Matt & Michelle’s Design Dilemma
When we heard that Matt and Michelle needed our help with their living room, we fired up the laptop and got right down to business. Here’s their letter:
We like a room that’s traditional/modern and we like the look of Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and Arhaus. The living room has all new furniture that we’d like to keep, but we’d like to replace the rug and bring in some window treatments, art, and accessories. We are really looking for ideas for the bookshelves and accessories & wall art in the room. We’d like to keep the wooden box that’s located on the right side of the shelves. We aren’t sure about lighting because the sofa and end tables aren’t up against a wall so we can’t have lamps on them. I really want new pillows for the sofa. We know you only do one room but if you had a suggestion for window treatments for the sunroom we would really appreciate it. We just painted the room a light green but are open to painting the back of the bookshelves. When it comes to color, we like blues, gray, taupes, and greens. I wouldn’t mind splashes of color in accessories/wall art.We look forward to seeing what you come up with! We really enjoy looking at your website! -Matt and Michelle
This living room has potential to spare, so here’s the plan:
And now for the mood board breakdown.
1. Our color palette will be fresh and inviting thanks to the soft green tone on those newly painted walls. We’ll add pops of new-grass-green in the accessories and art, and bring in some patterned yet neutral textiles in the rug and the curtains for a traditional meets modern look with style to spare.
2. Matt and Michelle mentioned that they were open to painting the backs of the bookcase, and we actually came up with an alternate idea for a ton of interest and texture: grasscloth wallpaper (from Home Depot!). Of course this is optional since it’s a bit more work than painting, but the timeless luxe look that it will lend to that wall of built-ins will be priceless. And if the grasscloth is too much of a commitment for now, they can always paint the backs of the bookcase a nice neutral tan tone to add the color that grasscloth would have brought into the room without the extra effort (try Ashen Tan by Benjamin Moore).
3. This chic and cheerful art will really add polish and charm. The two green floral prints (this one and this one) will look great flanking the french doors behind the leather chairs in the first picture (gotta love that they’re $19.99 each). And the coordinating abstract green print will tie everything together when hung in place of the umbrella art in the second picture behind the couch. Framing these prints in dark wood frames with clean white mats will really give them presence and allow them to shine in the room.
4. Matt and Michelle requested new pillows so we hunted down three that coordinate perfectly with the new rug that we’ll be bringing in for a cohesive and balanced seating area that says “make yourself right at home.” The chocolate and tan velvet pillows will add softness and style while the embroidered circle pillow will keep everything feeling fresh and fabulous. We’d love to see the tan velvet pillows on the leather chairs to break up all that leather while two circle pillows and two brown velvet pillows cozy up the couch.
5. Since table lamps can’t be brought out to those floating side tables (the cords would be major tripping hazards) we think two of these low profile table lamps will look gorgeous on the bottom shelf of each side of the bookcases flanking the fireplace for an ambient natural glow. And if they’re a bit too pricey for Matt & Michelle’s tastes, we’ve also hunted down a super inexpensive modern version from Ikea.
6. Bringing little bursts of green into the bookshelves will keep the room feeling balanced and cohesive, so we’d love to see six of these green glass candle holders (two sets) atop a stack of books, some boxes, or even between books serving as glammy book ends. We also like the idea of using green craft paper to cover some books and adding other green accents to the bookcase which will make things feel even more serene and coordinated. Browsing Target, TJ Maxx, or even thrift stores is a great place to start when looking for accessories in a certain color or size. Happy hunting…
7. Matt and Michelle also mentioned that they wanted to keep the wooden box on the bookcase to the right of the TV, so adding other brown toned boxes to the bookshelves will keep things feeling balanced. We found this great inexpensive option from Ikea, but there are bound to be tons of wooden or woven boxes in a deep brown tone everywhere from Bed Bath & Beyond to Michael’s. And Matt and Michelle will have tons of new places to hide everything from the remotes to DVDs to keep those bookcases looking clutter free.
8. Here’s the rug that inspired the entire room (along with that soft green wall color). This stunning oversized rug will instantly ground the seating area while adding movement and interest for a space that’s sure to steal the show.
9. We’d also love to see tan wicker baskets worked into the bookcases as everything from additional storage to planters. They’ll mimic the great glasscloth backing (or introduce the soft neutral texture if Michelle and Matt decide to go with tan paint) and they’re so affordable that they can spring for a few on each side for even more eye-pleasing consistency.
