Styles to inspire - living rooms I love.

The first because it is tiny and beautiful. Like a doll's house. NOT kid friendly, but gorgeous nonetheless.

The second due to the ecclectic art and starburst mirrors.

If I were able to start from scratch and build my living room again, I would want it to look like Katie Lee Joel's. Peaceful, elegant and liveable.

And finally, Lisa's, because it is plain awesome. Love the separate living spaces and the mix of styles.

The whole other wall has custom bookshelves. The perfect space to entertain, watch TV and hang with kids. Plus the view to the papered foyer and french doored dining room is so perfect I can't stand it. Eventually, I would like french doors on the dining room in the new house too. I miss them!

Looking at all these photos makes see a constant pattern - they all have very light colored walls, while ours is a deep blue, inspired by this photo below. Which is also on my all time favorite list:
The blue we have, BM mineral falls, is gorgeous in the daylight and I love the contrast against my silk drapes and white trim. However, at night it turns to a color I don't necessarily like. We will not be repaining any time soon (years), but when we finally redo the room I may go in a lighter direction.

Katie's living room is BM pale smoke:

Lisa's is F&B green blue:

We're a long way from Kansas, Toto!

80%

I'd say my living room is about 80% done. The remaining big items are:

1. find another end table for next to my couch

2. frame map or other art selected

3. photo gallery to surround map, if necessary.

4. Reupholster existing or purchase a new chair

Truthfully, however, I'll consider it pretty much done once I achieve #1 and #2. The chair and miscl art can wait a bit.

Now that I have my lamps, I am considering the following end tables. I need something fairly simple, 24" high and reasonably priced.

All along I have been thinking about framing this map, which sits all rolled up in my spare bedroom:

But, I just found this series of New York and am loving it too:

hmmm.

Sexy Beast

Never in a million years would I have considered this lamp for my living room (crystal next to leather????)but there I was looking for lamps and an end table in Lillian August and lo and behold, I saw a set of these pretties above next to a leather sofa very much like mine.

I dragged an incredibly unwilling sales person for her opinion (I swear, the women that work there can be such a$$holes), but once I described the room and showed her the other lamps I was considering she told me these were the best fit as I have a lot going on. It's true.

I just got home and when I pulled it out t of my car I had some doubts, but I have to say . . it's purrrrrrrrrrrrfect. So light and fem. Perfect in height/width, and the shade couldn't be a better compliment to my drapes and the woodwork. LOVE.

And so I swing back some champagne to celebrate. Alas, the long lamp search is complete. The only outstanding is to see if I can get a price match to Circa, who has them at $78 less each, plus free shipping.

Yay!!

Weekend Recap

So, it was not the best of weekends. I worked for my 19th and 20th consecutive days, respectively, and then went on to client meetings post each day. Last night, I did 6 loads of laundry, finalized our taxes, researched overpriced table linens and spent zero time with my child. I am so tired today my hair hurts.

Despite my exhaustion, I did reach some inner clarity. I decide on the etched gold lamps that I think will be perfect in all facets:

I also went to a neat little gallery in Avon that has a 40% off framing sale going on and picked out a frame I love for my map AND it was significantly less expensive than the one I previously had been quoted.

While there, I feel in love with this picture, which they had framed magnificantly. The price was not too bad, so I did in fact pick it up. I am not exactly sure at the moment where it will go, but am confident over time I will absolutely find a place for it. Maybe over my console table in the engrance with tall skinny lamps and black shades???

le sigh.

I spy more lamps . . .

Tonic Home, glamous as always and so very spendy . . .

Playin'. I even got cut and paste my map in, thinking I may not like it as much.

Lindsay = decorating retarded.

But is it fugly??

Not to blog plagarize from the fabulous Nick Olsen, but I fear no other term speaks to the current state of my living room than this one.

So, my lamps are in and I could not be more excited to greet them when I rolled in late last night after an agonizing day at work. I set them up and am . . . . undecided. I go back and forth between thinking they are fabulous and all wrong.

My husband hates them and calls them 1970s beach house, which is a pretty humorous, actually. I didn't know he had it in him!

Some other options I could do, I guess.

All honest opinions are much appreciated!

Final Decisions

Why can't I be the type of person to go to Bob's and buy the coordinating 8 piece sofa, loveseat, chair, ottoman tables and lamps package for $799 AND be happy???

Ugh, why is decorating so hard.

Anyway, the lamps are definitely a go. I love the contrast against the dark furniture, so I think that makes my side table decision a little easier. And the gold with my starburst mirros will be nice too (I hope).

The four table finalists, all reasonabley priced:

For my room here. The table will go to the right of my couch:

And here I play:

Initially, I was thinking PB pedistal table all the way, but now I am not so sure. Must mull on this a bit.

Any thoughts?

Living Room Before & WIP

Put on your blinders . . .the color before was . . .painful. In fact, minutes after our new neighbors came across the street to introduce ourselves, they asked us if our living room made us angry. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeh.

This could be one of the few instances where the photos make it look better than it actually was, and that is not saying much.

And, here is how it has turned thus far. Although very much a WIP, I think we are on the right track, it's light yet cozy and as sophisticated as you can possibly get with two leather sofas.

View from the entrance. If only I hadn't encouraged my husband to upgrade from the 42" to 50". We all make our mistakes.

Back corner:

And dead on.

My favorite piece of furniture in the entire house. By Palecek, purchased at Chapter 1 Outlet for a STEAL.

And while I have had a few boutique store decorators turn up their noses at me when I mentioned I had a sofa and a loveseat (the horror), I have to admit it's much more ideal for movie nights (hubby on one sofa, me on the other), than a sofa and two arm chairs, although that certainly would have looked much nicer.

Within the room:

Sofas: Nutuzzi, purchased via Domain (RIP)

Campaign Table: Vanguard, purchased from Stickley

End Tables: Oly, purchased at Homeward Bound (I obsess over this store)

Zebra Rug: Pottery Barn

Mirror: Ballard Designs

Silk Drapes: Restoration Hardware

Chair: hand me down, desperately in need of a make-over :).

List of to dos:
Frame map of Paris
Develop and frame b&w photos from Europe
Buy these or something along these lines for near wicker chair (def mirrored)

Purchase another end table
Purchase set of lamps
Figure out accent chair situation

More Side Tables

From The Well Appointed House. Right size, good price. Not sure how I feel about all the gold junk.

Neiman Marcus - I am more drawn to this one than the first. Also good size and price.

Very cool, but will they go???

This one is a bit nodescript, but perhaps that is not a bad thing? From Wisteria. A little bit taller, and the most affordable of them all.

There is also a basic rustic brown one at Homeward Bound where I bought the Oly ones that I've been drawn to since day one. Looks icky here; stain was darker in person.

The one from West Elm, sorta Plane Jane, sorta not. Cheap!!

And finally Target, I've got to check it out in person. Is the $70 price tag too good to be true?