Tuesday, September 13

A room for living

A few weeks ago I revealed my new blue dining room. Today I'd like to show you around one of the most-used rooms in my home: the living room.

Here's the closest I can get to a full-room shot:


To be honest, this is the trickiest room I've ever tried to furnish and decorate. It's large and full of light and has lots of nice features, but it also has three doorways to other rooms, two walls of built-ins, and one wall of French doors and windows. The only unbroken wall is way down at the end of the room, far from the fireplace and the television. How do you do space-planning for a room like this? I'll show you what I've done.

First, here's a look from the front door. You can see straight ahead into the living room.


Stepping into the living room, you can see the one unbroken wall to the left and the seating area to the right.




The back wall holds most of my collection of crosses. This collection started many years ago with an Easter gift from my husband. Since then, I've been given many different crosses by friends and members of my family. I've also collected special crosses from different places I've visited. I have crosses from Brazil, Canada, England, and France, as well as from lots of different cities in the United States. I love the constant reminders of Jesus as well as the beautiful works of art that people have made in His honor. My husband jokes that we should also be well-protected against vampires. He's so funny.



You can also see that I've created a little reading corner back there--a "thoughtful spot," as I like to call it.

Now for the rest of the room.


I've anchored the seating area with a rug. This is the "Medallion Kirman" from the Original Karastan collection. I love the colors. (By the way, I have no connection with Karastan rugs; I'm simply a big fan of them. If you're interested in buying a Karastan, you should know that two months of the year {May and October, I think} are special sale months for the company--they put all their rugs on sale half-price! I have several Karastan rugs, and I've bought them all for half-price or below half-price. Your retailer may offer special discounts in addition to the half-price sale.)


The living room is right next to the dining room, where the rug is Karastan's "Floral Kirman." Can you tell that the colors in the two rugs are identical?


The other end of the room includes the fireplace and the TV. I'm grateful that these are side-by-side. When we're not using the TV, we close the cabinet. The Flemish floral over the fireplace is pretty much a permanent fixture. I love the way the painting echoes the colors of the rug. And the little blue accent table by the club chair harks to the blue in the dining room.


The fourth side of the room is filled with built-in lighted bookcases. These are much like the lighted cupboards in the dining room.



Here you can see into the dining room on the left.



Looking the other way, you can see the dining room on the right and the kitchen straight ahead.



One of my favorite features is the way the bookcases are built into the walls and the doorways are framed out to make the walls look very thick. See?


In case you're wondering whether we really live in our "living room," I'll give you a peek under the coffee table.

A stepper, some hand weights, a foam roller, and a weighted ball. Not very pretty, but very handy for getting in a little exercise while watching TV!

Here's another look at the room in the late-afternoon light. I love the way the sunlight is filtered by the matchstick blinds and comes pouring in through the transoms.



37 comments:

  1. It is such a beautiful room! Thank you for sharing. The rug is so pretty - such vibrant colors. I think my favorite parts are the wall of crosses and those great French doors and windows!

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  2. I love your cross collection and your living rooms is a beautiful place! I love the built in book shelves, perfect!, it so nice for books and pretty things like you have it. The rugs are grate, I love oriental rugs, I have one with similar colors in the dining room. Thanks for the tour of your beautiful home. God bless. FABBY

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  3. You have such a beautiful home!!

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  4. I love your living room! I love the build-in book shelves! My living room is very similar in that I have glass doors and windows on the wall leading to the outside. I have never put up drapes yet (after spending a small fortune at Calico Corners for material) because we have nothing behind us but forest and really don't need drapes except for looks.

    Maybe someday!

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  5. Richella, your home is so peaceful and inviting...and clean! My little ones make messes faster than I can clean them up, you give me hope that one day I'll get caught up ;)

    Love those rugs...especially the floral!

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  6. I absolutely love your living room Richella! I think it may have been one of the first rooms I saw in your home and I remember thinking how beautiful it was with all of the detailed woodwork and that gorgeous wall of crosses. Thanks for sharing it with us! :-)
    Vanessa

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  7. Your room is fabulous and I love all of the builtins and the curved moldings. Stunning architecture. You've done a fabulous job of arranging the furniture. Looks so warm and inviting. Hugs, Marty

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  8. Love all the architectural details of your home! I just painted my dining room blue and love it. You have a beautiful home!

