Art for your Living Room (and All Your Other Rooms Too)

Through a couple fun Instagram polls we learned that design advice about living rooms is the most sought after. Which makes sense. It’s the most used room in the home and we’re in our homes more than ever these days. Plus, there is so much opportunity for simple and truly transformative changes in the living room. So, today, we’re kicking off a series on living room design advice with a post about art.

Art is one of the key elements that completes a room. It brings personality. It elevates a space to something a bit extra interesting and bit extra special. If you were to scroll through photos of some of the most universally coveted living rooms, you would undoubtedly see beautiful art on the walls. So, where do you look for art? And how do you choose a specific piece? And then…what about framing it…or just wrapped canvas? And what about gallery walls?

There are a lot of choices when it comes to art. And we have some great resources for making a plan and executing the plan you make.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a key resource for finding inspiration for wall decor. You can find all sorts of big picture ideas (gallery walls, large scale art, non-traditional wall decor, etc.). You can also find specific pieces. But, it can be confusing where to even begin - what search words to use. We have a Pinterest Board full of different styles of art, all of which we love. You can find some wonderful pieces and you can also find key words to use to search for more options.

Below is a snapshot of our board.

via Gray Oak Studio Pinterest

Etsy

We use Etsy more than any other website when searching for art for our clients (and ourselves). And here is a trick you might not know: when you find a piece of art that you like, but it’s not quite right, first click the art to get to the details page. Then, scroll to the bottom of page until you get to where it says “You may also like”. You’ll find a lot of similar options. It can be a rabbit hole, but it usually reveals exactly what you’re looking for.

One more tip, many Etsy shops have an Instagram account. If you are drawn to an artist, check out their Instagram feed. You’ll see all the newest pieces they’re adding to their shop and you’ll also see different ways the art is framed and incorporated into rooms.

We want to share one of our favorite Etsy artists - Rachel Elise. Rachel Elise has a shop full of gorgeous, abstract pieces with a sprinkle of botanical pieces. They are all digital files that you can instantly download and print at home or through your local print shop (Staples, Costco, etc.). And they’re all $4.99. We used a series of prints in our Prospect Project Nursery and a single print in a gallery wall in our Lovell Living Room.

via Prospect Project Girl’s Nursery

via Lovell Project Living Room

Here’s a glimpse of her shop to get a sense of everything she offers. Something in every color combination. It’s all so beautiful and serene.

via Rachel Elise Shop

When choosing a frame for your art, we are big fans of CB2 frames and West Elm frames. We also use Pottery Barn frames, but like to warn that some Pottery Barn mats are not a true white. They’re creamy cream.

Minted, Artfully Walls and Iamfy

When you’re not looking for a DIY (purchasing the digital image, printing the digital image, finding the right frame, purchasing the frame, and putting it all together), we suggest Minted, Artfully Walls and Iamfy. There are endless pages of gorgeous art with frame and mat options. And all three websites have lots of filtering options when you search - color, size, theme, etc. It’s a one stop shop to find the art, choose the frame and have it all arrive at your doorstep.

We used a beautiful cloudscape from Artfully Walls for our Stafford Family Room.

from stafford project family room

Art Hanging Guide

Once you’ve found your inspiration on Pinterest, found your piece of art (or several pieces) on Etsy or Minted or Artfully Walls or Iamfy, it’s time to know where and how to hang them. First, not every wall needs a piece of art. In fact, typically just one wall per room needs art. Less often, two walls. There can be an instinct to fill every blank space with something, but resist that urge. You don’t need to fill every space and art is not always the answer when you do.

The large scale option. We love this option because it’s a statement and creates such a mood for the entire space. On the other hand, it’s a big commitment…that statement and mood you’re creating. It’s also not the most budget-friendly option. Bigger pieces come with bigger prices (mostly because of the frame).

via prospect project family room

The fail proof, three piece, eclectic gallery. Eclectic galleries can be intimidating because there are so many micro-decisions. You’re choosing multiple pieces of unique art, multiple unique frames, different size everything. The goal is for everything to compliment, not match. It’s a tricky endeavor. But, we have a formula.

