Hannah’s Design Dilemma
Hannah’s recently renovated living room is bursting with major makeover potential. Here’s her letter:
We have a blank canvas of a living room to work from. Our style is casual, comfortable, but visually interesting. We have a 2-year-old and a dog (who is allowed on the furniture and sheds white hair everywhere) so nothing that is museum-like or doesn’t actually invite usage. We like Pottery Barn & Crate and Barrel. Because of the narrowness of the room (compared to its length), we were thinking *maybe* two smaller seating groups but we are REALLY open to ideas. We have 2 pieces of art that are earmarked for the living room and we want to put an upright piano in the room (but we don’t have it yet and are open to color suggestions). We’ll also be installing this flooring and definitely need a new wall color (we will be painting the ceiling and the beams white). We like visually interesting prints and solids and a brighter, cheery feeling room, or a palate that’s soothing/comforting without being dull or boring. We like blues, greens, oranges, taupes, and whites. We want it to be fairly durable, though, so no white couches or anything like that ;) Oh, and we clearly like nature, especially the bolder side, as evidenced by our art. Thanks again, and we really look forward to receiving your ideas. -Cheers, Hannah
This space is primed for a major transformation. Here’s the plan:
And now for the mood board breakdown.
1. We plucked our color palette right out of the gorgeous nature photography that Hannah will be bringing into her room. Chocolate brown wood, a few hits of that rich clay-orange color, a dash of moody navy blue, and plenty of neutral tans to tie it all together. Of course the ceiling (and those gorgeous beams) will be going white just like the fireplace. And thanks to the giant glass door, this room will still have a surprisingly light and airy effect- even with the rich tones we’ll be bringing in. And as for the wall color, we’d love to see a soft creamy tone (Benjamin Moore’s Natural Cream) to create the perfect backdrop for all the interesting art and accessories while setting off the white ceiling, fireplace, and trim ever so slightly.
As for the furniture arrangement, one big 8 x 10 rug floating in the middle of the space will create a nice little “room within a room” effect, so we can introduce one airy and open seating area to accommodate multiple functions and allow for enjoying the view of the fire and the great outdoors just beyond the gorgeous glass doors. We’d actually like to see a sofa in the space as opposed to a bunch of smaller pieces (like a few disparate chairs and loveseats) to match the proportions of such an expansive room. And placing the sofa so it faces the glass doors is definitely the way to go. This does mean that upon entering the space, you’ll be greeted by the back of the sofa floating a few feet away on the rug, but adding a beautiful sideboard behind it is a great way to create function, balance, and beauty so the layout instantly makes sense.
Then we’d love to see a gorgeous low coffee table to further define the centered seating area, and two low backed slipper chairs facing the sofa a few feet in front of the glass doors with an almost invisible side table between them to tie that side of the seating arrangement together. Then the brown upright piano (to match the furniture) can be placed in the center of the right wall with that gorgeous piece of art above it. The room will feel open yet oh so functional and inviting.
This layout might be hard to picture, so we’ve found a similar set up with a sideboard behind a sofa and big glass doors with two matching slipper chairs in front of them. Although this example is a lot more modern and the sofa isn’t opposite the chairs, it still demonstrates how seating in front of a glass door doesn’t have to obscure the view and the back of a sofa can be a beautiful thing!
2. Just as we mentioned above, a dash of navy blue will add tons of visual interest to the space, while complementing the art and the orange-clay colored tones we’ll be bringing in. We’d love to see these simple navy pillows on the sofa (with patterns in the rug and the chairs, we don’t want to overdo it in the seating area). Then to bring some of our accent color over to the piano on the right wall, this great navy printed fabric will look fabulous on the piano bench (reupholstering the seat with some batting and some fabric will add more of that interest and movement to the space and tie everything together with a look that’s far from cookie cutter). Plus the piano bench can serve as additional seating in a pinch (when you’re entertaining or just hanging out with family and friends).
