Homestead Project - The Living Room

Today we're revealing the Homestead Project and there's so much to discuss: brass, mixing black and blue, repetitive shapes (how many circles can you count?) and defining "transitional" style. Where do we start? How about here.

For this project we sourced items from many, many different stores: Arhaus, Boston Interiors, Wayfair, Crate + Barrel, Target, Ballard Designs, Pottery Barn, HomeGoods...everywhere! Which is a great lesson that you don't need to buy all your furniture and decor from one store to create a cohesive feel. The general vibe is a modern take on classic stylings...aka transitional. Transitional has come to be the default description for interior styles that you can't otherwise define and we think that's because transitional speaks to most homeowners style goals these days - a beautiful (classic) with a heavy emphasis on comfort and function (modern).

Enough with the design lesson. Let's take a peek at what the space looked like before we got started.

And now...

One of the initial challenges we faced was the layout. The room is really long. It's fantastic to have a huge room, but it can be overwhelming to configure a layout that takes advantage of all the space without excessively chopping it up or awkwardly floating furniture. The ideal is to create sections of function that all connect. We're planning to copyright the term "sections of function" because it just rolls of the tongue...or not. But you get the idea - the goal is to define separate sections without completely disconnecting any one section from the others.

The first section we created (below) is what you see when walking into the living room from the kitchen. It's almost, sorta, kinda a hallway within the room. It defines the room entrance and gives breathing room to the largest pieces of furniture. 

The weathered black cabinet at the end of the "hallway" provides fully hidden storage and a mirror reflects natural light from all the windows. The decor on/around the cabinet is important for a couple reasons. First, it connects this little section to the rest of the room. Second, decor can play defense to all those piles of junk that many of us instinctively want to make. If the cabinet top is covered with a pitcher, plant and decorative box, there's less room for old magazines and dirty gym socks. Who else has a family member that leaves dirty gym socks literally everywhere???

From this section, we turn to the meat of the room - the main seating area and the TV unit. Our client already owned the TV unit and it fits perfectly in a carved out nook within the room. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Rather than start over with a brand new piece of furniture or custom built-in, and spend quite a bit of moolah in the process, we made a few simple, high-impact changes. To begin: baskets. Four proportional baskets. In order for baskets to be the home run they are meant to be, you have to choose the right size basket for the space. Something too small will minimize the function and something too big will look squished and awkward. It's a classic Goldilocks situation - it's got to be just right. 

We also styled with decor while leaving some negative space and hand-painted the knobs a matte brass (they were a matte silver). Brass was our go-to color and finish throughout this project. It's sophisticated, current and plays very well with black. It's also warm and inviting - just what you want your living room to feel like. We used brass in decor, light fixtures, lamps and one piece of furniture (a hammered drum table I'll get to in a bit). But, we were careful not to over do it. Too much of a good thing can be not a good thing. Even when it comes to s'mores.

Opposite the TV unit is, of course, the main seating area. Our client has a big family and regularly hosts holidays and Sundays. This meant we needed to provide at least as much seating as the existing sectional and armchair provided...ideally more. The new sofa and loveseat accomplish the "at least as much as" and the matching blue ottomans accomplish the "ideally more".

The ottomans are additional seating and equally perfect for kicking up feet. And, they're round. If you hadn't noticed, now feels like an appropriate time to point out all the circles in this room: the mirror, the light fixture, the side tables, the baskets behind the couch and the ottomans. Repeated shapes - whether they be circles or hexagons or triangles...or whatever - give a subtle feel of cohesiveness. 

Perhaps most importantly, the low profile of the ottomans connect this main seating area to the far end of the room, which was previously cut off by the sectional and feeling useless to the homeowners.

The far end of the room previously had a pack n play and not much else.

AFTER

BEFORE

One of the biggest changes we made in this area of the room is the addition of a built-in window bench. The goal of any built-in, window benches included, is for them to appear as if they were meant to be in the space. This window bench provides even more seating in the room for those family Sundays and the top lifts to reveal a bunch of storage (for all the toys the pack n play user will accumulate). 

