Home DecorLiving Room Progress – The First Layer October 5, 2017The living room is starting to come together! All of the furniture is in…I’m calling the state we’re at now the base layer. All that’s left are all the details: art, accessories, pillows. To me, the space changes drastically when you layer on all of those finishing touches, so I wanted to share this first round of progress before we get to the big reveal. If you missed the living room plans post, make sure you check that out first. In that post, I broke down our layout choices for this small, complex space and the room mood board. And here we go! This was the main room in the house that got a lot of new things. Sadly, our beloved couch and chairs wouldn’t fit and we had to go with smaller-scale piece, but I am loving these in here! I’m loving the lines and color of the sofa and it’s the perfect size to nestle right in front of the window. While we did get new big pieces of furniture, beyond that, we really tried to use things we had. That was sort of our mantra for this house: create a beautiful, cozy home with what we have (wherever we can) instead of always getting new. I also have fallen in love with the meaning behind pieces…the story of how we got them and then using them for years to come. I always say I want my home to feel collected, but it’s rarely actually collected in the truest sense of the word…now it’s starting to feel that way. Pieces with meaning and stories coming together over time to make a special, personal home. A great example of that are the end tables. This space was so tight that I knew we were giving up the chance for large end tables by choosing a small-scale sofa instead of a love seat. But it was so worth it for the added seating. While these aren’t symmetrical like I usually like, they work really well in the room. The little wooden footstool on the left is actually new. I bought it for Dax’s room and the space ended up being just slightly too tight for it. But we loved it! And with that side being right inside the front door, we knew we needed something super small, but I really wanted a tiny end table for a drink on that side of the sofa. I found it at Final Cut. The wicker bookcase on the left was actually purchased for Rosie’s first nursery at a thrift store! And it had a home as her bookcase in her first two rooms. In this room, we lost the spot for it by using the bigger bins from our last playroom. I really wanted something with shelves over in that tiny corner because that’s where I sit every morning to read and journal. I wanted an easily accessible drop spot for my journals, Bible, and books. Plus the three shelves provide much-needed storage for books and other things that don’t have a home elsewhere. The mix of that rug (from eBay and our last master bedroom), the vintage floral curtains, and the white antler chandelier is so good to me. It’s the exact mix of feels and styles that I pictured for this house. Do y’all follow Furbish Studio and its’ founders (Jessica and Jamie) on Instagram? I am so inspired by their country/collected/granny chic/eclectic style! And when I saw their hashtag #daretomix, I was like YES! That’s exactly the style I love put into words. And this room is feeling like my version of that for sure. Oh my blue fireplace (it’s Benjamin Moore Templeton Gray). I love colored fireplaces that contrast, if y’all hadn’t figured that out yet. Black two houses ago, dark green in the last one, blue in this one…I just love how things pop against it! I wish the layout of this room could be centered on the fireplace. While I love to mix things wherever I can, I like a surprising amount of symmetry as well. But this house is working me out of that. This tiny living room just doesn’t allow for it, but I’m chalking it up to charm and character. I chose the lucite coffee table for a few reasons. I wanted something that provided a surface and a foot stool, but also that disappeared visually. I love how the rug shines through. I also love how it gives our home a little modern edge. And these leather tufted beauties are perfect. I love the style, texture, and size. When I chose the blue fireplace, I immediately pictured camel tufted leather against it and I thought it would be a new sofa, but it’s perfect on these. Excuse the mess behind it! I’m working on finishing up details in this room this week, so the dining room has become the storage and staging area! That weathered table between the two chairs is from the last house as well. I got it years ago at a yardsale and still love it. It was one thing when we moved I KNEW I wanted to find a place for. Weathered, chippyness is good for my soul. I love the morning sun in here, but it made it difficult to get decent shots of the other side of this room. These are our nightstands from the last master bedroom put together to serve as a console and I LOVE IT. They’re the malm dresser from IKEA and I added the long leather pulls. They partner with the coffee table to modern up this room a bit. And the storage is so needed! It’s also really nice having a drop zone for things right inside the