Last week, I shared about the fireplace mantel we built for our living room fireplace and you can read about that HERE. While the room is still in the works and I’m in the middle of decorating the house for Christmas, I wanted to show a bit more of the room. I made the big push to get it painted before Christmas and I’m so glad I did. I love the color and how it plays off the brick, the floors, and the furniture. And it’s always nice to have a freshly painted room, anyway!
Here is how the “sofa wall” looks…
(HERE is the link to the handspun jute rug for those interested.)
As I shared through the process, I knew I wanted to paint the walls and beams green, but I had to think about the door frames, the built-ins, the mantel, and the window frames. I made one decision at a time. After seeing the walls and beams painted in Card Room Green, I knew I wanted to paint the built-ins, fireplace, and door frames. I debated painting the window frames green, but since the windows will be white, I decided to paint the window frames white. I felt like it worked because it tied into the white ceilings and the frames are mostly covered by the curtains, anyway. We will be eventually getting new windows, so I didn’t paint those.
I had some vintage brass Stiffel lamps that I bought second-hand last summer when we knew this house didn’t have overhead lighting. One of the first things we did, though, was have recessed lighting installed throughout the house so we could have a flood of light in each room when we needed it. We still mostly used the lamps, but we didn’t need as many once we had that option. When I removed the lamps while painting the room, I could see how much they blocked the light from the windows. I decided to add wall sconces to replace them so we still had task lighting for the sofa but they didn’t cover up the windows. THESE are the wall sconces I selected, which are the same as the ones I had in my home office in our MN house. (I sold those to the new homeowner who wanted to keep them in the office.)
They still provide great task lighting, they are on a dimmer, and best of all, they don’t block the windows or take up space on the side tables. They are perfect! I used and painted them the color of the wall to hide the cords. The antique European stag antlers are from MS Taxidermy.
details about the sofa | curtains |
I hadn’t done anything with the built-ins since we moved in last fall, so it was nice to take some time to style them with fresh eyes after priming and painting them. I removed a lot of the ironstone and instead, focused on styling the built-ins with things that give a library/study feel. I used shells, coral, turtle shells, arrowheads, and other “curiosities” along with antique leatherbound books, wooden boxes, and small ceramic busts. I added a couple of ironstone tureens to the top shelves until I fill out the collection of “specimens” and books.
Now that we’re settling into the house a bit more, I have a better sense of what I have and what I have room for. This house is a lot smaller than our previous house and even though I sold a ton of stuff before our move, I still need to thin things out further. I was bemoaning to Jeff the other day about the tension of needing to get rid of things while still wanting to hunt for new things to add to collections. I suppose that’s the ongoing tension of being a collector and also someone who has a threshold for clutter and gets overwhelmed by having too many things stored in closets, the garage, and the basement. There are certainly worse problems to have.
This room has turned out to be such a cozy space and it’s one of my favorites in the house so far. While it’s small, it’s just perfect for our family and provides even more than what we need.
We set up the tree last weekend and, while we considered putting it up in a corner by the fireplace, we ended up putting it where we had it last year. It’s a good spot and it’s nice that you can see it from the kitchen. It’s been sitting with just the lights on, though. I’ve bounced between being too busy to do it and not feeling quite up to doing it due to a minor cold. But, it’ll get done in its own time. I’m working on making more orange slice garlands to hang on the tree along with some crochet garlands. I’ll be sharing tutorials on those soon…
28 Responses
So pretty, all coming together.
I feel your tension as well. I realized that a lot of times when I fall in love with something in an image, it’s not just the items/collection/vignette, it’s the *space* around it. This house is a lot smaller, but it’s so cozy. I did love your Minnesota house for all its space for all your displays and collections, and I love this house for its coziness.
Yesterday, I read your old post about your “90’s” tree. It’s not really 80’/90’s until it has a duck or goose with a dusty blue ribbon round its neck. The photo of the tree is an optical illusion for me too, looks like the tree is about to lose her balance. Which made me do searches for previous trees, which makes me think, if you haven’t already, a compilation of your trees through the years would be so fun! They’re each full of inspiration.
This room is beautiful. I like having a sightline to my tree from other rooms, too. I am curious how the scones turn off and on, they look high and hard to reach in that spot.
So far, it’s looking beautiful. Cozy is the right word, but classic. I’ve been wanting to paint a few rooms but still trying to land on a color. Greens are my favorite. I have gray tile in a couple rooms so it will have to play off those. Following all your transformations and where you are going with this house. Enjoy this holiday season.
Such a beautiful, timeless room! I’ve been considering card room green for my north facing family room. Could you tell me what way your windows face, please?