The reading nook is also new to the space.

Now the homeowners can rock, glide, read, nap and ponder life in this section of the room...or chat with the crew in the main seating area. The full room shot gives better perspective on how close and connected these "sections of function" are...say it with us "sections of function"...still doesn't have a good ring to it...

We had so much fun designing this room and we hope the homeowners have so much fun living in it. Can't you picture a serious game of Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity (depending on how you roll) going down on the coffee table?

For even more photographs of the space, head to our Portfolio. And below is a source list.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that, at no cost to you, if you click a link and make a purchase we may make a commission.

Black cabinet - Joss & Main

Brass round mirror - Target

Textured brass tall vase - Target

White pitcher - HomeGoods

Wood box - HomeGoods

Gold leaf shadow box art - HomeGoods

Rug - Houzz (get %5 off with our code: 4E318)

Sofa and Loveseat - Boston Interiors 

Coffee Table - Wayfair

Tray (on coffee table) - West Elm

Brass candelabra - HomeGoods

Side tables - Arhaus

Ottomans - Target

Lamps - Target

Ivory honeycomb pillows - Pottery Barn

Blue pillows with burlap trim - Pottery Barn

Patterned pillows - HomeGoods

Baskets with black trim (behind couch) - World Market has similar baskets (we snagged these from Target on clearance and they're no longer available) 

Center basket (behind couch) - HomeGoods

Baskets (in TV console) - Target

Standing lamp - Ballard Designs

Glider and slipcover - Crate and Barrel

Round jute rug - Wayfair

Gray pom pom pillow - Nordstrom

Throw blanket - Target

Hammered brass drum - Target

Blue and natural basket - The one we grabbed from Target is no longer available. Here is a similar sized floor basket also from Target.

Brass frames - HomeGoods

Blue fern art - South Pacific Prints

Light Fixture - Wayfair

Southend Project - The Entryway

It's our final reveal for the Southend Project. In case you missed the previous posts about this project: click here to see the living room and here to see the dining room. Today, we're wrapping it up with the entryway.

People often underestimate the importance of a home's entryway. It's like the cover of a book, and we all know the kind of judgment we pass on book covers...despite our parents having repeatedly instructed us not to do so. An entryway sets the tone for everything you're about to see. It also welcomes your guests and makes you feel happy to be home again. 

Our client wanted some storage, but that wasn't the priority because there's a huge closet on the opposite wall. Mostly, the space needed to feel welcoming with some basic functional elements: a bench, carpet and mirror. We also wanted to create a comfy feel without abandoning the overall minimalist design.

To handle the function aspect, we went with a hub mirror. It's modern and fun and perfect for that last minute is there anything between my teeth before I enter the outside world check. Its size is also great for bouncing light every which way in this naturally dark space.

We chose a classic, waterfall style bench from West Elm. As the sole piece of furniture in the space it will take the biggest beating, so the largest portion of the budget was earmarked for this beauty. Quick design tip: spend money on the thing you will use the most in the room and/or the thing that will have the greatest visual impact in the room. We're not suggesting to turn down a bargain. Heavens to Betsy no. But, quality is key when it comes to those heavily (ab)used items and, often, quality comes at a price.

We used baskets for a touch of additional storage. Our clients have a young daughter and these durable, floor level baskets are perfect for little hats and gloves. In the alternative, this space could be used for a boot tray or even some seasonal decorations (i.e. lanterns filled with mini pumpkins...because it all comes back to mini pumpkins).

To create a comfy vibe we accessorized with texture and muted colors. The pillows add both color and texture. Double whammy. The rug adds some interest and fun with its modern pattern, but stays relatively mellow thanks to the neutral tones. Patterns also disguise dirt - great for an entryway. 

