Greenery for the Living Room

I've been AWOL from Domicile for a while. Modern Hindsight has been keeping me busy, but since I cleared all the vintage furniture out of the sitting room, I'm feeling inspired to get back to decorating the house. To wit, the living room needed a little more green. I found this cool planter at Calloways and popped in a succulent...et voila!

The Jade plant reminds me of the California Coast.

Crap. Now I'm homesick again.

Before and After: A Living Room Project

I was thinking about our old house today. It's interesting to look back and see how the seeds of my style were sown at the old place, but transferred and continued to grow here in our new home.

My dear Sweet Husband bought the old place while we were dating and planned on holding it for 2-3 years at the most. Nine years and two children later, we bought a bigger home and JJ moved in. These images show what it looked like after the renovation in 2010. JJ has her own style, so it looks nothing like this today. In any event, the renovation is a testament to the power of white paint.

Before:
There are hundreds if not thousands of rooms just like this in North Dallas and according to a real estate agent "people LOVE the wood and brick." I say "who cares about re-sale value?" After 8 years (8 years!), I couldn't live in this cave another minute.



After:
Let there be light! It took 16 different shades to get a white that wasn't too yellow, pink or blue in this room. I've never seen anything like it. The wood had a chameleon-like ability to tweak a base color just enough to make Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. The room fought hand and tooth to avoid white, but eventually submitted.  The winner: Benjamin Moore's Simply White. 

Dallas Designer Abbe Fenimore provided much needed moral support in the process. Thanks Abbe!



Before:
The white chair and table started us on the road to renovation, but it's totally out of place in this room.

That deconstructed slipper chair in the background is the twin of the black and white one pictured here. I found it on eBay for $150 and recovered it in pink velvet for The Lady's Room. Last week at Again and Again, an identical pair (unrestored) was listed at $695. At that rate, these may end up on Modern Hindsight.

After:
It's like the room took a breath of fresh air..but for the brown sofa and chair. It took buying and renovating a new house to get My Dear Sweet Husband to part with the sofa and chair. I must admit: it was a great napping spot.

Before:
The best "before" shots are the ones that show the room at its worst....and here it is. Check out the plywood in the middle of the floor. How cheap was this builder? Really?!?!

 

After:
Wow. It's amazing. With a lot of white paint, a little marble and some drywall. I can't believe we lived with the wood and brick all that time.



Before:
Terrible. Just terrible.



After:
The room finally fit in with the rest of the house. Finally, in 2010, our home was completely renovated and on the road to being furnished.

And then we moved.



 

Finally...a Cocktail Table

Drum Roll Please!!
The cocktail table finally arrives. I've been looking at this table for the past two years but it was way more than I was willing to pay. I found it at the Wisteria Outlet 2 weeks ago at a rock bottom price. Try $1400 less than MSRP. And there's not a scratch on it. SCORE!!



I love it. The kids love it. The dog does not. I have placed a huge impediment in the middle of his napping space. I'll have to make it up to him.



Progress in the Living Room

Southern perspective. Waiting for the cocktail table....

Western perspective. The pair of chairs and side table are vintage from Antiques Moderne.

Lamps from Arteriors too. Thanks to Matthew for being so very patient with my indecision over the shades.

Fabric from Childress Fabrics for sofa throw pillows.

Fabric for the Dunbar Chairs. This fabric is not, as Nina Garcia would say, "Editorial". In other words, it does not photograph well. It is, in fact, black, slate blue, slate grey and taupe. It was the inspiration for the color scheme in the room. Fabric from Childress Fabrics.

Dunbar Chairs. Unfortunately, I erased the "before" photo of the pair of chairs (A rookie iPhone move. My phone should say "Hey! You!! Are you paying attention? Are you sure?!?! Really??" before it deletes an image.). Trust me when I tell you that they are much improved over the nubby stinky orange polyester state they arrived.

Rear view of the restored Dunbar Chairs

The new cocktail table



The new cocktail table. On clearance from the Wisteria outlet at an amazing price! SCORE!! 



Stacked Stainless Steel Coffee Table | Coffee Tables | Wisteria (clipped to polyvore.com)

Living Room Inspirations

Tabula Rasa



Living room...in progress



Living room in progress

 


Liam Sofa in Flax with Nickel nailheads.
Photo: MGBW

 

Chair in Onyx
Photo: MGBW 



Media center
Photo: MGBW



Looking back at this image it inspired several elements in the room: comfortable sofa with clean lines, Dunbar chairs with wood frames, contemporary wing chairs with color pop pillows, lots of natural light, and interesting table lamps.
Photo: Elle Decor



Inspiration for the fireplace. A clean surface with warm stone and beautiful bevel detail. This design by Barbara Barry. I love her ability to seamlessly meld Deco, Mid-Century and the contemporary.
Photo: Met Home via Elle Decor



The George Nelson Saucer was on my Design Bucket List. Check!
Photo: Room and Board catalogue



Minimalist fire screen from Crate and Barrel. Now I have to find another for the sitting room.
Photo: Crate and Barrel



Inspired by the white walls, glamourous shine and interesting groupings.
Photo: Metropolitan Home



It's all about the personal benches. Perfect for extra seating in front of the fireplace.
Photo: Glamour from Metropolitan Home



Inspiration for the fireplace. Thanks to the genius of Barbara Barry.
Photo: Elle Decor 



More glamour and the inspiration for the hot pink pop. Where can I get this cocktail table??
Photo: Elle Decor