5 Ways to Create a Cozy, Comfy Living Room

He makes his home where the living is best.—Proverb

One of my favourite things to do when blog hopping is to tour the blogger's home. It lets me know instantly what sort of style she has and what to expect when I visit. So, I thought that over the next few weeks I would do a series of posts about each room in the house (except for the kids' bedrooms). Some of them are better than others, of course. In fact, I am quite humbled (and yes, intimidated) by some of the incredible style and talent out there. I'm not particularly crafty. Nor am I trendy. Nonetheless, I hope there's something for you here, anyway--and certainly I hope you find a big, warm welcome!

So, our first stop is the living room.

Remember those living rooms no one ever entered? You didn't dare sit down in them. My Great Aunt had one in her 60's rambler. She was very proud of it. But, whenever we visited, we went right by it, through the kitchen, around the corner and down the stairs to the basement Rec Room.

My living room is not like Aunt Sybil's.


Ours is a room where the four of us do a lot of living. We watch TV. Listen to CDs or the radio. Play games. Play the piano. Play with the dog. Eat. Read.

It is decorated, but minimally. So minimally, some might say it isn't decorated at all. And that's fine by me, really. I want it to look good--but not intimidating. And it needs to be a place which includes all of us--with all our quirks.

So, with that in mind, let's take a tour, shall we?

This is just to the right of the entrance.

Yep, the TV and stereo. I think we are the last people on Earth not to own a flat screen! And don't tell anyone, but those speakers still use speaker wire.

I had wanted an armoire or a cabinet of some kind for all the components, but we didn't find anything within our price range. I put the shelf above it to "finish" it off, but it doesn't satisfy.

1. Know thyself.

I could have put the dvd's in a basket, but they're from the library--and out of sight is out of mind around here!

2. Keep it personal.

This is a watercolour my son did on a camping trip last summer.



To the right of the TV are two chairs. It's easy to turn the rocking chair around to watch TV.



3. Think balance, not matchy-matchy.

This kind of works, and kind of doesn't.

Does: The chairs are similar in mass: neither takes up a lot of visual space and they are both somewhat airy. Imagine a fully upholstered piece instead of the Ikea Poang: it wouldn't work.

Doesn't: They could be more unified. The wood on the Poang chair is black: it should be espresso to go with the rocking chair. The upholstery could be better coordinated, too!

4. Create a place to play, better known as a seasonally changing focal point.

A fireplace wall is a natural focal point: even when it doesn't function! The mantel is my place to "play." Everyone who likes to putz around the house needs a spot like this, I think.



3. Fake it 'til you make it.

I bought these silk tulips back when my husband and I were first married. But chic design blogs derided them. They got no respect. So, I put them away.

Ugh. Lamp harps. They move.

Then, over at Daisy Cottage, Kim gave this exact same advice: fake it 'til you make it. And I rushed to get mine out of storage, gave them a quick wash and set them up. Thank you, Kim.

4. Let sleeping dogs lie.

(I'm currently talking to the hubby about replacing that artwork with something lighter.)

'nuff said.

5) Invest in original art when you can.

And to the right of the couch, just to the left of the entrance way, we have the piano. Above it is a piece of art we purchased on the streets on Montreal. It is a photograph of a building with the graffiti of the woman on it. We got two artists for the price of one!



I hope you enjoyed your tour of the living room.