And, of course, we brought in a big plant. We feel pretty strongly about plants being basically everywhere. Call us plant ladies...because we are. They're good for your mood and great for the air. In fact, NASA recommends that your home have 1 plant per every 100 square feet to keep the air well filtered.

We chose a snake plant because it's low maintenance - just because we're plant ladies, doesn't mean we have green thumbs...or that we expect our clients to have green thumbs. The snake plant will fair well with low light and little attention. When you're plant shopping, make sure to look at the little plastic stakes coming out of the soil in those individual pots. They indicate the amount of water and light a particular plants needs, which will help you find the right plant for the right spot in your house. You can also ask a nursery specialist, which is our go-to move. 

One last mention - the light fixture. It's black and geometric, which plays off the black rimmed hub mirror and the patterned rug and pillow. And, huge bonus, it's designed by one of our DIY/home design blogger favs: Sherry and John Petersik of Young House Love. 

And that's that!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that, at no cost to you, if you click a link and make a purchase we may make a commission. 

Below is a source list for your shopping pleasure and stay tuned next week for the Homestead Project, she's a beaut!!!

Flushmount light fixture - Shades of Light

Rug - Dash & Albert

Mirror - Houzz (get %5 off with our code: 4E318)

Bench - West Elm

Solid blue pillow - Target

Tufted diamond pillow - Target

Baskets - West Elm

Seagrass basket planter - Target (on clearance!!!)

Southend Project - The Dining Room

Today we're revealing more of our Southend Project - the dining room. 

I should first clarify that the Southend dining room is not actually a room. It's more of a space between the kitchen and the living room - we'll call it a dining area. The main living space of this home is as open concept as you can imagine with one big rectangle making up the kitchen, dining area and living room. This was an important consideration in designing the space for two reasons. First, tall dining chairs or an enormous statement chandelier over the dining table would block the awesome sight line between the kitchen and the living room. Second, when a dining room is a dining area within an open concept space, it's also (typically) more casual. 

Our design for the dining area had two main spaces - the table (with chairs and a light fixture) and the fireplace.

Let's talk about the table first. It's a round pedestal table in a muted brown, gray tone. For small dining rooms (or dining areas...ahem), a round or oval table is a great option. It allows for an easier traffic flow than a square or rectangular table. The round shape feels less obtrusive than straight lines and sharp corners. The pedestal bottom (versus four legs) creates the same space-saving, airy feeling.

You may have caught our post from a couple weeks ago about a project that led us on quite the hunt for the perfect dining chair. This was that project and this beauty is the chair we found.

Like the table, it's from Restoration Hardware. It's an all-around winner for the size (we wanted something narrow in order to fit 6), the kid-friendly factor (wipeable/non-stainable), the comfort, the quality and the style. In terms of big picture design, the color contrast between the white chair and the wood table is visually interesting and leans modern. Yet, the chair and table themselves are classic styles. We repeated this mix of classic and modern throughout the entire project to create a comfortable, yet minimalist vibe. 

Another example of this modern/classic mix is the chandelier. It has a somewhat classic shape. If it had a more traditional finish (maybe oil rubbed bronze) and the arms were curved, you could almost picture it over a farmhouse table. But, the sleek, straight arms and polished nickel finish take that classic shape and turn it modern.

For the finishing touches in this space we...wait for it...mixed modern and classic. Like the living room, we added some natural greenery, this time in the form of good, old-fashioned back yard clippings. Never underestimate how good a teeny branch will look in a white vase. We also found some awesome wood accent pieces to contrast the super marble and super modern fireplace.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that, at no cost to you, if you click a link and make a purchase we may make a commission.

Our source list is below. And, we have one more room reveal for this project coming - the entryway. So, stay tuned!

Dining table - Restoration Hardware

Dining chairs - Restoration Hardware

Chandelier - Houzz (if you use our code: 4E318 you get 5% off!)

Mirror - Client owned

White and wood vase (on dining table) - HomeGoods

Large wood and metal vase - Target

White fluted vase - Target

Candlesticks - Anthropolgie