3. Here’s the sideboard that we’ll be placing behind the sofa in our floating seating area that will feel balanced and visually stunning in such a lovely space. We were sure to find something low to tuck behind our low backed sofa so the view out those sliders is still the first thing you see. A matching lamp would look lovely on either side of the sideboard assuming the floor can get wired with outlets before the new wood flooring goes down. But even if that’s not something Hannah wants to take on, anything from a stack of books to some decorative objects will draw the eye out the window to the gorgeous view beyond.
4. And speaking of lighting, two of these amazing twisted base floor lamps will look great framing the glass doors. One on either side of them will create more balance, add height, and introduce sculptural interest (the lamp bases are truly stunning in person, by the way).
5. Here’s the art that Hannah has chosen for the space and we think it’ll add drama and more of that nature-loving vibe. Her idea to hang the long horizontal piece above the mantel while the vertical one hangs on the opposite wall with the piano is perfect. In rich wooden frames they’ll be just the thing this room needs to take it from blank slate to brilliant.
6. These open weave curtain panels can be hung high and wide around the glass door to frame the view without blocking any light. The breezy, comfy, and casual vibe that they’ll add to the room will draw everyone into the space to enjoy a cozy fire or the lovely view of the backyard.
7. Here’s another textural element to add to the interesting, collected over time look that Hannah gravitates towards. Not only will this coffee table evoke more of the natural feeling seen in the art, it will also be a nice low piece to tie the chairs and the sofa together and ground our lovely rug.
8. And here’s another occasional table we’ll be bringing into the room. This streamlined side table will sit between our two slipper chairs that face the sofa a few feet in front of the sliding doors. And thanks to the leggy and airy look, it won’t feel too chunky or block any of the view. The substantial wooden top is a great, natural element to add to the mix, and of course the price is pretty hard to beat ($59 on clearance!). Clean-lined elements like this table, the sofa, and the sideboard will keep things feeling casual and comfortable while patterned pieces like the rug and the slipper chairs add to the visual interest that Hannah adores.
9. And speaking of those patterned slipper chairs, here they are now. Two of these showstoppers (can you believe they’re just $299?) facing the sofa with our wood topped leggy table between them will be sheer bliss- and they’ll actually draw the eye out the glass door instead of obscuring the view. Sometimes creating a focal point in front of an architectural feature is just the thing to get eyes moving in that direction! Plus since they’ll be floating on the rug in the middle of the room, they won’t be backed up against the doors so there will be lots of breathing room for coming in and out.
10. We’d love to see this leather clay-colored basket (on clearance!) sitting to the left of the firebox full of firewood. Instant cozy ambiance!
11. Here’s the cozy, clean-lined sofa that’s just perfect for Hannah’s space. Upholstered in a neutral tan fabric it’ll be dog and child friendly without feeling too dark and heavy in the light-filled room (while working seamlessly with the rest of our palette). And as someone who owns a Pottery Barn sofa, we actually think Room & Board offers superior styling and quality for just about the same price (if only we could turn back time…).
12. This room will be nice without this rug… but positively stunning with it. It’s the thing that will tie everything together while adding interest, movement, texture and pattern for tons of that visual interest that Hannah has requested. The hand tufted wool will be comfy and cozy underfoot and the color is perfect for a house with a dog and a child. Plus the gorgeous medallion detail will add so much je ne sais quoi to the space!
So there you have it. An interesting and welcoming living room full of soft and inviting style.
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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I’ve heard others say it before, but this IS my favorite mood board so far. It definitely took my breath away. It is stunning and causes me to realize that I should step out of my comfort zone. My sofa serves as sort of a room divider and the back is exposed and I really like the suggestion for using a table to draw the eye to that. Thank you for sharing what you do with those of us that are not as blessed with the decorating gene!
I think your selections are gorgeous and certainly speak to what Hannah appears to be looking for (nice armless chairs from Target by the way). I think the navy pillows and possibly even one incorporating a rust tone are important to tie the sofa and the art together. The art has so much color and the pillows will help add the needed visual weight to the sofa.