door. We’ve really cut back on TV watching in this house and move this small one around when we want to watch a movie together. So sometimes, it’ll live here, sometimes we put it away in our bedroom closet. I’ll share more about our TV journey and how it plays into our vision of simple living later, but you’ll likely see photos of this room without it here. I wanted to explain up front that if you do, no I did not move our TV just for a photoshoot, haha! Moving it around and not having it out all the time is actually a part of our vision for this season 🙂 I have special plans for this big empty wall, but for now, all we’ve hung are these hooks behind the door. I got the idea to hang the lower one and not just the standard upper rack from my friend Eileen and her awesome house. And I love it so much! Rosie loves hanging her stuff up there by herself. Turn on your JavaScript to view content Alright y’all, that’s the current state of this living room! I’m working on details and adding that last cozy layer…stay tuned for a reveal next week! *** That’s been The White Buffalo motto for the last three years and is still what I’m striving to do each day in our home and with our family. Yes, that often means tablescapes, inspiring interiors, and fun before and after renos. But it also means family. Faith. Joy. Struggles. Laughter. Health. You’ll find a little bit of all of that here as I share how we’re choosing to live with both style and purpose. A huge part of that is our journey toward a more natural life that’s focused on enjoying each and every moment together. A huge thanks to my main blog sponsor that makes this dream of mine possible:
Kelly says October 5, 2017 at 4:08 pm I’m loving the way this space is coming together! You’ve packed so much function into this room, and that new sofa is genius! Have you thought about painting the fireplace white? I know it’s such a fun focal point, but I wonder whether that corner would feel less cramped if the sofa and the fireplace weren’t the two darkest elements in the room? I love how it’s coming along and that you’re posting real-life pictures (don’t we all always have a mess somewhere?!). Reply
Kelly says October 5, 2017 at 4:10 pm And I forget to mention how much I love that you’re re-using as much as possible for this house! I’ve been carting the same stuff around for six houses now and trying to make it all work in each new space is a necessity for the budget, but also kind of fun, and I love watching a pro like you make it work! 😉 Thanks for being real. Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:33 pm Thank you so much, Kelly! It means so much to hear that. I felt like this direction was soooo needed, but it is a transition for me in many ways and I’ve definitely questioned it at times. Glad to hear it’s resonating with others! Reply
Kelly says October 5, 2017 at 8:39 pm I was curious about what it would look like to lighten up the fireplace, so I tried it in photoshop! Haha! http://oi65.tinypic.com/2nkkhfa.jpg Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:34 pm Girl, you are cracking me up! I do like how that looks!!! I totally see what you mean about the corner and it being dark…I LOVE my blue fireplace though. I think I’d sell and replace all the furniture before I’d paint that baby haha! But you’re so sweet to take such an interest in our living room! Reply
Amy says October 5, 2017 at 4:11 pm How is Gracie doing? Is she allowed on the new couch? 🙂 Miss seeing that big Dane face in your pics!! Things are coming along beautifully, can’t wait to see the final touches for the room (and Christmas!!) Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:36 pm Hi Amy! You are so sweet to ask about her! She’ll definitely start showing up again I’m sure! She’s doing great. Sweet girl has been in all four of our houses now…she’s a pro. Doesn’t even seem phased! So we have never allowed her on the couch, but we have a bit of an issue here. It’s in front of the window :/ She jumps up on it ALL THE TIME to bark and dogs and people and I’ve lost my cool more than a few times! One night, I actually rearranged the furniture all by myself because I was determined the couch couldn’t be in front of the window, but every way I tried it majorly didn’t work. This is the only way it works for sure! We’ll have to find another way to keep our sanity hahaha! But she’s a sweetie. Reply
Mary | Lemon Grove Blog says October 5, 2017 at 4:34 pm Love the simplicity – and agree – TV’s are so overrated! 😀 We have one above our fireplace (husband’s decorative touch, hehe) but without cable, it’s not on much! Simple living is the best living 🙂 Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:37 pm So good to hear that Mary! People’s first reaction when it comes up is always “what about sports???” hahaha! We don’t watch them! Reply
