designer >> jesse bodine
Out of all of the rooms in this St. Louis house, the living room was probably one of the most intimidating spaces for our clients. They don’t consider themselves overly formal people, but wanted to make sure they were utilizing every square inch of their home to fit their lifestyle. While they understood the value of a ‘formal living room’ as a space where they could entertain friends without being distracted by the TV, they also wanted it to fit their more casual style. It needed to be a space where even the kids could enjoy hanging out. The living room is one of the first rooms people see when they walk in, and we loved the idea of drawing guests in while learning about the family who lives here in the process.
We replaced the navy walls with Benjamin Moore’s London Fog. Don’t get us wrong, we love a dark color on the wall, but we needed this space to feel brighter, and the new gray color accomplished that. We started with one of our favorite rugs of all time, the Anastasia Slate. The colors in this rug are beautiful, and its distressed/over-dyed look make it a top choice in homes with kids or pets. This is because it is incredibly resilient and hides dirt and stains exceptionally well. We chose to go with two Chesterfield club sofas with nailhead trim to serve as the main seating. We balanced them with two leather channeled chairs because we didn’t want a room that felt too traditional. The clean mid-century lines and soft camel-colored leather on the chairs add interest and elevate the feel of the room.
The coffee table serves as an anchor to all of the pieces. Its curved lines allow everything to revolve around it during a get-together. This is also one of our favorite pieces to use in a kid-friendly area. Its soft edges make it the perfect place for children to gather while sitting on the floor to play games or do a puzzle.
The bookcases create a backdrop for the room, providing the perfect space to display accessories and personal mementos. We left them in white to keep the focus on all of the special pieces that our clients have collected over the years. By keeping in mind this family’s personality, we were able to make a formal living room that is perfect for both company and their fun family of four!
Scout & Nimble is a retail site and blog that aims to make expert design accessible to all. Follow at blog.scoutandnimble.com.
Photo above: Emily Sewell Photography