My only concern is one Hannah had in her letter as well – space planning. I love the idea of the sofa facing the window, but the room does appear almost too narrow for a 20″ depth console, sofa, coffee table, armless chairs and room to get around. It also seems like there would quite a bit of space between the seating arrangement and the piano at the end. I could possibly see rotating the whole seating grouping so the chairs are nearest to the fireplace or keep them in front of the sliders and rotate the sofa opposite the fireplace. This would also place the sideboard nearest to piano, which could in turn become great storage for music books.
You’re reading our mind today Melissa! Hannah actually graphed everything out on paper and it seems like our arrangement will fit but we also came up with the same alternate plan that you did (shifting everything counter-clockwise so the sofa faces the fireplace). We just loved the idea of enjoying the view out the glass doors from the sofa, so we’ll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out! Thanks so much for your ideas and input as always!
xoxo,
Sherry
Oh Man! They should not paint the beams! They are perfect just the way they are. =) I am usually all about painting wood and anything else that needs a little spruce up but those beams are not loud so they should stay natural. But then again what do it know! he he
I’m begging you not to paint your beautiful wood beams white!! They have so much potential! Paint the walls and ceilings white and stain those beautiful beams a rich chocolate brown or cherry red! You will never regret it!
Beautiful, as usual. Makes me want to completely start over on my living room again!
I love the coffee table and the Target chairs. Absolutely fabulous. I think the beams look great as-is. Not too dark or oppressive.
Another great job, youngsters!
Gorgeous mood board, as usual! I love seeing your creations, Sherry (and John). But, I’m with the others about Hannah’s ceiling beams. Given the color scheme and the art work, it would be so great to stain them dark (like the sideboard and potentially like the piano), where they’d really stand out against the white ceiling and creme walls. It would just tie everything together beautifully. And then if she wanted to change it up in the future, she could always paint them white later!
Hi you can actually get a Subway card to help you earn points. For every dollar you spend, you earn points and you can redeem them for food. Their footlongs are worth 75 points, I think. We have redeemed footlongs already and it’s so fun to get free food!
Those beams are fantastic – do NOT paint them Hannah!
Hi! This is really off topic, but I was wondering if you guys would be able to post Christi & Barrett’s (remember when you “house crashed” their place?) floor plan… in the comments section of that post, there was some talk of getting around to that. I would LOVE to see a floor plan, or know some basics, like the sq. footage of their home. Hubby and I are buying a home and have been drooling over your floor plans, only to realize that our house seems to look a bit more like theirs! Thanks!
Hey Anna,
Crazy news! Christi and Barrett are actually in the process of moving (I know, who could leave that lovely love nest!) but we have put in a request for the floor plan and are crossing our fingers that we get something back…
In the meantime we can describe the plan for you right here: you enter directly into the small living room (with the fireplace) and the modestly sized dining room (with that fab chandelier) is on the right. Then beyond those two room is the open kitchen and on the left of the kitchen is a stairway that leads up to the second floor. Beyond the stairway to the left is the master bedroom and master bath. Beyond the kitchen towards the back of the house is a family room with a small balcony overlooking the backyard. On the second floor there are two guest bedrooms and a bathroom. Of course one of those is the nursery for their cute baby girl and one of them is a guest bedroom with a nice spacious bathroom. Hope it helps! Off to email Christi for the plans. Here’s hoping!
xoxo,
Sherry
I too agree with not painting the beams. Thought I had included that in my earlier post but I must have been thinking much faster than I was typing.
I’ve always liked that room and board sofa! I love room and board…we bought most of our big pieces from there…
http://pearlsandgreentea.blogspot.com/
Thanks guys so much! Moving?! The insanity! Maybe I need to relocate to Charlotte? Or Richmond while we’re at it…
Again, thanks so much… and just so you know, your house has been the reason that I’ve fallen in love with ranches all over again. Mmmmm, so much goodness.
-Anna
There’s no way I would paint those gorgeous beams white. At least wait until it’s all done before making that decision because you can’t turn back!
Sigh ;-) so beautiful. Love everything about this room and mood board, especially the layers of texture! Those slipper chairs are gorgeous. I think Hannah should follow her preference with the beams – painted or stained – they’ll be beautiful. Is this an older ranch that is being gutted? Except for the fireplace, it almost looks like new construction.