Austin says October 5, 2017 at 5:29 pm “I always say I want my home to feel collected, but it’s rarely actually collected in the truest sense of the word.” PREACH. This is exactly how I feel – yet my weekly trips to Target/antique stores somewhat cancel out that long-term, only pieces that have legitimate meaning to me goal. Question: I know pictures can be deceiving but I was wondering how difficult it is to access that wicker bookshelf to the left of the sofa? I was just curious if you only used to top shelf or stored things that aren’t needed often on the lower ones. Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:39 pm Hey hey girl! I know, I’ve been trying to really limit how much I just pick up places and it’s interesting…the more I’ve been conscious of it and the more I’ve designed this house with that in mind…stuff at Target is less appealing. Which blows my mind! Because i used to want to bring a cart full home every trip! It’s freeing for sure 🙂 So I think it’s some of both on the bookshelf! It is more accessible than it looks in pics! I should’ve said more about that! The first two shelves are easily accessible from sitting on the couch! The bottom one isn’t, but I plan to put stuff there that needs a home, but isn’t used often. Thinking maybe our small, trimmed down DVD collection? We just watch one on special occassion movie nights usually so it wouldn’t be needed often. This is one of those small house/make do situations. I really really wanted shelves here, it’s like 12″ deep haha, and we had this bookcase on hand 🙂 Reply
Shamrock says October 5, 2017 at 7:01 pm Love how everything is coming together. Love the curtains, with the sofa and rug. I’m with Kelly on the fireplace color. I think I would go with either the wall or trim paint and then find a painting that has the colors of the curtains/rug. Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:41 pm Thanks so much, girl! I’m IN LOOOOOVE with my blue fireplace hahha, so she’s gotta stay. Like I told Kelly I’d sell all the furniture in here and start over before I’d paint her. I’m very attached 🙂 I really don’t mind the two blues! I actually chose the sofa color once I’d picked the fireplace color to be the same tone, but deeper…there was so much going on with the rug and curtains, I didn’t want a totally different color sofa. But I needed it to be dark and durable (no light sofas would work in this house at this season though I looooove them). A darker shade of the fireplace felt less busy. I really appreciate y’all’s vested interest though! Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:42 pm OOh and I have something special picked out for hanging on the fireplace that’ll lighten it up some too 🙂 The picture and the fireplace color were chosen before anything else in the room. They make me so happy! Reply
AmandaKB says October 5, 2017 at 7:34 pm I love the combo of the navy sofa with the leather chairs pulled together with that awesome rug. The room is coming along so nicely. I’ve taken steps lately to make the collected look more of a reality in our home, too. (focusing more on family items that have been passed down… along with other items that are meaningful to us… mixed with new things we love… and overall just worrying less about perfection) We’re with you on the lack of TV. My husband and I have been married 10 years, and we’ve never had a TV in our house. We don’t miss it. We also live in a very rural area where unlimited high speed internet is not available, so we don’t even stream any shows or anything online. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your efforts to live more simply 🙂 Reply
Lindsay says October 5, 2017 at 9:44 pm Amanda, that is so awesome and refreshing to hear! So good to hear that someone else has done it and survives hahaha! So many look at us like we’ve lost our minds when they hear we don’t really watch tv! And isn’t it so freeing to move more toward items with meaning and be less concerned with perfection?? I’ve battled perfection and pleasing others in design since I started this blog and finally letting go and realizing I’m designing for our family alone and that means bringing in meaning is so wonderful! Life changing 🙂 Reply
AmandaKB says October 6, 2017 at 5:04 pm Ha! People still think we’re weird because we don’t have a TV. We always get asked, “what do you DO?!” It cracks me up. But it’s also kind of sad to me those people aren’t interested in doing a variety of things in addition to watching TV. We both come from households where there is more than one TV on at all times. So, we were definitely raised with a lot of TV. We aren’t against TV; it just isn’t something that interests us. It opens up a lot of time where we can do other things. It also saves us money by not having that bill. Plus, I don’t have to find a place to cram a big screen in our small house. Ha,ha. Reply
Rachel Winchester says October 5, 2017 at 8:11 pm Oooooooh!!! It’s looking amazing! I like how you see rooms in layers. I forget to think of it in stages like that which is helpful for pulling all the pieces together. Such a fun mix – it’s coming together so well! And can’t wait to hear more about your tv journey! Bravo!! Reply
Erica says October 6, 2017 at 9:09 pm How much room is there between your couch and chairs? My husband and I were so inspired by your downsize that we read Radical and decided to do our own downsize. We close in a few weeks and I’m trying to plan my own small living room. Reply
