AFTER // 1922 CRAFTSMAN LIVING ROOM
One amazing side to my job, and how I get a lot of work, is referrals. And this project is the perfect example. The clients from the 1929 English Cottage sent my details onto Floriana Lima who contacted me for help with her charming craftsman house in Highland Park. She needed help with all of the rooms in her house including her kitchen which we did a mini-facelift on involving some very special tiles. Her bedroom where we’ve added some floral wallpaper. The dining room which has a custom dining table and vintage chairs. And a reading nook with a chaise that is big enough for family afternoon naps. I’ll be revealing those in early 2019. Today, I’m talking about the living room which we collaborated with Lulu & Georgia.
The main design directive for the space was to keep it feeling charming and cosy to and original to its craftsman roots. Floriana recently moved into the house so this was a complete fresh start. The off-white walls were part of the staging and we loved that it’s not the stark white that you see everywhere. We decided to keep that and pair it with warmer red tones and earthy greens, which are a complete departure from my signature blue that I often use in interiors.
The biggest challenge was getting the right rug because the room is a slightly awkward size. The front door is directly opposite the sofa so we couldn’t really do a larger rug because the door would open up onto it and get caught. Would look good in a photoshoot but in reality it’s not convenient.
Our aim was to have the pieces feel timeless but feel eclectic and layered. I wanted the sofa to feel elegant and classic but also allowed for Floriana to throw off her shoes, relax and be comfy.
The recessed nook was the perfect spot for a built-in so we added a bookcase with seeded glass door fronts. We wanted it to feel like it was original to the house but had a modern twist to it. We used Farrow & Ball’s Joa’s White which is a red based neutral taupe colour.
We kept the bookcases deep so that there’s good storage for large coffee table books and collected objects and artwork.
There was already electrical in the wall for lights so we added these glass and satin brass teardrop sconces. The size and scale are perfect and have a good balance of quaint old world meets modern day.
On the other side of the room was the perfect spot for the side chairs. We kept this more neutral to balance out the colour but brought in some black accents to add depth.
My favourite part of the space is the colour scheme. I’m known for my fresh blue tones but this was a fun challenge to break the mould yet doesn’t feel off brand for me. Despite it being an American Craftsman house, it has a quaint English cottage vibe about it, which I obviously love!
Special Thanks to Lulu & Georgia for collaborating on this room.
Photography by Lauren Pressey
Source Links:
Sofa // Rug // Coffee Table // Sconces // Standing Lamp // Floral Patterned Pillow // Geometric Patterned Pillow // Mustard Lumbar Pillow // Floor Basket // Vase // Side Chairs // Neutral Rug // Side table // Standing Task Lamp // Throw Blanket //