OUR FARMHOUSE
THE COLORFUL INDUSTRIAL
THE HOMESPUN COTTAGE
THE STATELY TRADITIONAL
THE ELEVATED RANCH
THE LAYERED BUNGALOW
THE RUSTIC MINIMALIST
THE TIMELESS CHATEAU
THE ECLECTIC FARMHOUSE
OUR FARMHOUSE
THE DARING ELEMENTAL
THE TAILORED TUDOR
THE HOMESPUN COTTAGE
Before we moved into the farmhouse, I used to treat my living room the same way I imagine a museum curator might handle an exhibition of treasured artifacts. I filled it with only the most beautiful pieces I could find, ones I was sure would look impressive to any guest who might stop by. I longed for it to look perfect around the clock, so I spent many hours a day tidying up couch pillows and immediately picking up any messes my children made, sometimes while they were still making them. And then one day, I looked around our living room that I had so carefully assembled and realized it didn’t look anything like our family. Not one of us was represented in this space that was supposed to be central to us living life together. On top of that, I had spent so much of my time cleaning up any trace of my kids that this room had become a place they didn’t even feel comfortable in. It was then that I realized I had let the pursuit of perfection inform how I designed this space instead of the people who were actually supposed to be enjoying life in it. This was a pivotal moment for me as a designer.
Because of this experience, the living room has become one of my favorite parts of the home to design for clients. I’ve made the mistake of reaching for a misguided ideal, and am now happy to help others avoid going down that same path themselves. It’s an honor to be a part of creating something that really speaks to a family or an individual in a way that helps them live life more intentionally with the people they care about. Perfection never leads you there. I’m conscious of making sure they can actually see themselves living within the design of this space. Of all the rooms that fill a house, perhaps this is the one that should feel most like home to nearly everyone. It should be a soft spot in which to land after a long day. It should carry you through the ebb and flow of life’s seasons, molding itself to support your needs. At the farm, it’s where we can take a deep breath, relax, and settle in to catch up on one another’s days. It’s also where Chip takes some of his best Sunday afternoon naps. These are the moments that epitomize what home means to me, and they so often happen in the living room.
In many of our homes, this room will end up being multifunctional. On a daily basis it might serve as a resting place, but it’s also where we entertain guests. This means it should be as welcoming to our family when they want to kick back and relax as it is to visiting friends. When it comes to furnishing a living room, it’s natural to want to reach for the prettiest sofa and tables you can find. But when you’re investing in a core living space, something beautiful alone is not sufficient. It’s equally important that the pieces you choose are also comfortable. So when I’m looking for furniture, I first think about what my family will actually want to sit on and where my guests can land when they inevitably start to wander toward a comfy seat to continue a good conversation. I love trying to reach this balance of creating a living room that is equally beautiful and livable.
Technically, our own living room isn’t even a room at all, but more of an extrawide hallway that connects our entryway to our kitchen. Even though it’s not your traditional square with at least three walls, when we moved in, it was the only option we had, so I worked with it. I started with the basics, knowing we’d need at least a sofa, a coffee table, and a chair. I placed these pieces in a way that would give the room some shape, and my family just settled in over time, even if it wasn’t yet exactly the way I wanted it to look. We learned how to make the best of what we had and from there I slowly started to layer in the details. If I added a lamp or an end table it was because I had noticed a need for one arise; it was never just to fill up the space. I have a sincere love for fireplaces, but it just wasn’t in the cards for this room, so instead I sought to create an unconventional focal point that was both beautiful and meaningful. Again, I didn’t rush this just to fill the empty spot on the wall. It wasn’t until sometime later that I came upon the large antique clock that was missing the hour and minute hands. It now hangs on the wall above our sofa, and to me, it symbolizes grace in our day-to-day life and that time at home is never wasted. I love how it helps to tell our story as you move from the entryway to the heart of our home.
I have grown really contented with our living room, as small and quirky as it might be, and I think it works perfectly for our family. Because of its unique footprint, it really forced me to take my time furnishing it. Every detail was hard-won and ended up getting layered in organically over time. Maybe that’s why I love it so much. It was through the process of creating this space that I really owned never being apologetic about furnishing a home slowly. In fact, it’s become a bit of a design philosophy for me. I cannot encourage you enough to gradually add to your home one beloved piece at a time.
If you are wanting to give your living room a simple refresh, please don’t take this to mean that you should toss out everything you currently own. This is more about scaling back to the things you can’t live without in order to create some space for your real, beautiful life to unfold. If you have a piece of furniture that you like but it somehow falls a little flat, consider updating it with a fresh coat of paint or unique hardware. Sometimes just a simple tweak to your existing pieces can make all the difference. Other times, it might mean giving your eyes a chance to see the space as a clean slate by removing the items that cause clutter. I love adding character to a house wherever I can, but that is a different thing entirely than what I’m talking about here. Filling a room with the things you think you should because you’ve seen someone else do it that way or because you just want it to feel finished will never yield a home you truly love. You can make a room feel both beautiful and complete without filling every corner and surface with a bunch of random stuff. Now, if your living room happens to be filled to the brim with pieces you absolutely love, keep enjoying them and don’t let me get in your way! The point here is: Our homes should be a source of happiness to the people who live there, so surround yourself with things that you love and let go of the rest.
I am thankful that a room exists for the purpose of giving us a spot to rest and to gather with the people we love, even if what we have is not our ideal shape or dream setup. Instead, what we can create is a place where the stories and memories of our lives are sewn into its very fabric. And that should only get better with time.
I’ve always been drawn to the classic combination of black and white, so I wanted to make this the primary color palette throughout our home. The black accents of the textured rug, modern leather chair, and wall decor offer contrast to the white shiplap walls. Anything that I’ve chosen to hang on our walls is significant to our family. The antique street sign is from New York City, where Chip and I honeymooned. An antique safe acts as an accent table for design books and a plant. I wanted to place something purposeful and beautiful in this spot since it’s a natural focal point when you walk into this main living area. We found this piano when we were doing a walkthrough in a potential remodel, and I loved it instantly. When we got it home and cleaned it up, we realized it had been painted this beautiful shade of green, which happens to be one of my favorite colors, and exactly the color addition this black-and-white space needed.
LIVING ROOMS: WHAT TO CONSIDER
Living rooms may be where you see the widest range of formality and purpose of any room in a home. Some people have multiple living spaces where they can dedicate an entire room to function, typically as a comfy landing spot for the family, and then another more formal space is set aside for special occasions. Others have an open-concept living area that they consider multioperational, much like we do. It’s a place where our family can relax as well as where guests can settle in when we’re entertaining. No matter what size and shape your living room may be, how this space is designed and styled conveys your priorities to anyone invited in.
HOW IT MAKES YOU FEEL
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Determine what the style and design of each of these spaces is communicating and what you want to be reflected in your own living room.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Notice the details of the rooms in this chapter: pieces on the walls, the furnishings, storage, or bookshelves. Take note of what you are inspired by for your own living room.
CREATE SPACE
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Pay attention to furniture arrangements and seating solutions.
[if !supportLists]· [endif]If you like the pared-down look of some of these spaces, think through what you could stand to lose in your own living room.
THE ELEMENTS