10. Gorgeous ethereal creamy tan Ikea curtain panels will perfectly complement the swirly lines of the rug when hung high and wide over the giant windows in the sunroom. Not only are they super affordable, but they’ll tie both spaces together with soft neutral tones and curvaceous lines that are always welcoming and super chic.
So there you have it. A traditional meets modern living room for Matt and Michelle to enjoy. We can’t wait to hear what you 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!
Leave a comment
If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
What a gorgeous room :) You know, this is our taste, too – a little “grown up” with the traditional, but still youthful enough that you know it isn’t anything like Grandma’s house. Love the built-ins!!! John & Sherry, you guys did a fantastic job working the little details into the room. I think that rug was *perfect* for this room. Pats on the back going to you both! :) PLEASE, Matt & Michelle, post your “after” pics soon!!
This room looks great already! I love the paint color they picked!
Beautiful! Another mood board masterpiece. I’m looking to repaint my walls right now. And I love their green color. Do you know the actual name and who makes it?
I love how you tied all the colors together with the pops of green. I can’t wait to see the after pics!
Hey Jamie,
Hopefully Matt and Michelle will drop by and tell us what they think… and spill the beans about that fabulous wall color!
xo,
Sherry
FYI…I loved those curtains when I saw them online.. but when I visited the store I found out they are a pea greenish yellow color in person. Sad :(
Hey Amy,
Thanks for the heads up on the curtains! Hopefully the yellow-green undertones will work with the new grass green accents across the room!
xo,
Sherry
I love the artwork. These rooms will be gorgeous with all the splashes of color, natural textures and new accessories! Can’t wait to see the after pictures.
OMG I WANT IT!!
I’d love to know the paint name too! This post falls just at the right time – I am about to paint my lounge green. First I just have to find the right shade of green…
I like that you are branching out from painting the backs of bookcases. I hung paper on the back of my large cabinet in the dining room and it made a huge difference!
http://athomewithh.blogspot.com/2009/01/cabinet-makeover.html
and
http://athomewithh.blogspot.com/2009/02/cabinet-makeover-updated.html
Heather S,
What a great cabinet makeover! Thanks so much for sharing. Everyone go check it out!
And as for Kimberly’s foam core & grasscloth idea… its’ genius! What a great way to do something that can so easily be switched out down the line.
xoxo,
Sherry
If they didn’t want to put the grasscloth wall paper on the walls, they could put it on some foam core board cut to the size of the space at the back of each shelf. Push the boards against the wall at the back of each shelf for a look that’s removable!
Sherry,
We love the mood board. The paint color is from Benjamin Moore. I’ll have to get back with everyone on the exact color. As for the foam boards, I was thinking about adding another texture to the back and making them reversable. We love changing colors with pillows thoughout the year. On the curtain panels, can we use them on the left and right side windows in the sunroom? Also, How to place all the items on the book shelves? We have item placement block:-))
Thanks for all the ideas!
Matt
Hey Matt,
The double sided foam boards is a genius idea! Can’t wait to see how they turn out. And it’s less stressful than working with the built-ins since you’ll have more elbow room and won’t worry as much about making a mistake. Love it!
As for the curtain panels, yup we’d love to see them hung high and wide over the huge expanse of windows in the sunroom (they’ll soften the hard edges around the windows and make the whole space super inviting). And by hanging them wide you won’t lose an inch of sunlight or any of the view (no need to hang any panels between the windows that connect, just one on each side will do the trick and save the view).
Of course you can also carry these curtain panels over onto any other windows in the area for a cohesive and soft effect (just be sure to hang them at the same height throughout the space so they feel seamless). As for the rod, a thin oil-rubbed bronze rod (or even a thin dark wood rod) would tie in with our color palette and counterbalance the breezy characteristics of the curtains for a substantial yet soft look.
As for placing items on the bookshelves, that’s something that’s nearly impossible to get right in words. You just have to play around with things and keep an eye out for balance when it comes to colors and the size of things (for example, if there’s a box on one side of the fireplace, try placing a similarly sized and colored box on the other side, even if it’s not on the same shelf. Adding a similar box one shelf below or one shelf above the one on the other side will still look even and balanced without creating a matchy-matchy mirror image.
