Week 6 of the One Room Challenge is here!  Even though I have been taking my father to radiation treatments daily and have had the flu (twice) during these past few weeks, I miraculously made it to the finish line and I am so happy with the outcome of #ProjectFamJam’s new Living Room!!!  I took a long narrow space with only two ottomans and a table and have turned it into a fully livable and functional space filled with layers of pattern, texture and lots of black and white accents.

The shelves we built in Week 5 really were the missing link between this space and the kitchen and dining room we finished earlier this year.  And after a few coats of Farrow and Ball’s Pitch Black paint and a little styling, they truly came to life.  The addition of the sputnik lighting from Lucent Light Shop and the curved ottomans and tulip table have given this library wall purpose and allows for an additional seating area.

 

In between the library wall and the main seating area, we had to add in a little bar action, because cocktails and entertaining are a must in this house!  This entire wall was designed around this Marc Jacobs photograph by the artist Camilo Him.  My cousin won it at a Silent Auction a while back and we both new it had to live right here.
I searched high and low for the perfect bar cart and landed on this stunner of a butler tray from Ave Home.  The really great thing about this piece is that it arrives unfinished and you can stain, paint, seal however you want.  I suggested black and white stripes (kind of a bone inlay inspired feel) and got the immediate go ahead.  (tutorial found here)
We filled the bar with bourbon, vodka and the best Moscow Mule cups I have ever seen.
I also added this killer brass art lamp from Bellacor.  I love how substantial this one is and the brushed brass ties in all of the other light fixtures in the space.
The main seating area is focused around the largest purchase, the West Elm Peggy Sectional.  It is large enough to fill the space without feeling overwhelming as some sectionals tend to do.  But at the point the sectional was ordered, we had a gray sofa, and two gray ottomans… we needed some color.  Having the navy kitchen island and some DIY bleached denim seats in the dining room, the space was feeling a little cold.  Incorporating this burnt orange Aztec rug from Dash & Albert by Annie Selke instantly warmed everything up.  The orange and rust tones accented by grays and blues helped to pull the entire living room, kitchen and dining room together.
Needing another accent chair in the space, my cousins had expressed their interest in a leather butterfly chair.  After we got it into the space, the leather was right, but I felt it was missing something… So naturally I made my own black suede tassels and added them to the chair. lol! It was a complete last minute addition, but a detail that gave the piece a little more personality.  (tutorial found here)
Speaking of hand made, so is this custom, gold rimmed, graphic beauty from Jill Rosenwald.  The perfect size for sharing popcorn.
And here is the other view of the space, including the double sided fireplace that opens up to their dining room.  The mantle was created using an old attic beam that was removed during the demolition.  And the two sconces were major finds at our local Habitat ReStore.  They are Currey & Co. sconces that were missing their shades.  We decided we liked them better for this space without them & at $33 for the pair, vs. $600 a piece… we were really fine without the shades!!
Instead of traditional end tables and lamps, I opted for two floor lamps from LampsPlus that provided a more sculptural feel.  Their adjustable heads make reading on this sectional the perfect spot.  Unfortunately, they are currently out of stock, but be sure to check out their other options.
The space is completed by this amazing artwork by artist Kate Roebuck from Minted.  The design process for this home has been almost completely through text.  I would find an inspiration image and immediately text it over for thoughts… and sometimes the exact same image would come back with a note “I had that saved too! hahaha” or she would send me an image & I would respond “I love that too, you have $6000 for that wallpaper?!? haha!”  So as soon as I saw this piece, I just knew it was right.  It summed up how much fun we have had bringing this house into a new century with a new family to create their own memories.
What I have learned as a designer is that I do not want every space I complete to feel like my home, I want the space to feel like their home.  So I incorporate aspects of their style along with little bits of my own aesthetic.  And in this space, I feel this aspect most comes into play in the pattern mixing and use of space.
There are 19 different patterns in this space!!  But layered correctly, they do not feel overwhelming.  It just feels right.  It feels like them.

 

A special thanks to these ORC Sponsors who made this makeover possible:

And to these additional sponsors as well:

xo – Kristin