Although I don't have any current pictures of the living room (note to self: take some!), I'm actually fairly happy with the types of furniture there are, however the accessories need a BIG update. Here is a little mood board I put together to get an idea of where I'd like to be without switching out the big pieces.
Anyone who has been in the house will see that the key elements are already in place here. The rug we have now is a nice, high pile white shag rug (although it needs to be spun because a couple of Shelby oops spots have turned grey).
That chair is SUPER close to what we've already got, and it's not going anywhere until its worn through in the seat. And even then.
We'd really like to get a new couch, as Pat isn't finding ours very comfy anymore, and it's not really as white as I'd like - more of a cream/ivory - but we're carrying the basic idea for now. Our current couch is a little bulky and rounded, where I'd really like something closer to the one pictured - cleaner lines, but still traditional, with slip covers or at least a skirt.
We've known for a few years that our hand-me-down coffee table is on its way out (my sister, the hander-downer, begs to differ), and I'd eventually love to replace it with a nice rustic square table that's an inch or so shorter than what we've got now. Either our couch is too short or the table is too tall, but our knees go numb when we put our feet up. I'm really loving the warm, worn color of the table pictured.
A simple basket is something I really want to add, like this one from Thrifty Decor Chick. Sarah got that one at Target I think, and the chalkboard accent is adorable. It would be really nice to have somewhere to put the blankets not in use since we don't like to leave them on the couch. Not only does that look messy, but a certain greyhound likes to claim soft things as her own and that's just annoying. And gross. Because she sheds. And mostly because she farts quite a lot.
When I first saw these watercolor world maps by Jessica Illustration on Etsy, I was hooked. I'm still infatuated almost a year later, and I can't wait to add a big one to the back wall of the living room. Maybe a birthday present? :)
I thought that the maps and the chevron curtains (I mean, zig-zag, right Lindsey? ;-)) would really pair nicely with the wall color I've chosen and add a bit of crispness to an otherwise pretty warm room. The color on the "walls" in the picture is pretty close to Sherman Williams' "Snowdrop," which I have 2 gallons of - is that enough for a living room? Who even knows? Probably not, it never is.
The orange ikat pillows simply seemed like a nice contrast-but-not-clash to all of the blues and greens going on.
Lastly, we can't wait to switch out our ugly boob light in the top of this picture:
with a ceiling fan. Not because we think they're pretty, because we don't, but because we just love the functionality of ceiling fans so darn much. I was totally bummed everytime I thought of installing one because of how ugly I think they are, but I came across S.T. Lighting online and by George do they make a beautiful product.
They take any ceiling fan that has a light kit and they turn it into a beauty. I called the number listed online and a very nice gentleman picked up - it's actually the owner's cell phone - and he couldn't talk long because he was onsite at a job, but I'll definitely be contacting him when I'm ready to pull the plug!
I'm in love with the living room I have planned - it's nothing extravagant, will never be seen in magazines, but it's comfortable and us and simple and livable. I'm just sad that painting is the first step :-(
