COMPLETED Arts & Crafts Inspired Living Room!

OK, so remember that movie with all of the single 20 and 30 year olds...yeah I know, that's like half of the movies out in the last 5 years, right?  I believe it's called He's Just Not That Into You.  I never saw it, but I did see the trailers, and I remember Drew Barrymore stating something about how she and her boyfriend were trying to connect to break up, and she tried texting, email, Facebook, phone, twitter, etc. and after trying "7 different portals of communication", she still didn't succeed!  Or something like that...Short story long -- that's how I feel sometimes when I want to share some of my design work.  Hmmm, should I write a blog, and then through Networked Blogs it will go to FB personal and FB business and Twitter, but I don't have the time to write and put it together how I want, but I want to share, so maybe I should just post pics quickly to FB business and 'share' with FB personal and LinkIn, but some people aren't on FB, and just signed up via email to My Blog, people who I know really would want to see the new pics, but...and...but...and...  SO if you've seen these new pictures already on Facebook, well, you'll just have to enjoy them again!  And please...do enjoy!!

Bench seat we installed in an unused nook near the fireplace.  Fabricut bench seat fabric.  Lee Industries fabric for back.  Custom front rosette pillow.  Green ombre' pillows from Pier 1.  Grey pillow came with the sofa.

One of my favorite pieces in this ensemble is the modern wing chair with a linen slipcover by Lee and it swivels!  Custom designed cocktail table with antique Turkish copper plate, leather/faux mohair studded sofa.

My client found the wonderful charcoal grey/green vines fabric and made two pillows for the living room sofa.  Aren't they perfect?!  And the print is slightly raised, which gives an additional sensory element.  A Lee linen blend swivel chair, this time with a more decorative pattern.

Another view...

Seating vignette with Lee chair, client's Stickley side table.  She had two that I thought would be fabulous in the room and help to tie the room into the Arts & Crafts architecture.  Iron "bust" floor lamp.

Another view... antique Chinese grain scoop from Zachary Ltd.

Behind the sofa...antique storytelling bench from Zachary Ltd., client's antique Schells wood box, Surya bamboo throw from Jon Hampton.

3-D gold iron stars from Zachary.  Grey washed candle lanterns from Jon Hampton...I was so excited when I found these.  We placed two above the TV cabinet, and one by the fireplace.  The washed color goes with the grey faux mohair on the couch perfectly in addition to the inspiration tiles on the fireplace.  Plus I didn't want something solid because I wanted the light to make its way into the room.

Custom dogwood/moss arrangement in black metal container.  I put this arrangement together for my client on her large kitchen island, which was a perfect work spot; however, you would not have believed the mess in her kitchen from the dried goods...unless you've done that type of stuff before, then yes, you would!  But it turned out to be just what we wanted...and messes are cleanable...

Another view...coming in from the front door.  Client's own Stickley cabinet which again we wanted to have in the space.  Accent lamp with stone shade--gorgeous when lit!

Well, what do you think?  I think the environment is very serene and inviting, but lively with the punch of bright green!

*** Susan ***

Hugo Living Room

The sun is shining, and as Martha says, "It's a good thing!"  About a month ago, I wrote a post on an Arts and Crafts styled home where I am redoing the living room and parts of the dining room.  Our goal was to take Arts and Crafts one step further, to use the philosophy of the era but not the actual A&C styled furniture.  As Barry Darr Dixon, one of my all time favorite interior designers once said, you need to "take it out of itself".  He was referring to exactly what my goal was--to reference the feel of an era without using the tangibles from it.  I never get sick of looking at his environments!  They are like looking into a wonderful piece of art that has so many layers, and each time you look at it, you see something new.

I have made quite a bit of progress, and thought I would share updates on the living room.  Soon it will all be coming together, ***the best part!!***, and then I can show you some awesome pics, but for now--bits and pieces:

I know you all have fabulous memories, correct?  No lack of empty files in that little hideaway, but just in case you are having an off day, let me refresh your memory.

The layout:  plan view below...

The Inspiration for color:  fireplace tiles below...

The coffee table:  my wonderful find of an early 19th century Turkish copper tray being built into a 54" round coffee table of reclaimed, dark stained wood below...

And now... The new additions!

The sofa:  I have a fabulous sofa with simple, square lines.  The frame is in a dark brown leather with large antiqued brass nailheads and the cushions in a warm, dark grey faux mohair below...

The slipcovered chair:  This chair is an updated, contemporary version of a traditional wing chair.  It swivels, so during parties, the occupant can talk to people in the window bench, OR, when you need a relief, or a fresh conversation, you can spin around and talk to people on the sofa, or totally zone out and watch TV!  I absolutely love how I've complemented the more formal wing chair style with a casual linen slipcover.  Fabric and chair style below...

So sorry for the blurriness of the chair pics, but I was having a bugger of a time with the chair image.  

The patterned chair:  This chair has a more rounded style, and again swivels.  The dweller of this chair has oodles of entertainment options.  They can swivel to peer out at the wonderful lakeside, spin and talk to someone in the kitchen, spin and talk to someone on the couch, or again zone out to the tube.  Fabric and chair style below...

The side tables:  The homeowner has a couple of wonderful Stickley side tables I want to reuse.  They will be an awesome transition piece between the Arts/Crafts architecture and our more casual, earthy style.  See below...

The window seat:  On the opposite side of the fireplace from the TV cabinet was an open space, perfect for some type of built in.  Hello, window seat!  The back wall of the window seat will be upholstered in a semi tufted style in a fabulous cinnamon color, and the bench seat cushion in a cinnamon/grey trellis style.  See fabrics below...

Accessories:  Today I found some wonderful floor lamps, large worn grey lanterns, and made her a super tall dogwood & moss arrangement in a black metal galvanized container for her mantel.  The ceilings are super high!  See below...

Meanwhile my client found some incredible fabric for accent pillows and made the most wonderful pillows--the colors and patterns are perfect for the room!

 What do you think?  Getting excited?  I am.  I absolutely love it when it all starts coming together.  Can't wait to show you the rest as it unfolds!

☞☞☞☞☞ Susan ☜☜☜☜☜