Our best description of how you could approach the bookcase arrangement would be this:
1. Clear everything off so you’re starting from scratch
2. Add a similar amount of books to each side, some in stacks and some standing up
3. Add in your dark storage boxes from Ikea and your wooden storage box to the right of the TV that you guys love. Keep them balanced on either side (maybe use five boxes on each side of the fireplace on different shelves so it’s not overly symmetrical).
4. Fill some of the empty spaces with the round woven baskets, which can be used for storage but can also be used as planters (hide a ceramic pot inside for a seamless look). The plants will add green tones to the bookcase which will work perfectly with our palette.
5. Finally, add the green candleholders on top of a stack of books, in between books that are standing like book ends and just sitting on their own to the right or left of a planter or a box.
Step back and look at everything. I think you’ll immediately see holes that need to be filled or areas that are too crowded that could use some thinning out. Eliminating picture frames is one of the easiest ways to add elegance and cohesion since frames can be a bit jarring and they never match perfectly with each other so they tend to look more like clutter than woven items and plants and green glass- which all looks very textural and decorative. You’ll also notice that sometimes with bookcases, fewer big items looks a whole lot better than a bunch of littler items (which can become a bit cluttered looking) so adding some green glass vases or even two large potted ferns is a great way to fill out the shelves without adding lots of little things that feel jumbled. Oh and we love the big silver clock on the left so definitely keep that on display too!
We hope it helps! Happy decorating…
xoxo,
Sherry
Thanks! I used repositionable double-sided tape so that I could remove it easily if I wanted to but I really like how it turned out. I thought about doing what Kim suggested above but with my cabinet I would have had to use a very thin sheet of plywood so tape seemed like a better option.
I like your suggestions on decorating the bookshevles since I am constantly changing mine to make it look less cluttered. I’ll have to try your suggestions about removing picture frames and removing some of the smaller things.
Love the moodboard. Just a suggestion if you really want to have lamps at the end of your couch you can easily have plugs installed into the floor. My parents did this in their new home and it works wonderfully.
That is a great idea about removing the picture frames. I think I may need to re-org my built ins and give it a try.
Someone once told me to visually zig-zag down shelves. Each shelf should have a heavier looking side and a not so heavy looking side. The heavier side should alternate on the right and on the left as you come down the shelves. That way you eye has a “path” with which to view. Just something to keep in mind!
Hey Lisa,
That’s a great point about the zig zag thing. It’s hard to explain, but basically you don’t want anything similar above or below each shelf (for example, if you have a stack of books with a votive candle on top, the next time that occurs on the bookcase shouldn’t be above or below it in the same vertical line. It should shift from one side of the bookcase to the other (one stack of books on the right on the bottom shelf, then another stack of books on the top left of the shelf). Does that make sense?
Stepping back and evaluating the shelves is really the key. It you step back and notice that all the big, heavy, or bright objects seem to be on the right side of the shelves, move some to the left side of the shelves. And if all the big objects seem to be on the bottom shelves while the top shelves look a bit sparse, move some of the bigger objects up to the top of each bookcase so they feel balanced right to left, and top to bottom. Hope it helps! We really should do a post all about this soon. With pictures (which are always worth a thousand words!).
Stay tuned…
xo,
Sherry (& John)
What an amazing room! Can’t wait to see the afters…esp the built-ins transformation! I have got to ask though, since Matt and Michelle mention in their letter that the room has all new furniture – the white/cream sofa in the sunroom and the leather chairs…what are they and where are they from!
Hey Kelly,
We don’t know where the sunroom furniture came from but we have cracked the case about the green wall color that everyone was dying to know about! It’s Benjamin Moore’s Dried Parsley (522)! It’s such a great color.
Hopefully Matt and Michelle will drop in and let us know where they got the sunroom furniture soon.
xo,
Sherry
The sofa came from Pottery Barn and the Chairs(Alex Harness Brown Chair) came from Arhaus. Everything was purchased last August.
Matt
HI THE HOUSE LOOKS VERY BEAUTIFUL SO FAR I KNOW WHEN YOU ALL GET FINISHED IT WILL BE A GREAT PLACE . MAYBE ONE OF THESE DAYS WE MAY SEE UYOU ALL, LOVE YOU TONIE