective thing. And since we like to actually link to items that people can buy, we can’t really put thrift store items on our mood board (since they usually can’t be purchased online and shipped to your door). But we absolutely positively agree that a thrifty steal of a coffee table would look fabulous (our very own living room coffee table is a $40 thrift store find) so thanks for puttin’ that out there!
As for Jamie’s question about whether we start with a specific piece (like the biggest or most expensive), the answer is that it’s different every time. I usually hone in on the style that someone’s going for along with their specific furniture requests and go from there- but it really varies each time.
For example if someone requests a new dining room set, some curtains, a light fixture, a rug, and a few accessories but they want a light and modern space, I might start with the dining table (maybe a fabulous glass table with chrome legs from CB2) and then work from there. Or I could start with a super cool light fixture (perhaps a modern pendant from West Elm) or even with the curtains or the rug (I’ve been known to pluck my entire color palette from those items). Heck some mood boards start with a pillow or even a piece of art.
The answer in a nut shell: there’s really no method to our madness and a lot of what we pull in the beginning of a project ends up getting bumped by something better that we find later (for example, curtains that looked great with the table might get switched out for new curtains that look great with the table AND the new rug that we found). It’s an unpredictable process, but it’s always super fun for furniture and accessory junkies like us (who love sniffing out a good sale while we’re at it).
And as for the sofa with kids and dogs question- we really think a slipcover is the key (we have a dog who loves to jump on the couch with muddy feet and our white sofa can weather that storm because the slipcover can easily get tossed in the wash). But our other slipcovered sofa (in a light sand color) is even more durable (and gets tossed into the wash a whole lot less) thanks to the tan tone that magically hides everything from mud to spilled milk. The key for a sofa for this specific mood board would be that if you wanted to bring in a sand colored sofa, the rug would have to go a little lighter (which might defeat the whole purpose of dog & baby proofing the room) or a little darker (because a tan couch sitting on a tan rug just won’t cut the mustard). However our sand colored couch looks great on a slightly darker woven jute rug which has just enough color contrast and a definite texture differentiation to keep things from looking like they’re melting into each other. Hope that helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Wow, I really like how you described/detailed your approach. It’s clear that you really tailor it to the client’s situation, budget, etc. I have a few more questions if you’re up to it … does every design dilemma solution make it into/onto your blog? what is the lag time between design dilemma request and the actual moodboard? and finally do you favor any one particular decorating style, or are you up to any decorating style challenge??
Hey Sandy,
Unfortunately, every mood board doesn’t make the blog due to sheer volume (most do, although we’ve been increasingly busy these days and have agreed that posting more than one a day would be a bit too much- it used to just be one a week!). As for the time in between the mood board request and the actual post, we turn everything around within one week. So if someone purchases a custom board, we whip it up within about five or six days and then spend the last day writing the post to explain the why and the where of everything (and then link to all of our sources).
As for decorating styles that we favor, I think it’s fairly obvious that we like anything light and airy (and we’re suckers for all things white). Other than that, I think we really like everything from super modern to quaint and cottage- as long as it’s crisp, clean and still feels current. Our own house is such a style amalgamation (lots of West Elm, Target, Pottery Barn and Ikea mixed with vintage thrift store finds and a super beachy color palette) so I think one thing we like to do is combine a few different styles in each mood board to keep things from looking too predictable and expected (we also think it keeps things current for a lot longer than anything that’s too rigid style-wise).
We’re definitely up for any decorating style challenge, and often find that we enjoy the ones that take us outside of our normal realm (we really enjoyed a rustic cabin mood board that we whipped up a few months ago (still waiting on pictures) and also love unexpected and quirky rooms with a Domino-esque feel (we have another one of those to post any day now). Anyway, thanks for the interest in our ever evolving design dilemma process! Off to finish another mood board…
xoxo,
Sherry
I’m amazed how fast you crank those moodboards out. Within one week? That is truly impressive! I can honestly say that I never ever tire of seeing the moodboards. In fact, I’m always excited to see when a new one has been posted. Keep up the fabulous work!!
Thanks Sherry & John for this fab mooodboard. I am making a trip to IKEA this weekend, so I will be able to pick up some pieces! This is definitely different than anything we have in our house and I am looking forward to mixing it up. Some of these pieces I have already been eyeing and wondering how they could make their way in to my house (that lamp and the curtains that match that chair) and now I know! My hubby and I are both a little scared of the white couches, but reassurance from you and your readers is all we need to take that plunge (probably some cheap slipcovers for now)! Thanks again!
Sherry~ Forgot to ask…Where did you find your jute rug? I am looking for one for another area in my home. Thanks!
Sara- So glad you’re loving our ideas! Can’t wait to see the after pics. As for our rug in the den, it’s from Lowe’s of all places (on sale for around $75 about a year and a half ago) but you can google “jute rug” and find something for around $100 in most places (I think Pottery Barn even has a few that look great- maybe West Elm too, and of course don’t forget to check Target and Walmart and all the cheapie places- maybe even Ikea?!). One word of advice is to try to get a sample or visit the rug in person before your purchase if at all possible to make sure that it’s soft and cozy as opposed to rough and straw-like. Happy shopping!
xoxo,
Sherry
About slipcovers. Did you purchase your couches with slipcovers or did you just purchase the slipcovers separately? I know Pottery Barn has a lot of slipcovered pieces, but they are bit expensive for me.
We purchased both of our slipcovered couches with ‘em (the den couch hails from Pottery Barn, but we discovered a local Rowe sofa retailer where we got the living room couch for much less (which we actually like much more) – but depending on where you get your sofa (or what kind of tailor/upholsterer you know) you can really do whatever works. You can even get an extra Ikea couch slipcoveres for something like $11 these days (my sister in law just snagged the Ektorp sofa and got a second cover for 11 beans).
It’s actually really nice to have two so you can wash one while the other’s on the couch and have a back-up if there’s some impossible-to-remove stain… but that being said we just have one slipcover per couch and we’ve been extremely happy with those so whatever works!
xoxo,
Sherry
I have been doing a YHL archive blog marathon recently & came across this post. I have been wanting to have a white slipcover made for my couch but I’m confused at to what fabric is the most washable. I’m concerned about shrinkage & stain removal. Do I go with twill, canvas, denim, duckcloth? Can you or any of your readers recomend which fabric will be the easiest to live with? Thanks in advance for any or all responses.
Hey Mary,
We have twill on both of our sofas and we love the washability and durability so that has worked for us. We’re definitely not experts on the other materials so maybe others with slipcovers in those fabrics can weigh in? Otherwise there’s a good chance that you can’t go wrong with twill since we’ve had a good experience with it on two different sofas so maybe you can give it a whirl?
xo,
s