1) Choose one color and make sure all three pieces incorporate that color.

2) Choose one large piece and two smaller pieces. The larger piece will go on one side and the two smaller pieces will be stacked next to it.

4) Choose two matching frames and one non-matching frame. Maybe two stained wood and one brass, two gray and one white, two thin black and one thick black.

5) Frame two pieces with a mat and one without a mat.

Scroll back up to our Lovell Project and you’ll see this formula in action. And now you can visualize it many different ways - the larger piece on the right, different frame colors, etc.

The grid gallery. This is great for a big and entirely blank wall. And also for someone who doesn’t want to deal with too many choices (as needed with an eclectic wall). You measure out the wall and plan for maximum coverage. Don’t forget to include the space between the frames in your calculations. If you have a piece of furniture grounding the wall, then your gallery is just above the furniture top. If you have millwork on the lower half of your wall (wainscoting, beadboard, etc.), then your gallery is just on the top half. If you have a fully blank wall, go for it - floor to ceiling. Here are some tips:

1) Hang the frames approximately 2” apart. For larger frames you can stretch the distance to 3” apart.

2) Smaller frames will read more busy, so choose simple art (black and white photographs, minimal abstract series, etc.)

Via Hutchins Project Sitting Room

The series of three. If you’re looking for something truly easy, this method is for you. This is extremely similar to a grid gallery, but it’s just three frames hung in a horizontal row. The human eye loves sets of three because there’s a natural center. You can go slightly more interesting and bold with the art because the scale is in the mid range (not a huge commitment, not a busy cluster) and keep the frames matching.

VIA Dover Project Living Room

Stay tuned for a lot more in this series on living room design advice. And leave us a comment or send us an email with your question! We’ll answer everything we can.

- Leah

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Creating a Virtual or Homeschool Workstation in Any Corner

We are hanging on by a virtual-homeschool-hybrid-babysitter-second babysitter-tutor-cohort-pod-takes-a-village thread these days. Like so many of you. We’re trying to wrap our head around what the new school year looks like and simultaneously trying not to devote too much mental energy to any one plan because it may change. There are so many unknowns to contend with.

So, we’ve been focusing our energy on what we can control - our homes. We can create motivating, functional, fun spaces for our children when they are learning at home. And we wanted to share some of our thought process with you.

First - The space itself doesn’t have to be a whole room. Not every child has their own room for a desk and workstation, or space in their room to add one. Creating a dedicated space within a community room (i.e. living room or play room) will totally work. The truth is, you don’t need more than a couple square feet.

Second - We believe that in order for our kids to feel excited and truly motivated to dig in, their learning space has be beautiful and fun. Everything from a colorful waste bin to fun pencils will make a difference. The fun that you inject will be unique to your kiddo - maybe a Star Wars or maybe a Taylor Swift poster or maybe a Harry Potter poster…the art choices are endless.

Third - The functionality has to be easy. The pencils and paper must be conveniently located. The calculator and ruler and stapler must be readily available. The elbow room must be plentiful. But, the distractions must be few. Making it fun (our 2nd tip) doesn't mean adding a bunch of stuff that clutters desk surface or “toys” that interfere with that fragile attention span.

So, here’s what we came up with.

If you love everything or anything in our mood board, all the shoppable links are below. But we wanted to first talk through the ideas of three key pieces so you can shop the ideas at your favorite retailers.

Desk - We love a desk that’s simple, small and has a drawer. To keep the space compact, the desk size is key. And for a laptop or a writing surface, this is all you need. For some extra protection to the desktop, we recommend an acrylic protector (like this one).

Sconce - A little lamp light is nice for rooms with less natural light or evening homework. We prefer a wall mount light (or floor lamp) because, again, it’s taking zero desk surface. Plug-in sconces are a nice solution because they’re cost effective and take up just a bit of wall space.

