I had written earlier this year about how the living room had stayed fairly consistent over the last five years. I still like the room, but I had been feeling the need to shake things up a bit. So I’ve been making some changes.
I got my hipster Chia pets. (Local friends, Carriage Flower Shop here in Oak Park has them.)
I sold the orange chair (fare thee well, sweet orange chair!), and I have the floral chair floor sample that I repaired in its place. I was able to almost pay for the new chair with the old, and the chair paired with a floor lamp makes a nice reading corner.
You may recognize the pillows in the room from yesterday’s post. I should point out that August gave me that red/orange pillow for my birthday last week. Didn’t he do a great job picking it out? I suspect Brandon helped him, but good job all around.
The rocking chair is upstairs (because I am lazy sometimes and don’t like to cart it upstairs and back down for August’s monthly photo), so we brought back the other Eames chair and the elephant. It is possible that I have too much of an affinity for Eames furniture, but they’re classic investment pieces that I don’t tire of. Plus they’re sentimental for us. We got the LCW when we were married, the rocking chair when we were expecting, and the elephant for our first Christmas as new parents.
There are still some things I’d like to do in the living room. I took down the silhouette quilt above the sofa. It was funny to have that many heads in one space now that the busts are on the side tables! So we need some different art. Or a mirror? Not sure.
I’d also like to switch out the side table next to the floral chair. It’s cute, but the spindle doesn’t play well with the floor lamp behind it and something chunkier would look better. Oh, and I keep putting it off but I need to paint the trim white. I’m always too busy, but I don’t think there will be a time when I’m not busy, so I really should just force myself to tackle it.
What else? Maybe one more pillow. Maybe different curtains (maybe). Not much… the room if feeling pretty good now.
41 comments
Katie Elizabeth
A tremendous BRAVO, Nicole!
I recently moved into an 1890s Victorian with hideous “wood” trim on the first floor. In reality, it’s pine that someone glazed to create a faux mahogany and then ran their fingers through to create wood grain (not even a blind person would be fooled by this hack job). It’s beat up, dark, and depressing. I wrestled for weeks about whether or not to paint it, or rather, to taint the “original” woodwork. I painted the walls, tried to decorate around it, and essentially, was drove myself crazy.
Your blog has inspired me to just go for it. Thanks for sharing your story, and for offering a fresh decorating perspective on doing what you need to do to make your house your home. Your abode looks fantastic. I can’t wait to transform mine!
Cheers!
KatieElizabeth
ashley
Where did you get the pink elephant?
Looks like so much fun for kids :)
Amy (Oh, My)
Ooooh I love that photo of the couch… The green couch with your ‘hipster chia pets’ (ha!), just gorgeous, the green and pink. And that pink Eames elephant chair. I swear, when I have kids, that is going to be one of my first purchases, I can’t wait for an excuse to buy it! :P
ArticulateArt
I absolutely love those vases!!!! The elephant chair is very cute too! Love the soft colours!
This Confetti Life
The hipster Chia Pets are awweeeesome.
M
Love the changes! So very glad you got a good price for your other floral chair; was a bit worried I must admit. Agree the couch could use a couple more pillows but the ones you’re already using are great. Yay; happy ending & gorgeous new mini makeover : )
Btw, LOVE the pink elephant in the room!
Erin
I LOVE those bust vases. Love them. They are so fun. Can’t wait to see what you’ll put behind the couch.
I really love how this room is so uncluttered. Do you have rules for the kids about toys in the living room, or just what you allow in there in general?
Leanne@Strewth-Tiger
Ahh! Those hipster chia pets are FABULOUS! I definitely need to get my hands on a set :-)
Carla
I love those vases! And the new lamp is great, although I agree about the side table, it’s competing for attention. You have such a talent for pulling together a room. I can’t wait to see what you do next!
Britt
Oh my gosh! Those head vases are so funny! Do they have those swirly hypnotized eyes?!
Making it Lovely
No, isn’t that strange? The shadows made them look that way in the photos!
anne
what if you painted the whole side table cobalt blue? then the spindles (the lamp and the table base) wouldn’t be the same color, and wouldn’t compete.