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  9. Richella...I love your living room....and your other rooms too! Your decorating is elegant and yet comfortable and home~y. Looks like a wonderful place to live!

    Linda

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  10. It's great to see how you have planned the furniture for this room! I also have a living room that has three doorways, a fireplace with built-ins on the left side, and a wall of windows and French doors! I love yours! I love the crosses too! God bless!

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  11. Hi Richella,love the living room, it is gorgeous! I also like your cross collection, and all the light from your french doors!
    have a blessed day,
    Regina

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  12. Your home is lovely - and your room looks so cozy...I think you have it designed perfectly and I really love the chair with the ottoman - that will be my seat when I come to visit!!!

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  13. Your room, home, is beautiful! The woodwork is amazing, actually everything is amazing !
    Debbie

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  14. I want to live at your house. ;) The detailing and the woodwork is so fantastic. I also love the you have a built-in for the TV, but you can also close it up. That's awesome!!

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  15. Your whole house is just GORGEOUS! I love your cross wall - it's beautiful, and is there anything better to be reminded of everyday?

    All your built-ins are GORGEOUS! I wish we could close off our tv like that too.

    I just love how you've decorated this room! Everything is perfect. :)

    Thanks for linking up to the roomspiration party today, and for your sweet comment!

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  16. The built-ins are amazing in this room! So much workmanship... gorgeous!

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  17. Your living room looks great, and one detail I especially love is your unique collection of crosses. The built-ins are such a great architectural feature and while I'm sure it wasn't easy creating a furniture grouping without lots of available wall space, you made it look natural.

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  18. Beautiful room, Richella, and you have a gorgeous home! I love the french doors along the one wall. Such a great room between the doors, the fireplace and those bookshelves!

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  19. Oh to have an open floor plan...your room is really very pretty and your collection of crosses make such a statement. Love, love, the mirror!

    Thanks so much for sharing your family room!

    -Rene

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  20. Beautiful! I love the idea of having a "thoughtful spot". :) I'm a new follower, thanks for linking up to Roomspiration!

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  21. Your home is just beautiful! The "bones" of your house are what make it so amazing. I don't have those kind of great "bones" in my house. Your wide arched openings and built-in bookcases everywhere are truly wonderful. I think your room looks very elegant and pretty. You should be very proud.

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  22. Richella your room is gorgeous! I love your cross collection. I love that they aren't just pieces you bought at the store, but that they have special meaning to you! And yeah, I would say you should be fine if any vampires happen to get into your house:)

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  23. Richella, I love, love, love your home. I saw your post over on Savvy Southern Style and had to visit! I love the wall of crosses. Crosses are a common theme in our home, as well. I, too, have a small cross collection on my staircase. I am a newbie and I'm your newest follower. I hope you will follow me, too. Peace and blessings!!

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  24. What a beautiful and functional space you have! If I ever build a house, I want it to look like yours! I love your arched doors, your millwork, and the open feeling of your home.

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  25. Hi Richella, Your home is so gorgeous and I love the warm colors you have used. Everything is perfection! Thanks for linking this beautiful room to the Open House party and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

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  26. I love your living room! It's beautiful but comfy. Wouldn't we have some fun sitting on that couch and chatting. :-)
    Miss you!
    Cyndi

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  27. What a gorgeous, gorgeous home you have and I love the wall of crosses. Love!

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  28. Totally and completely in love with your wall of crosses! So cool.

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  29. Looks so cozy & very pretty!

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  30. What a gorgeous room! I love your cross collection.

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  31. I love your wall with the crosses. Your home is really pretty.

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  32. I like your collection of crosses. That's really unique!

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  33. Wow! I just love all of the light, the doors and window treatments.
    You're home is beautifully decorated. The mix of colors and textures is wonderful.
    You've done an amazing job!

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  34. I love your living room!! Your collection of crosses look amazing on the wall.

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  35. Yes, very well decorated. I love it!!

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  36. Beautifully decorated and my favorite is your cross collection! I have started my collection and hope to adorn my wall leading to the bedrooms with mine.
    Thanks for inviting us into your home:)

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