Dim the lights…get the jazzy music playing…light the candles…stock the bar…check! She takes one last look around before her guests arrive and makes sure everything is just perfect—as a slow smile spreads across her face she breathes a sigh a relief…she was ready!
If you read last week’s post, you know that this Living Room and Home Bar had to be New Year’s Eve party ready in less than three weeks…yikes! It can be such a daunting task to find the right pieces for a whole room (or two!), in stock, delivered, set up, and looking GOOD in such a short time…AND have Christmas holidays thrown into the mix…but we did it!
This room started off as a veritable blank slate…the existing furniture was not staying and the only thing we were keeping was the piano. With such a short time constraint, I really had to strategize where I needed to shop to get well priced pieces, in stock items, and the right fit for this stylish couple. We wanted to continue the lounge-y feeling in this room as this was most likely where the ladies of the party would hang out; but it also had to be a good counter point to the more masculine styled home bar in the next room.
When I went out to Cornerstone Home Furniture, it honestly was the BEST place ever in regard to furniture options. They have a huge selection and a real mix of styles—from super modern to vintage inspired…and something for every room in the house. I could spend all day in there…
…but I had to focus!
I really thought a sectional would be best for the space as we didn’t want the traditional layout of a sofa and two chairs. The relaxed vibe we were after called for something less predictable “living room” and more subtle Art Deco lounge space. Cornerstone had several sectional options on the floor, but both the homeowner and I fell in love with this persimmon colored velvet sectional that just oozed comfort! It came with a ton of pillows (bonus!) and they could deliver it before the holidays…SOLD! I also spotted the tufted ottoman which I thought was perfect for a crowd as it could be moved and used for additional seating, but also added to the cozy factor when it was just for the family.
Now we had this huge wall to fill with some kind of artwork; again, I didn’t want to just go with the typical large picture over the sofa—just too predictable! When the homeowner went into the store herself, she spotted this massive piece of art and she just HAD to have it! There was no way I would object…it was stunning, had just the right mix of color, and fit the large wall space perfectly! DONE! The other piece that we chose to go over the sofa was actually a floor screen that I found at Homesense; I hand painted it in coppery tones and it was perfect! It was large, unique, carried through some geometric lines that were part of our Art Deco inspiration, and really filled up the wall nicely. We also purchased a lovely chest of drawers to fill in for a side table; the drawers provided some much-needed storage and the stud design just added the right touch of feminine without being too over-the-top. The side table pictured was from Homesense as well.
The walls were painted in Thunder AF-685, a warm shade of gray-taupe that contrasted nicely with the navy in the adjacent room; this room did not get a lot of sun, so a lighter shade was the best choice, and worked very well as a neutral against all the color in the space. The draperies were hung post-party and were the exact same fabric and style as what we used in the home bar to create continuity in both spaces.
Even thought the party came and went, the room still needed the finishing touches to make it complete. A rug was required to anchor the seating area; as there was no overhead fixture, we also needed lamps to make the room usable at night. A light-weight chair would round out the seating area and enhance conversation. But alas, these items had to wait! Windows needed replacing, exterior landscaping needed to be done, and as we all know other projects took priority and this room was officially “on hold”.
Fast forward a couple of years, and truth be told, I was just supposed to come in a do a photo shoot to stage the space…and then take everything back! I never want to pressure my clients to do or spend on anything they are not ready to do; but once everything was in place and the room was accessorized and looking gorgeous, she just couldn’t send it back….and this living room was finally 100% done–and we’re both tickled pink about it!
Take a look…
Don’t you just LOVE accessorizing? What a difference a few well-chosen items can make!
If I can so kindly recommend, if you ever have a tight deadline for a project, please consider hiring a designer before buying 25 things for one room from your nearest big-box store! It takes a trained eye to know what will work–or not–in a given space; there are many things to consider, and it can be really challenging to envision everything working together. Having a professional providing direction doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg…it can actually save you time & money, minimize stress, and reduce the frustrations of ill-chosen pieces that are too big… or small… or dark… or just wrong and have to be returned–on store credit! A consultation from Bella Casa Interiors lasts 90 minutes and can set you on the right course to see your vision come to life–whether you have three weeks (like I did) or three months!
To see more of this Broad Leaf Residence, please check out the Portfolio page of our website–her Master Bedroom is worth a peek! …and a future blog post!
