Cozy textures, relaxed seating, and pretty patterns make this a space the whole family can enjoy for years to come. Join me today as I share our newly designed living room and all the elements that play together to create this calm and serene space.
*This post contains affiliate links and is part of a gifting collaboration with Universal Furniture. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Before I jump into the design details, let’s take a look at our previous living room. While I liked our chesterfield sofa and chair, they were from our last home and weren’t the right fit for the area. This space has such a large wall that requires a bigger sofa to anchor the room. We also spend most of our time in the living room, so I wanted to create more seating to accommodate our friends and family.
Before
After
The New Living Room
As our family continues to grow, so does our need for more functional spaces. In my experience as a designer, I’ve worked with a variety of furniture manufacturers so I already knew where to look. Universal Furniture has been one of my favorite sources. Their upholstery is tailored and upscale, but with all the functionality and practicality we need for our everyday living. With over 400 fabric options, 50 leather options, and more than 200 frames, I knew they’d have what I was looking for. I was beyond thrilled when they agreed to jump on board to help me create the new living room design!
Picking the Right Furniture
My priority was to find a large sofa that was altogether comfortable, functional, and timeless. I’ve always loved an elegant sloped arm and pleated skirt so I was instantly drawn to the Hudson sofa and, when looking at its dimensions, it seemed to be the perfect size to balance out the room. Its deep cushions and high back make for a cozy spot for the whole family to relax together, including my 6’5″ husband! Next to the sofa I paired a set Hudson skirted chairs with a swivel so they can easily rotate towards the tv on movie nights, or face the sofa for conversation. The new layout fills the space much better and creates a great flow that the old furniture was lacking, don’t you agree?
Choosing the Upholstery
I always gravitate towards lighter sofas because they brighten up a room, but with two little boys, you can imagine my hesitation in getting anything white. My fears were laid to rest when I found out that I can have both my dream white sofa and, with it, the durability to withstand all the damage my toddlers are capable of! The answer is Crypton performance fabric. It’s stain, odor, and moisture resistant and extremely easy to clean. To make the shopping process easier, Universal Furniture has an online tool, which allowed me to see my selections in the different fabrics and finishes before I made any commitments. This made making the selections process such a breeze!
Here is an example of what that looks like on their site. I chose Sky Salt F-001129-4 for the sofa, and Leona Sky F-001078-3 for the chairs.
Design Board
When designing a space, I like to create a design board to see how the selections coordinate. The blue chairs were just the right pop of color and I love how they create a subtle contrast. I also have a blue and white gingham upholstered ottoman coming here shortly, and can’t wait to see how it looks with the new furniture!
Family Tested
The furniture arrived in no time and in perfect condition, but now was the ultimate test.. Will it be comfortable? Will they withstand the craziness that comes with young kids?
I’m happy to report that they passed with flying colors! First, the sofa and chairs are incredibly comfortable. But on top of that, within the first week my 2 year old decided to take off his diaper and pee directly on the sofa. You can imagine my horror… And although I trusted the performance fabric, I was still in panic mode. When I went to clean it up, it wasn’t even wet?! The blanket near it was, but not the sofa! And no smell? I am still in shock… but now a true believer in Crypton perfomance fabrics!
Decor Details
Rug
In addition to the new furniture, there are a handful of other changes in this space that you may notice. My friends at Safavieh were kind enough to send this beautiful jute/sisal rug from their natural fiber collection to complete the design. Having a larger area rug (10’x14′) made such a difference. It’s a wonderful neutral color that works as a great canvas for the fun colors that are brought in with the pillows and upholstery.
Pillows
I had fun putting together pillows with a variety colors and patterns. My go-to for designer throw pillows is Stuck On Hue because they have the most beautiful fabrics and they can customize size, trim, and the backing. Here I show a few of their pillows that I customized and will link more from their site for you to shop below!
Have you been considering updating your living room furniture, but not sure where to begin? I highly recommend browsing through Universal Furniture website. They have a wide range of options, so you’re bound to find something you love!
Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you’ve enjoyed touring our new living room and feel inspired to create a space that makes you happy. I’d love for you to stick around because I have a lot of fun stuff coming your way. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on all my socials below so you don’t miss any of it!
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