My husband and I recently decided to redo some living room furniture. We both got tired of the “safe colors” like white, beige, and tan, that we have always used in our decorating plans. Don’t get me wrong – they’re gorgeous but somehow living in the valley of the sun inspired both Gene and I to do something that was bright, happy and different. Something that felt warm and inviting and made you want to sink into a chair or sofa and relax.

Inception

We’ve had the sofa in this photo for over thirty-five years. It’ very well made but the style was outdated and after having been in storage for a few years it was in need of some serious love. All the craftsman that came out to give us estimates on recovering it advised we should keep it as we would never find another one as well built. We opted to have it recovered, have the cushions rebuilt, and the sofa restyled. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

So where did we get our inspiration?

The idea for the living room came from a McKenzie-Childs chair. The name of the chair is “Queen Bee” which I find pretty fitting. While we would never have utilized all of the fabrics they did in one chair in our decorating scheme, both Gene and I liked the juxtaposition of styles, colors and textures. In the final version of our project we placed a variety of color, textures, and designs throughout our room.

Our implementation

We utilized an inviting buttery yellow color fabric for the sofa and we added complimentary color with a variety of textures and patterns. From the black and white polka dot Kate Spade lamp,(a bit of whimsey)  to a delightful floral rug full of texture and patterns, to pops of purple, we couldn’t be happier with this room. We found the perfect ottomans  on Amazon! The color couldn’t have been a better match. However the ottomans were trimmed in silver nail heads.  I opted to remove them and replace them with bronze nail heads to match the nail heads used in the other pieces of furniture.


We love how the room turned out. While we are not done placing all the accessories into the room we are confident that they will make the room look even more inviting. We envision many happy moments here with family and friends.

And yes, those are stars on the sofa fabric! Because well, why not?!

Decorating Tips:

  • Do your homework. Look at a variety of sites and sources and find examples that represent your style and desired end look.  Use online sources such as Pinterest and Houzz to find and store ideas. Tour model homes in your area and take photos. Make a vision board to help you stay on track.
  • Take a look at fabric and upholstery stores in your area and If possible, get fabric samples to bring home. I had great luck using an online fabric company to obtain fabric samples from and order fabric. (They beat my upholstery person’s price by quite a lot!) Make sure you look at the fabric in all lights before making a purchase.
  • Look for your accent pieces at a variety of places.  You may be surprised to find some amazing deals. Try Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Goods, antique stores, etc., in your area. Look both online and in stores. Don’t be afraid to ask for discounts. The worst that can happen is they say “no”.
  • Find ways to cut costs using your own time and talent. For example, our upholstery company wanted to charge $150 per ottoman to replace the nail heads.  I ordered a tack lifter from Amazon for around $11 (on sale currently for $4.39) along with a box of nail heads for $8.59. Removing the heads and installing new ones was not at all complicated and I saved us $280.41!! While I did spend time doing this it was worth the savings.
  • Find quality craftsmen to work with. This is critical. Ask neighbors, friends, craftsman in your community for references. Check them out on the Better Business Bureau and other sources. The last thing you want is someone who isn’t competent to complete your vision.

I would love to see your home decoration project!  Please email me photos and details and I will include it on my blog.