Display Board - Some sort of pin board, cork board or magnetic board is a diverse space for displaying weekly To Dos and highlight special work.

Below is a budget for this plan. The only thing not included are frames for the art and school supplies (like those fun pencils to fill that magnetic cup).

Mini Desk - $349

Desk Chair - $84

Waste Bin - $22.50

Magnetic Board - $10

Plug In Wall Sconce - $44

Magnetic Pencil Holder - $5

Bookworm Art - $48

Growth Mindset Quote - $15

TOTAL COST - $577

Most items in our design come in multiple colors - the desk, the chair, the waste bin, the sconce, the growth mindset art. Also, you can replace the standard brushed nickel knob on the desk with something fun and quirky to add personality. ALSO, you can add a cushion to the chair to make it comfy…if your kiddo isn’t actually in school, they don’t have to actually suffer the discomfort of those chairs!

Be back soon!

- Leah

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Living Room Update - Everything but the Sofa

Today’s blog post is sort of a sequel to last month’s post about a classic living room dilemma. We talked through how to work with multiple doorways, windows and a fireplace to create a cozy, conversation-inducing layout. We gave you a shopping list of all the furniture needed to make this happen. Today we’re talking through the details to consider as your find the right pieces for your unique home.

We have ideas and recommendations for everything…but the sofa. We figure most people already have a sofa they like/love. And if you don’t, you should. Other than a bed, a sofa is the most used piece of furniture in most people’s home. It’s worth a healthy budget to get quality (kiln dried wood frame, eight way hand tied spring system, down wrapped cushions).

Let’s look back at the layout we suggested last week. A sofa facing a TV wall, one or two armchairs facing the fireplace wall (maybe in your house it’s a window not a fireplace), and one accent chair angled in the corner to create a reading nook that can/cannot be part of the conversation scene.

With your sofa already in place, we have some thoughts on a rug, coffee table, armchairs, and accent chair. We recommend considering everything in advance - you may not be able to buy everything at once, but knowing the big picture plan is the best way to achieve a cohesive result.

Rug - A living room rug is one of the few rugs in your home that will be sat on occasionally (versus only stepped on). It’s where your kids play board games, your husband is forced to sit when all the seats are taken post Thanksgiving dinner, and that one friend inexplicably chooses to sit despite there being plenty of room on the sofa. So, you want something plush (not a flat weave) and soft. We’re big fans of wool, ideally with a cotton backing (it’ll last longer). You can’t go wrong with a neutral color and timeless style. Or, if you like color, the rug is an opportunity to inject personality and connect all the other color elements of your room.

Neutral Rug

Statement Rug

Armchairs - This should be a beautiful chair that might look uncomfortable just because it’s so beautiful (not because it’s actually uncomfortable). Because it floats in the room, you want it to be beautiful from all angles. Slipper chairs (armless chairs) are a great option for a smaller footprint in order to get two into the layout plan.

Coffee Table - In order to accommodate a bigger crowd in a smaller space, we love a round coffee table. It’s great for crowd flow. The big barrel style coffee tables are very on trend and we love them. But, a leggy table with space underneath for a catch-all basket is great for some families (like ours) that inevitably find a scattering of stuffed animals, hair brushes and socks throughout the living room by the end of the day.

Reading Nook Chair - You can go so many directions with this one. This can be the really fun, interesting, stylized chair or the nothing-but-cozy chair or the extra chair you’ve been looking for a home for. The main idea here is that it doesn’t have to “match” any other furniture in the room, just coordinate. Be sure to pair it with an ottoman and a floor lamp.

Blue Linen Nook Chair

Leather Nook Chair

Let’s put it all together. First up - a colorful, modern option.

Pouf / Floor Lamp / Pink Throw Pillow

And second - a transitional, neutral option.

Pouf / Floor Lamp / Blue and White Pillow

You can update slowly, overtime or save up and get it all in one HGTV style transformation. There’s no one way to get from vision to finished space, but don’t underestimate the planning phase. It’ll make for a successful “after” in function and style.

- Leah

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