The Love Project – Living Room, Dining, and Entry

Last year we completed a kitchen renovation for one of my dear friends, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorite projects. It can be exhilarating to not only design a space but also to feel like you are truly collaborating with the homeowner, bouncing ideas off each other and sharing visions.

Needless to say I was very excited to continue the project throughout their main living spaces. The design process for this one was truly a labor of love and patience, as we took our time carefully sourcing and layering items. The end result is warm and inviting; there’s so much visual richness everywhere you turn.

In the entry, we added a few simple elements that filled the space like this table, lamp, and mirror. Often times the front entry can be a drop space for purses and keys, so having a small table for practical reasons allows for an easy flow. Three large basket lights fill up the vertical height of the vaulted ceiling.

The dining room is moody to the max; we painted the walls, trim, and ceiling a deep black. This couple, who loves to host, needed a bold color to ensure an often under-utilized room was equally inviting to guests.

Details make a space and are crucial to surface styling. I always style with antique books and live plants. The alternative just feel inauthentic and cheap. Sorry!

One key to designing is creating what we designers call “vignette” moments. Vignettes are essentially small groupings of items, as opposed to distributing items across an entire space. They are truly the secret sauce when it comes to design; creating concentrated moments of visual intrigue, rather than diluting elements across a larger space.

Last but certainly not least, the living room. I think it speaks for itself.

This living room is a perfect example of how much layering plays into the warmth and completeness of a space. We layered old and new, shapes and tables, organic elements. A lot of the items in the space were found by our client and we love how much character (and story) they add; the coffee table came from her parents’ downstairs, the vintage candlesticks were found at a hole-in-the-wall antique store in her hometown.

One critical mistake we see a lot of people make when selecting their own furniture in the living room is the sofa or sectional. It’s easy to assume that the best sofa is going to be the comfiest one, especially when you have a TV in the room. However, often times too comfortable of sofas actually make guests feel uncomfortable. They don’t necessarily want to lounge back as much as your own family would during movie nights.

We recommend a sofa that is firm enough for guests to sit and enjoy socializing. Imagine what they’d want to sit on while having a coffee or cocktail. Save the cloud couch for the family bonus room.

We felt that the furniture selection and layout of this space was the perfect medium of comfort and ease of socializing. Accent chairs are much easier for newcomers to enjoy when they’re not ready to snuggle up on the couch just yet.

I love how creatively the space came together. It is a beautiful representation of my friends turned clients and I know they are going to enjoy the space for years to come.

– Inga

Photos by: Erin Bratcher Photography