Our windows face north and west.
Your room looks spectacular. Such a warm welcome for anyone who steps within! Just lovely.
Marian, could you share a link to your sisal/jute rug, please? I am shopping for two for our family room and the choices are endless! I have made so many decisions in our new home based on your recommendations. Everything is lovely.
Yes! I’ll put it in the post, but here is the link…https://bit.ly/3vLc25O
Just a quick question. The cats don’t scratch the jute rug? one of my cats is a devil for it. My other one never scratches anything but the scratching post. Although the naughty one has improved lately because we give him so much praise when he uses the scratching post.
The green adds so much warmth! Such a beautiful space for you and your family!
I look forward to your blog every afternoon!
The room looks lovely and really cozy. The older I get the less clutter I have. Years back I would box up and save things I felt I needed to change for awhile. Not anymore. I donate it now. I realized one day I had collected 23 tablecloths. Time for a donation pile.
The brass knob hardware on the fireplace cupboard doors is a nice touch. Beautiful brass. The room turned out just as it should have, lovely and cozy for your family. The tree decorating being done in its own time is exactly how it’ll happen here this year. I actually enjoy a lit “naked” tree for a while before and after Christmas. 🌲✨
This is absolutely beautiful! I love the green! So refreshing to see color coming back. The green and blue is so calming and cozy.
“The ongoing tension of being a collector” and figuring out at what level it becomes too much has been the theme of my life this year! Just when I’ve pared down in one area, an unexpected collector windfall comes in another. Learning the balance is one of the lessons of the creative life.
I had purchased the lamps for my guest room when I moved into my apartment. I can’t paint the walls, but am enjoying decorating. I am seriously downsizing by donating and selling at consignment stores. A small amount, but between that and selling on Etsy, I am slowly starting to move forward. It all takes time.
What an amazing beautiful space. I just love that color.
Speaking of lighting, I hit the jackpot with rope lights on top of my cabinets in the kitchen and suddenly bam! the effect was amazing. You might try rope lights or twinkle lights on the bookshelves or ceilings for an inexpensive way for for wow factor.
Your “new” home looks so Cozy much more so than your MN home ! And you have done such a great job decorating it all ! I just want to sit on your sofa with a glass of wine and take it all in! Enjoy all your hard work !
MMS,
Your room is so inviting. The symmetry around the fireplace, the styling of the bookshelves and the position of the wall sconces creates the relaxing den feeling you hoped for. It’s no wonder it is your favorite room.
Looking forward to the finishing of the tree,
Diney on Mercer Island
It’s a beautiful and cozy room. I can admire rooms on the internet and get inspired by them, but I’ve never wanted to walk into a room before. I want to walk into this room!
Hi Marian, I love everything about your new place! I hope I am not overstepping in asking this, but since I love Card Room Green, but can’t afford to purchase it from Farrow and Ball, I was wondering if it can be color matched?
Jodie – I was wondering the same thing and found that Benjamin Moore’s color match is called Carolina Gull.
Marian, your living room looks beautiful. You have created a gorgeous and cozy home. This year I also had our tree up for a couple of weeks with just the lights on it. I haven’t felt energetic due to surgery and a cold but I finally decorated the tree and a few other areas. The manger was the first to be set up. In January I will be ready to purge things that I haven’t used in awhile. I look forward to reading your posts. Thank you.
You own cozy. Love that room!
Did you need to prime the cord covers with anything special before painting them? They look lovely.
I also adore the coziness of the room. It reminds me of so many homes when I lived in England. Your added touches give it the hygge feel that is just yummy!
What a BEAUTIFUL room! It really is quite perfect: pretty, comfortable, inviting for adults and children alike. I love the colors.
However, -the sconces above the sofa look as though they swivel-, and I would certainly aim the light at the ceiling, for an ambient illumination. The light from such direct down lights on anyone sitting beneath them, would be uncomfortably harsh and distracting, as well as not flattering to anyone sitting beneath them . Do the sconces reverse direction?
This room is perfection! Wondering about a source on the curtain rods; they have different bases than the ones in your other links (vertical rectangles, not round), and I have been in hot pursuit of some like this forEVER! (And did you age the ones you show in the bedroom with Rub’n’Buff or anything or just use as was?) Thank you for sharing so much and letting us not only live vicariously through you but learn so much!!
Hi Marian, the room looks so cozy! I love the Card Room Green. I too moved into a smaller home and I feel your pain! I want to keep my options open, by keeping different things, but there really isn’t even room to store the extra “stuff” so it becomes very stressful.
I love looking at all the spaces you are creating in this home- very “human” scaled, comfy and cozy!