Hi friends.  You might have noticed that it’s been pretty quiet around the blog lately.  I was at the Atlanta Gift and Furniture show all last week and the blog took a back seat to work.

I’m back and have a new Design Chat post for you today.  If you’re not familiar with my Design Chat series, it’s where I help one of my readers with a design challenge they are facing.  Today, I’m helping Ulochi with a decor plan for her living room.

Here’s the message that Ulochi sent me…

Hello, I bought a remodeled mid-century ranch and with these old homes, the layouts can be “interesting”. For instance, the living room is driving me nuts. Its rectangular and small, with a picture window. Even the TV placement is a hassle.  I want to add plants or standing art but I have to fool-proof it from my 8 month old daughter. The home has an ‘urban farmhouse’  feel with elements like barn doors and shutters. I bought a tufted gray large sectional and it makes me want to do something romantic and cozy.  I can’t seem to find a way to design this space and make it feel like home. Please help.

Here’s a photo of the living room, facing the front door…

and a couple of different angles looking into the room...

and a view of the wall space that anchors the sofa.

Decorating small rooms can definitely be challenging so before I share my design suggestions for Ulochi’s living room, here are a few tips for small space decorating.

SMALL SPACE DECORATING TIPS:

1. Don’t be afraid to use larger scale furniture in a small space.  Larger furniture will actually make the room feel bigger than it is.  With that said, do pay attention to how furniture would fit in a room and it might impact the traffic flow in and out of a space.
2. Small spaces often times lack much architectural or visual detail so create your own by painting one wall in an accent color.  The furthest wall in the room is a good option because it will draw the eye into the space and actually make the visually recede, creating more depth.
3. Hang curtains on the wall with the rod as high as possible to make the ceiling appear taller.
4. Add decorating elements in the room that create visual height and width like bookcases and artwork.  And when selecting artwork, don’t shy away for large pieces will can create a focal point within the room.
5. Create an interesting accessory mix so the eye has lots of pretty things to look at around the room, taking the focus off of the size of the room.
6. Make sure there is sufficient lighting in the room.  Lighting enhances a space and there should be multiple lighting options within a room.

Ok, here’s one more look at Ulochi’s living room…

Design Plan:

The room really needs some finishing touches to create the romantic and cozy vibe the Ulochi wants. The first thing I could recommend is painting the back wall in a soft aqua color like Benjamin Moore Heavenly Blue. The color will work great with the grey sofa and keeps the room feeling light and airy.

Then I’d add a few accent furniture pieces and decor to bring the room to life.  All of the pieces I’m recommending for this space are from Wayfair, Target and Pier One  and this entire look is less than $900.

Design Plan Details:

•  Sawhorse Ladder Bookcase from Wayfair–leaning bookshelves are a good space-saving option that still provides for storage and display space.  Ulochi can place plants on the higher shelves so they will be out of the reach of her daughter.  The lower shelves can be use to decorative accessories and books.  And a basket on the bottom shelf will provide concealed storage and add texture to the room.
• A round coffee table like this Carolyn Coffee Table from Wayfair will help to visually break up all of the rectangular shapes in the room and anchor the sectional. A round coffee table also makes it easier to move around the seating area in a small room.
• The Dmitry End Table, also from Wayfair will anchor one side of the sofa and provide an additional surface for someone to use.  I recommend a light grey finish to provide visual contrast to the stained wood floors and furniture.
• Right now the only light source in the room is the overhead ceiling light.  The Adesso Hamilton Floor Lamp placed behind the end table will provide additional lighting and add an element of visual height.
• The wall opposite the window is an ideal spot for a piece of artwork.  The goal would be to create visual impact and that can be done with one larger piece of art or a grouping that reads as one statement. With the fabric and furniture colors, I think the Watercolor Poppy 1 art from Wayfair would be dynamic.  This piece is available in several sizes and also had a coordinating mate if someone wanted two pieces of art.
• The finishing touch beyond accessories would be pillows.  Pier 1 has a great selection of pillows to fit the color story I’m building.  I choose the Textured Striped Mineral Pillow along with the Luxe Velvet Mineral Blue pillow for the sofa. Pairing a solid and stripe are a great balance with the floral art.

When it comes to shopping for accessories, there are so many some great options for budget friendly decor.  In addition to Pier 1, Wayfair and Target, here are a few of my favorite stores to shop for decor:

ACCESSORY RESOURCE LIST:

• Kirkland’s has lots of options that will fit a farm-house decor theme and it’s also a great resource for artwork and bookcase accessories.
• HomeGoods is a given when shopping for bookcase decor.  I love their selection of trays, vases and decorative objects.  And it always pays off to take a stroll through the pillow aisle.
• I recently discovered that At Home has a great pillow department.  Even though lots of their pillows don’t have down inserts, many of the cases have zip closures so it’s easy to change the insert out.  I also like their selection of inexpensive accessories.

Ulochi has a great foundation started for her living room and with a few additional pieces and some accessorizing, she’ll have the home of her dreams.