A Classic Craftsman Living Room Gets a Grown-Up Bohemian Makeover
After months of casually keeping one eye open for a new and better house, Darby and Andrew decided to stop the search and instead re-fall in love with their current home. Once they'd committed to stay it was time to make their charming craftsman finally reflect the dynamic personalities of the residents within.
This is where I joined the party.
Boasting original woodwork, double french doors, and a built-in window seat, this home was bursting with vintage appeal. My goal was simply to amplify those features, simultaneously bumping up the personality to make the room more closely reflect Darby and Andrew’s vibrancy.
Creating a focal wall using Knots wallpaper from Hygge & West was the first step. It immediately draws the eye in, reclaiming the fireplace as a feature within the room. The pattern is neutral, but interesting, detailed, but not busy. And the abstract knots in the wallpaper are a satisfying tie-in with the organic circular shapes in the splashy coral rug below.
While the original paint color in the room was a creamy off-white, I wanted a lighter, less yellow wall color to help brighten the space. A true white wasn't right either, so instead I looked for light greys that veered warm rather than cool. Valspar's Comet Dust proved just the right mix.
The furniture layout also received a slight update. Originally there was a lot of unused space between the seating area and french doors. By swapping the sofa and chair placement I was able to add in a sofa table and create a vignette featuring Darby's existing covetable pair of MCM lamps behind.
Now, when entering through the front door, instead of walking into the side of a sofa you're greeted by these two chairs with lower backs and a more welcoming smaller scale.
In fact, this vignette with the chairs, moroccan tray table, wicker planter and insane vintage floor lamp is totally my favorite; and, it happened on a whim. The week before installation day I came by for one final walk thru and to drop off the vintage leather safari chair I'd intended to use. After scoring it at an estate sale I'd been storing it in my living room until I could get it to Darby's. Unfortunately, once in place I realized it was not going to work. In my house as a side chair next to my sofa it was fine. Here, in a more formal seating arrangement across from the sofa, it was laughably low – like an adult awkwardly sitting in a child's chair low.
Luckily, before there was even time to panic, Darby suggested trying the two matching Ikea chairs she had in her sun room. They were currently covered in an apple green fabric that had seen better days, but she thought Ikea might still carry the slip covers. Darby for the win! The Mellby slip covers were still available and arrived via WeDeliverOmaha the day before this photo shoot!
Having a built in window nook is the epitome of, like, every adult's childhood fantasy. I mean, they're totally made for cozy naps, juicy novels, and twirling your hair round your finger whilst playing it cool when talking to Bobby Tomlinson on the cordless, right?
To play up that fantasy I draped Mexican serape blankets as slip covers and, using textiles in varying, but coordinating prints/colors/fabrics, made most of the throw pillows to fill the bench seat. With a green vintage arm chair poised in the corner it’s the perfect spot for a sunny day read, a quiet conversation, or overflow seating in a pinch.
* Thank you Bethany Gilbert for the incredible AFTER photos!