Modern, Cozy Living Room Design Recommendations
Consultation Notes Erin, her husband, daughter, and dog live in East Grand Rapids, MI. They moved into their home about a year and a half ago, but they have not been able to come up with a design plan or room layout that works for the space. Erin would like the TV wall to be a focal point as opposed to an eye sore. She would like her home to feel welcoming, natural, cool, comfortable, and uncluttered, but with some style and a little whimsy. She likes following trends, but also wants to make the space feel timeless. She is drawn to black, white, gray, blue, and green. The living space needs to be a place where the family can do everything- play, rest, entertain. Nothing can be off limits or dangerous for her daughter or dog- it’s their home, too! The design plan is something that can be implemented over the next couple of years, but needs a jumping off point. Our goal is to put together a plan that is inspiring, blends well with the kitchen/dining space, and maximizes use of the long, awkward room. We want the space to remain modern, but to be warmed up a bit & include high (but comfortable) style.
Recommendations We were very inspired by the modern, but classic style of your kitchen & dining space. We’d like to carry over the neutral/modern pallet to the living space, but with a punch of personality/ interest- keeping the pallet neutral, but adding warmth & depth through leather, velvet, vintage, and organic materials.
First, we recommend painting the walls white (or leave light gray) and add a built-in wall system on the west fireplace wall. The built-in should be mostly white and incorporate wood elements to warm up the room and make the television seem like a more intentional aspect of the design. If the white feels too stark for you or your husband, a shade of gray would also work (we can discuss this more in depth if that’s a route you’d rather go). Same goes for curtains- gray, white, or black depending on the level of moodiness you’d like to exude.
We have provided two options for the room layout. The first provides a more centralized room layout with game/dining table in the far space. The second brings that dining area to the front and puts the main living space on the further 2/3 of the room. Both layouts are based on room measurements/scale and are of personal preference to how you can see yourself living in the space.
Regardless of layout, for the sectional or sofa and chairs, we recommend using a combination of worn leather and navy, durable velvet-like material. Using a mix of these materials will warm up the space & make it feel more livable/comfortable. If you use leather sofa or sectional, pair with navy side chairs. If you do a navy sofa or sectional, pair with leather chairs. It’s all about the balance & your preference. In the same vein, we recommend that either the chairs or sofa be vintage to add some depth.
In order to be intentional in incorporating black from the television (and from the dining space), we recommend bringing in other black elements in the coffee table, lighting, drapes and small game table.
Wood/black mid-century chairs can be paired around the black, marble dining table for gaming/ hosting/additional seating.
To define the living space and add character, a Persian style rug should be added at the right scale. The rug can vary color-wise based on your preference, but we recommend it have some blue & black. Without a rug, the furniture will feel like its floating (especially the area with the table/chairs).
A credenza or sofa table can be added for storage/serving on the northern wall (the wall between entry and bedroom spaces- see floor plans). Side tables in an organic material like stone or marble (preferably round for safety) should be added where necessary, and finally art/dĂŠcor/plants/throws that fit your personality should be included when it speaks to you, makes sense, or to keep up with particular trends (your other main pieces are classic enough to balance).
So, what’s next?
Whew! That was a lot of information. Now that you have seen the inspiration/recommendations, soak it all in. Let us know if you have any questions. After processing the information, you have a couple of options. ü Call or e-mail to set up an appointment to discuss your likes/dislikes of the design and how we can move forward together with Hunt & Gather managing the project (we would discuss what items you would like to purchase yourself, what we should be hunting for, budget, and timeline). ü Start working on the room on your own (purchasing items, hunting for things, etc.) and only call us when you need clarification, recommendations, or final styling. Remember, the WHY is more important than the WHAT, so if you don’t like a pillow/lamp/etc. that we recommended, find something with similar lines or a similar purpose (or a cheaper price) and consider purchasing that instead! ü Nothing. This wasn’t what you were looking for, and you would like to discontinue working together. Additional pricing for services would be given at the follow-up meeting that fit your specific needs. Hope you love the design concept! Can’t wait to hear from you!
THANK YOU Kelley Howley & Fernando Ramirez Hunt & Gather 740 Curve St. SW design@huntandgatherGR.com