living room
A large flat-screen TV takes up a fair amount of wall space, so finding ways to add interest to that wall other than changing up paint color can be tricky. The team at Leslie Cotter Interiors covered the wall behind the flat-screen TV in this Lexington, Kentucky, family room in shiplap, which adds texture and a classic touch.
This room uses three patterns at the same scale: one stripe, one chevron and one more organic pattern. They all appear to be the same “size,” with the linear stripes and chevrons at about the same spacing as the objects in the more complex print. The science isn’t exact, but to a casual glance no one pattern sticks out as being much larger or smaller than the others.
The size of a pattern can be at least as important as its style. A very small pattern can easily be missed from a distance, while a bold pattern will command attention even from across the room. Mixing scales of patterns can be tricky, though not if you take one of these two approaches: going all different or all the same. This room uses the former approach, with a large-scale floral on the chairs and a smaller-scale pattern on the pillows and vases and a more subtler pattern on the wallpaper behind the shelves.
Foolproof Plan 4: Black and White It’s about as classic as they come: Mixing several patterns in strict black and white virtually always works, even if the scales and styles are different. To play it extra safe, keep all the patterns at least 50 percent white so you don’t accidentally overdo the black, unless you’re going for a gothic look.
Another easy way to mix multiple geometric patterns is to choose patterns with a similar thickness to the lines. These pillows use very different patterns, but they all contain thin lines at approximately the same scale. A single pillow in a chunky pattern might look out of place, but since they all share a similar line weight they look coordinated.
the lights
his painting by the late artist Bud Lane was the first piece the clients chose for the home, and it inspired the family room’s color palette of navy blue, sunny yellow, white and gray. Lee repeated its abstract shapes with the table lamp choice. Two happy yellow tub chairs were a splurge that was well worth it. “They bring in such fun, cozy shapes, and the fabric we chose just makes the room,” she says.
curtain
family dynamics in mind for the design of this Dallas living room. The sectional, covered in a durable fabric, is comfortable and family-friendly. The round wood coffee table was selected to soften the square lines of the sectional.
color
colour
Custom sofa and swivel chairs. Mussel-shell-colored fabrics with a hint of shimmer. Marble mosaic tile for the fireplace surround. Reclaimed-wood mantel. Reclaimed-wood coffee table.
A major renovation is planned for the kitchen, but for now Curtis gave the cabinets a fresh coat of paint and set up this cozy breakfast nook. “The painting was my clients’, and it inspired this space,” she says. “We pulled the rust tones out of it for the banquette cushions — it’s an unexpected color in here that works well with blues.”
Layers of leather, wood and upholstered furniture create an easygoing, elegant material palette. The bench beneath the round mirror features a simple wood base that feels contemporary, while the plush velvet cushions in the homeowner’s favorite color give it a timeless look. “An elegant yet simple mix,” Curtis says.
TV position
This bright white living room by Pastiche has floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains, which form a wall of dark blue when drawn. A couple of matching pillows help tie the curtains into the otherwise neutral design. The combination of rich color and soft fabric brings warmth and coziness into the white room.
Prettify It With Pink When it’s combined with pink, navy blue takes on a gentle tone. In this living room, a navy wall and sofa help set off the pinks in the pillows, rug and artwork. The cool blue brings out the dusty-gray tones in the pink, and the rose hues warm up the deep blue. If you’re going for something similar in your home, think about layering the pink shades with earthier hues to give depth to the design.
Soften It With Gray It’s not only about bold contrasts when it comes to navy blue — the dark shade looks just as good in a neutral color scheme. In this Scandinavian-style living room featured by John Lewis & Partners, a sofa in a medium gray and plenty of wooden finishes mix with a deep blue wall. The effect is calm, grounding and wonderfully relaxing. To re-create a color scheme like this, go for pale woods and add some lighter blues for a soft, layered look.
TV idea If you’re painting the walls, why not paint everything else while you’re at it? In this living room by Andrew Jonathan Design, the baseboards, the shelves and even the fireplace sport a lick of navy blue.
If you want to show off the vivid colors in artwork, choose a dark-toned wall as a backdrop. Navy is the perfect shade to highlight the bright reds and yellows in these paintings. The blues in both pieces tie in with the wall paint, and the soft woods in the room provide muted tones to balance the space.
The soothing tones of inky blue work beautifully with a bold hit of mustard. The navy walls and dark wood storage unit give this space a formal feel, while the mustard armchair creates a playful contrast that adds a contemporary twist. To bring in a cooler but still harmonious note, the designers chose a pale gray sofa in the same velvet as the mustard armchair.
Reynolds velvet sofa in navy: Mod; Marston recliners in gray tweed: GDF Studio; G-plan walnut coffee table: Design Tree Home; Marcie accent table and Marjanna rug in ivory and silver: Safavieh; Grantola arched mirror: Uttermost; Wickham Gray wall paint: Benjamin Moore
Recessed entertainment space with natural white oak shelves. Simple white tiled hearth that matches the wall color and extends to form a shelf or bench seating. Unclad fireplace chase. The “simplicity of this fireplace is what makes it so beautiful,” Moody says. rug lamp homesense
Navy hues are all the rage now, and they’re nice choices if the previous almost-black color is too deep and dark for you. It acts as a grounding neutral in a space that has small dashes of snappy colors from artwork and decorative accessories. It also makes the space seem bigger, as cool colors tend to visually recede. For a similar look, try Stiffkey Blue from Farrow & Ball.
Designed by Karen B Wolf Interiors, this light-filled modern-farmhouse-style living room in New York soothes with soft woven materials and a restrained palette of light wood and soft white, beige and gray-blue. The clean-lined furnishings complement the home’s rich architectural details and finishes, which include custom shiplap, beams and plentiful paned windows and doors.
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