INTERIOR DECORATING/HOME - Dream Living Rooms

What does Living Room even mean? I would wager that most of us do a fair share of living in every room of the house. Growing up, we had three rooms that somewhat fit into the ambiguous ‘Living Room’ category –the Living Room, a very formal space with a baby grand piano, luxurious furniture, and a large tapestry; the Den, a more traditional, southern living room with built-in bookshelves, seating focused around the couch, a television, and a window seat; and the Playroom, a relaxed, brightly colored space where the family most frequently gathered to watch television, work on the computer or play foosball.

Regardless of the formality, though I prefer somewhere along the middle ground, true and authentic living is about embracing the people and things you love and incorporating them into your home. For example, both of my parents love music. My mother grew up taking piano lessons and singing in her church choir, and my musical theatre-singing father received a scholarship to play for his university’s marching band. So even our very formal living room embraces something that they both love with the piano as its focal point.

As I dream up my ideal living room, I find myself surrounded by rows and rows of books, family photographs, and comfortable pillows and throw blankets. My ideal room would be cozy and conversational yet visually engaging with interesting travel artifacts and other meaningful mementos seamlessly weaved into the décor. I would like to have some type of piano nearby (PHOTO 11), so my husband could share one of his favorite pastimes with the entire family.

From Left to Right: House Beautiful, Lonny Mag, Domino Magazine, Traditional Home, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, pawleysislandposh.blogspot.com, Pinterest (house on penobscot bay library bookshelf), House Beautiful, downandoutchic.tumblr.com, hirschfields.wordpress.com, myhomeideas.com, & robinbl.blogspot.com

Favorite Aspects of these Living Rooms:

PHOTO 1:  The ladder leading up to the bookshelf adds a sense of bookish charm that I love. I’m also drawn to the long blue curtains, the blue pillows, and the throw draped on the elegantly understated sofa. The garden stool as a side table is another great addition.

PHOTO 2: The crisp whites against the dark blue/navyish walls, the nautical circular window above the doorway (it reminds me of my childhood bedroom window); the large mirror above the fireplace

PHOTO 3: The color scheme, the green settee-like lounge piece (not sure its proper name), the mirror above the fireplace, the chandelier, the bookcase, the various seating areas; This room just intrigues me with its beautiful eccentricities.

PHOTO 4: The green chairs; what can I say? I’m a sucker for anything green.

PHOTO 5: The tall bookshelf, the yellow chairs, the interesting light fixture (it looks like the outdoor lighting at my childhood home); the black trunk used as the coffee table, and the other black chest of drawers with possibly travel/beach artifacts enclosed on top of it

PHOTO 6: The blue & white combination and the traditional southern feel

PHOTO 7: The color scheme, the gold mirrors, the black chair, the white vase, and how the rug ties the space together

PHOTO 8: Self-explanatory

PHOTO 9: Color of the walls, gold intricate mirror above the fireplace, interesting sofa, tall bookshelves and even more books in the next room

PHOTO 10: Green obsession (especially the striped floors), conversational seating arrangement, traditional with a cheerful punch (my favorite style)

PHOTO 11: U-shaped seating arrangement, green couch in background, piano in far background

PHOTO 12: Wall color, comfortable enough for the dog but with plenty of stylish details (curtains, lamp, pouf, chairs)

PHOTO 13: This room may have gone a little extreme with the sunny, cheerful yellow look, but sometimes, I can’t help myself.