Making it Lovely
I think it’s the shape though, not just the color.
Katie
I think the vases are interesting, but too large for the side tables. That rug was a good investment b/c is seems so versatile. Is the new anthro chair comfortable? I love the elephant chair!! I think it is important to keep a room evolving to reflect personal evolution and to avoid staleness.
Making it Lovely
The vases are large. I’m considering moving them to the dining table, but I think that the sofa being without art above is making them look more out of proportion than they are. And yes, the new chair is comfortable, but the old Astrid chair was even moreso.
jj
Those vases crack me up. You have always impressed me as a super smart-super creative and super-super organized young lady. I must now rethink my assessment and consider that you must have a wry and whimsical side. kudos!
Jaclyn
You’ve made this room so fun and playful, but still grown up. That chair is beautiful and looks great mixed with the pattern of the carpet.
Katie
I think the busts are the first time I haven’t liked everything you’ve done. LOVE everything else, especially the rug.
Making it Lovely
They are, admittedly, a little odd.
Kate
I am in love with the floor lamp behind the new chair. Where did you find it?
Making it Lovely
It’s from Crate & Barrel.
Jessica at Lavender and Lilies
I need the elephant!
Tara Jane
You sound like you really like the vases, but they seem a bit off to me. I am not sure if it is thier expressions or if it is the flowers coming out of thier heads. None-the-less, cudos for you for keepin’ it fresh.
luuvely
btw….august looks just like eleanor in this pic! i looove his little face..
luuvely
the vases are cute and quirky…still sort of freak me out..i could get used the them though lol…
yeah i have to agree..i like the changes too…cant wait to see what you pick to go over the couch…
nice job..oooh i loooove the eleanor is playing on the couch! soooo adorable…
Helen
Ooh i love those vases!
Emily
LOVE the heads – that sounds weird. I saw them at a store here in Chicago and I have been considering them ever since!
I love how the room is evolving as your family grows. Why would anyone keep things the same for years and years?
I am trying something completely off kilter and strange for behind my sofa – just bought them on ebay and am looking forward to receiving them, framing them and hanging them up ASAP!
Making it Lovely
“Off kilter and strange…” Sounds perfect. I like a little touch of weird in a room.
katiedid
So pink and pretty!…Oh….and the flowers in the cute vases are pretty too! ;)
WES
For the table if you like it couldn’t you revamp it to hide the spindle? I was thinking make a box out of some 4.5 inch wide chair rail at about $1.60 a linear foot it should be pretty inexpensive. And casing is cheaper still. And if you wanted to make the top appear to be thicker you could add some of that edging materials that I see all the time on DIY shows that the put on the cut of of a piece of wood to give it a clean finished look. I think you iron it on.
Making it Lovely
I think the beauty of that table is in the spindle though. I’ll just be on the lookout for something else.
Amy
I love the changes! Your living room looks so different without the quilt! The busts are great! Much larger than I thought they would be, I actually quite like them now. Hmm, I wonder where they’d look nice in my house… And I think your living room just sold the Splash pillow for me.
Nduta
I love how clean and simple, yet elegant it is. Maybe a throw blanket on the couch and some art on the wall, the bust vases are very interesting..though a bit creepy I have to say :(
Kristyne
The bust vases are HILARIOUS! LOVE the flower choice. (But the eyes kinda creep me out …)
huette
May I ask where you found your couch? I have been looking for something similar .. .
Thanks
Making it Lovely
It’s Jasper, from Room and Board in a custom fabric (“Dorian Tan”) from years ago.
alisa
this caught my eye on pinterest today and when I saw your post I thought it might do well. I went to the source though and there isn’t much info.
http://jaywhal.tumblr.com/post/9304114335
Making it Lovely
Nice.
sewzinski
It looks fabulous! I love the soft colors, your chevron rug is dynomite! and the planters are to be coveted. I know you said where you bought them, but I went to the link and didn’t see them. Do you know if they sell them online?
Nice work!
Making it Lovely
I’m not sure, but I know Floral Art LA will ship them. You can try calling Carriage too to see.
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