Lindsay says October 18, 2017 at 3:20 pm Hi Erica! I’m so sorry I’m just getting back to you on this! There’s about 4.5 feet. IT’s tight, but so far it’s working! And I’m shooting you an e-mail!!! I can’t believe that y’all are on a similar journey! How amazing is that!!!! Reply
Kim Patterson says October 8, 2017 at 2:08 pm I’m fairly new to instagram…but I just want to say ,,,you are one of my most favorites !Your down to earth ,your homes are beautiful and inspirational,especially to those of us that don’t live in a 5000 square ft brand new home!You’re refreshing! Reply
Lindsay says October 18, 2017 at 3:16 pm Oh Kim! You made my day 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing those sweet words! It meant the world to me! Reply
Corinna Henderson says October 8, 2017 at 7:24 pm That rug is truly fantastic! I love the colors. I’m also loving the trim color. I love painted trim and this specific color gives me old homes vibes (which I also love). Reply
Lindsay says October 18, 2017 at 3:15 pm Thanks so much Corinna!!! The trim color is my new fave! Reply
Dee says October 10, 2017 at 3:01 pm I read in the comments about your dilemma with the dog getting on the sofa. You said you tried every placement possible for the furniture, so you’ve probably tried what I’m about to suggest. We had a similarly sized living room once. Would the couch be able to float facing the fireplace (creating a pass through between it and the wall behind it) with the chairs flanking the fireplace? I’m not sure which way the door to Dax’s room opens for access issues, but maybe it could even be changed if it opens into the living room. The coffee table would then obviously go between the couch and the firplace. The white shelving unit could go in front of the window, if it fits. Or perhaps floating between the living room and built-in eating area (don’t know what the back looks like, but you could paint it with chalkboard or dry erase paint and turn it into an art station for that exposed side). I’m sure you’ve tried all of that, but just in case… Regardless, I love your style and I’m a blue fireplace fan (though the light looks good too, Kelly ?). Reply
Lindsay says October 18, 2017 at 3:15 pm Dee, thank you so much for this great recommendation! I hate it so badly, but this won’t work. I sat here staring at this room one night and moved all the furniture around and had my heart set on this arrangement you recommended! I soooo thought it would work and so wanted it to. But sadly, it didn’t. The couch is so deep that the coffee table then nearly touches the fireplace to have clearance for the walkway behind it. And it totally shut the room off and made it feel a hundred times smaller. But man I wanted it to work! Reply
Dee says October 18, 2017 at 3:59 pm Umm…is it weird that I got a little thrilled when I read that you tried my suggestion. Not because I thought it was better or should be done–just the fact that you noticed my comment and thought it was worth a shot. Wow. My silly confession of the day. Reply
Lindsay says October 18, 2017 at 6:50 pm Aww, Dee you are too sweet! Haha! It was a great suggestion and I fell in love with the idea of it! I wish so badly it would’ve worked!!! This is two houses now where I planned to do matching chairs flanking a fireplace and it wouldn’t fit in either living room! Maybe one day…. But for now, I’ll enjoy what does work. I’m so bad about that! Longing for the ideal vision instead of enjoying what’s here, but I’m working on it! Reply
Corinna Henderson says October 10, 2017 at 4:25 pm Those chairs are the most delicious shade of caramel color (i might be hungry). You pull rooms together so fast! I know it may feel slow for you but I’m like a hardcore sloth and still have more rooms untouches than finished. Reply
Lindsay says October 18, 2017 at 3:00 pm Hahaha Corinna, girl you crack me up!!! I love the chair color too 🙂 And that’s a good reminder! Reply
Haley says October 16, 2017 at 2:58 pm This is looking great! I love the hooks. We do the same thing with moving a small TV around. Reply
Sharon Garvey says November 22, 2017 at 7:26 am Are you aware that IKEA has again put out a recall on the malm dressers? Eight children have now been killed by the dresser tumbling on them. Please contact ikea for more information. Btw if you have them anchored to the wall securely it can resolve the problem but I’d still check just in case. Sorry to bring such bad news to you but it’s necessary. Sincerely, Sharon Reply
Lindsay says November 29, 2017 at 3:20 pm OH no thank you SHaron!!! Yes, I am! We have ours anchored 🙂 And are very aware when the kids are anywhere near them even though they’re anchored 🙂 Reply
donna connell says December 23, 2017 at 4:55 pm hello ~ wow – love your eye for design and light! I probably missed the post . . . but would you mind sharing the living room wall and trim paint color? Thank you Reply
Lindsay says January 3, 2018 at 3:36 pm Not at all, Donna! It’s BM Chantilly Lace on walls and BM Revere Pewter on trim! Reply