Over time our style has begun to shift and evolve, and with that, we felt it was time to refresh our living room. The original space was classic and traditional, done in a colour palette of white and blue. It was a beautiful design and we loved it for many years, however, we were beginning to crave something different.
I wanted to incorporate more pattern and saturated colour, along with one-of-a-kind vintage pieces and items that felt intentional. I laid out the design I had in mind (laid-back living room design plan) and started to collect the pieces to pull it all together.
There are still a few minor pieces I would like to add, like art, but I am taking my time. This is how we achieved the look we were after…
The Evolution of a Laid-Back Living Room
Functionality
For the longest time, I’ve wanted to add two accent chairs opposite our sofa, not only to provide additional seating but to create definition between our open-concept living room and dining room. We were looking for chairs that were in a classic design so that we wouldn’t tire of them quickly. We ended up purchasing these chairs and I have been so happy with them. They are beautifully designed and very affordable.
Pattern and Colour
Next, I incorporated the pattern and colour we wanted with the addition of a gorgeous vintage-inspired rug and new pillows.
The rug I chose looks like a high-end one-of-a-kind vintage find, but it’s actually a very affordable and durable rug. It is a beautiful mix of dark charcoal and creamy taupe colours created in a low pile to create an amazingly resilient rug. It’s perfect for high-traffic areas and is so easy to clean.
The darker colours really help to ground the space and it adds so much warmth and character to our living room.
Next, I chose pillows to coordinate with our rug. Generally, I layer three pillows on our sofa, using two 22 x 22s to act as anchors and a small lumbar pillow to add height and shape. These three pillows are from one of my favourite pillow shops on Etsy. They are all handmade with vintage fabric, and the quality is amazing.
On our accent chairs, I placed two matching lumbar pillows. I’ve had my heart set on these pillows for a while now, so I am happy to finally find a place for them in our home.
While none of our pillows match, they all coordinate perfectly with one another. This is because I chose patterns that play well together and all of the colours coordinate with our rug. This is a simple formula to always create a curated and collected look.
Mixing Old and New
Another one of my tried and true formulas for creating a well-lived in space is mixing old and new. We did this in our living room with a mix of old and new furniture.
We incorporated a new coffee table designed and built by Nick. Our previous coffee table is beautiful (and it’s found a new home in our family room), but just like our accent chairs, I wanted a piece that felt a little lighter in the space. I came across a high-end coffee table and knew it would be perfect for our living room, but of course, the price was steep. I showed it to Nick and he designed and built an amazing look-alike.
We will be sharing the building plans soon.
We also swapped out our side table for this beautiful one-of-a-kind vintage piece. Nick had to strip off a few layers of paint, re-stain the top, and cut down the legs, but it was all worth it in the end.
The Details
An oversized table lamp, a rustic vase with faux olive branches, a couple of beautiful coffee table books, and a wood chain link were the final additions to create our laid-back living room.
While we made quite a few changes to our space, we did so over time, allowing us the chance to find pieces that we not only loved, but that worked within our budget. Now, our living room feels cozy and inviting and functions even better for our family.
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