Can Hannah provide you info on the art she has chosing for the room? I would love to know who those pieces are by. They are amazing. Love the mood board – can’t wait to see the after results.
Others have said it, but I am adding my voice to not paint the ceiling beams! I think staining them dark might bring the ceiling down, though. I’d leave them that nice light color – the light wood tone will go with the color scheme too. It makes painting the ceiling a little more difficult perhaps, but SO worth it! I would LOVE to have exposed beams in the ceiling of my rancher!
The art is by a phenomenal Australian photographer named Peter Lik.
Off to email the builder about the beams — I’d *like* to leave them natural, but they’re currently compressed wood and need to be wrapped with wood before they’re painted anyhow! If I can catch him and get him to put douglas fir around the beams before he does something else, maybe we’ll be able to leave them natural (a light wood stain would be my ideal if possible).
To answer someone’s earlier question, it’s a 60-year-old rancher that’s being gutted. The fireplace is original, but most of the rest of the house needed serious work to make it quake-safe!
Sooo pretty. I agree, I think this mood board is my favorite of all. But anything you guys do is amazing. : ) Quick question since a piano is mentioned…What would your advice or tips be on “decorating” an upright piano? Example: Say I were going for a modern/contemporary style and there is a piano in a room, would you leave the piano bare on top and simply hang art above or would you put vases, frames, flowers, etc. on top of it and would you do a symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangement on top? What are your thoughts and what would your decorating eye say?
Hey Diana,
I would be tempted to leave the piano completely undecorated if art was going to be hung above it or do something very simple like add two metal obelisks or something very visually light so the piano doesn’t feel overly accessorized. Two tall glass vases in varying sizes might be nice on one side, for example (we like something asymmetrical so it doesn’t look too balanced and predictable). Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Thanks Sherry, that does help! I appreciate your thoughts. I like both your ideas; I’m thinking I’ll either leave my piano bare with some nice art above it or if not that, then your other suggestion of an asymmetrical arrangement with vases is nice too. Thanks again!
Hi Hannah, I thought it was Peter Lik but wasn’t sure. He is amazing! Thanks for sharing.
I love this mood board! I have a few questions regarding the sofa. You mentioned if only you knew about the Room and Board version when you purchased your Pottery Barn Sofa. Have you had some regrets about purchasing a Pottery Barn sofa? I’m in the process of buying a new sofa and I want to make absolutely sure I make the right decision. Does the Room and Board version linked above match the PB version in quality and style? Also, would the Target Dolce Loungechairs in natural match the sofa listed above? Any advice you could send my way would be great!
Hey Jena,
First of all those Dolce Lounge chairs will match anything! We have two of our own and they’re the perfect neutral- we just picked the patterned chairs in the mood board for a bit more visual interest (and we loved how they looked paired with the rug!). As for our PB Basic sofa, nope, we don’t like it. It’s only about a year old and it looks a bit haggard and wrinkled and although the slipcovers are easy to clean (they don’t have any stains) they’re a bit lose and saggy in spots which doesn’t lend to a clean look at all. Quite the opposite actually. We also have a Rowe sofa which we got for $400 less and we love it a million times more (you can check it out in our living room “house tour” pics). We adore it! We’ve heard that Rowe may be going out of business which is why we have started recommending Room & Board since they have similar quality and prices and a lot of our friends and family have been very happy with them. So I would suggest googling “Rowe retailer” and your city to see if you can hunt down a Rowe dealer and if they truly are stopping production on their fabulous sofas I would head over to Room & Board asap. Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Thanks for all of your advice Sherry, this is great help!
I wanted to chime in on the beams! My friends flipped a house recently and put in a similar compressed wood beam. They just sealed it with some kind of clear lacquer and it looks fab! Maybe paint the ceiling and then see if you like them as-is? I think the color and texture would add to the natural feel.
Great mood board!
Thanks for all of the comments re: the beams, everyone! We’ve decided to wrap them in Douglas fir so that we can leave them natural in contrast to the white ceiling. Can’t wait ’til it’s done so I can send pics!