I’ve been slowly helping out friends of mine decorate their already great house and today you get to see how we pulled together their family/TV room. They have a 4-year-old and a dog that licks and jumps so we had to make it pretty kid- and pet-friendly. The architecture is modern farmhouse and their style is what we have jokingly dubbed “inviting post-apocalyptic homey.” It’s specific and yet it’s pretty universal, because, hell, if I lived through the apocalypse, I’d be psyched to be invited to their home. They like neutrals, with hits of mustards and muted blues. Samesies. We joke because she has influenced my style so much, edging up my fashion and muting down my colors, but likely I have in turn brightened up her typical camo palette. We are both from the PNW and she is moodier than I (not surprising) so I bring the happy while she brings the edge. Together, I LOVE what has happened.
Last year, we customized her sofa at Cisco Home and I know you are all going to freak over it because we did and do all the time. She chose a distressed fabric that looks almost like roughed up denim and at the time, I remember advising against it because I thought it looked too “I’m Industrial,” but as it has worn in, it’s kinda perfect. It’s a washed canvas that has a ton of give and distressing and the more wear it gets (with a toddler and a dog, it’s a lot) the better it gets, as you can see. It’s low and deep and 10 feet long with a single thin down-filled cushion (key) and loose back cushions for ultimate comfort. It’s high quality, high comfort and high style. To be fair, it was not cheap (around $8k) but they were ready to invest and if you break down the amount of time they’ve spent on this sectional, it’s definitely been worth it. We also had the fabric stain treated and while it has only been just over a year, it has worn perfectly.
Where I came in was the ottoman and the rug. I wanted to ensure that the sofa had a warmer toned best friend. That caramel ottoman does just that with its tone and the simple tufting. Plus, it perfectly matches the fur-tone of their French bulldog Boris. Oh, I forgot to mention, in 2018, it’s VERY important that your pet matches your color palette for the most Pin-worthy and “thumb-stopping” photos. And yes, that’s the new term for if/when your large clumsy thumb stops on an Instagram photo and double taps that ish. Welcome to our new reality where we let the action of the world’s chubbiest appendage indicate personal (and corporate) success.
The rug is one of my favorites that I’ve used a few times. It’s soft, warm and neutral but with enough pattern to give the space some style. It has also held up surprisingly well under high family traffic.
Those shelves were kinda challenging being so skinny, so we just styled them out with books, frames and some neutral objects and tried to make them feel not so itty bitty.
A lot of lounging and TV watching happens in that room. It’s just so comfortable and kid/pet-friendly.
That’s right, she bought that painting from the rummage sale for $200. It looks so good up there and fits into this whole “modern farmhouse” vibe that the house has going on.
Here’s a shot that lets you see the whole space…
The lamp is from Schoolhouse Electric and we bought the trunk at the flea market last year. The pillows are a mix from Target and some borrowed picks from A 1000 X Better, a staging company that is great if you need an LA staging company.
So there you go. It’s not some crazy design masterpiece but it came together really well and is such a lovely place to hang out and relax.
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1. Vintage Trunk (similar) | 2. Custom Sofa | 3. Donna Floor Lamp | 4. Ottoman | 5. Rug (different color) | 6. Accent Chair (similar) | 7. Live Edge Side Table | 8. Sconce (similar) | 9. Vintage Indigo Pillow (similar) | 10. Neutral Patterned Pillow (similar) | 11. Navy Tassel Lumbar Pillow (similar) | 12. Throw Blanket | 13. Tall B&W Striped Bottleneck Vase | 14. B&W Dipped Vase | 15. Ceramic Bell (similar) | 16. Linden Indigo Pillow (similar) | 17. Tan Wool Pillow (similar) | 18. Mustard Patterned Lumbar Pillow (similar) | 19. Marble Tray (similar) | 20. Vintage Camera (similar) | 21. Vintage Portrait (similar) | 22. Black Candle Holders (similar) | 23. Punk Table Lamp | 24. Planter (similar) | 25. Basket (similar) | 26. Credenza
*** Photography by Sara Tramp for EHD
My brain kept assuming The Frame was a window! Each time I looked, I had to regroup my thoughts to see it as a tv. Love that thing!
And that couch! ?
Lovely room! That sofa and ottoman are perfection. Is that a sound bar that’s been painted or a piece of wood mounted below the TV?
This! Do tell!! Soundbar disguise? I could really use this…
In what universe are white rugs kid friendly? ? Other than that, this room is so cozy and comfy and cute! I want it right now. ☺️
Could you tell me where the rug in the room photo came from? I’m looking for one with a cream background like that one.
Oh, that’s gorgeous! I’d love to just lounge on that couch with a book…
Question: you say there’s a 4-year-old and that this is a family room. I also have a kid that age (and a younger one) and my family room… has way more baskets holding toys/blocks/BRIO pieces/etc. How did you hide the toys??!
That is awesome. It’s like a “warm minimalist” room. Very simple and spare, but still cozy.
For those of us who are decidedly not minimalist, how would you advise styling bookcases with hundreds of books, several framed family pictures, and travel souvenir tschockes? I always imagine the books can provide a backdrop for the Knick-knacks, but in practice, I need help!
I am struggling with that rug looking like 4×4″ square ceramic bathroom tiling. (I imagine in person it has the texture and warmth that keep it not like that.)
Lol, I thought that too, was so relieved when she “revealed” that it’s a rug!
That is exactly what I thought! When I saw the closeup I was like – how could they spend 8k on a couch and not get rid of that grimy tile??
Ha. Replied without reading this. Yes, this was my immediate impression, too!
That was also my first impression! Why do they have such awful tile (and then I thought, well, kids and dogs, they’ll change it out when the kid is 18 – haha). Oh dear. That rug hopefully looks better in person because it’s not coming through in the pics.
I would love to hear others’ thoughts on the black frames around the windows. To me, it looks like there is some black painted wood on the upper row. The living area in my house is primarily white with several large windows that are older and have a gray metal frame. When I see pictures like this, I strongly consider painting my window frames black on both the inside and out. Has anyone tried this? Thank you!
Do it!
I’d probably use a deep indigo blue, personally.
Lovely room. Wondering what technique you used to stain treat the sofa.
All the details in this room are perfect! Do you have any posts on how to style a living room with a corner fireplace?
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! This style is a Goldilocks style for me. It’s not too modern, not too traditional…It’s just right. I love it!
I love the overall look and the black around the windows! That chair is also to die for (no source, so presumably it’s custom covered?) and looks so great with the lovely couch and the ottoman. I definitely thought the rug was old dirty square tile at first and was so confused. It’s definitely not my favorite; I keep imagining the space with a more fun rug (with more pattern that would hide stains better!) Is that a Frame TV? It’s the first time I’ve seen a frame that just looks like a regular old TV to me (usually, when you’ve done style demos of the frame I’m absolutely blown away!). Maybe because the frame part is so thin?
Ahhhhhhh…. that couch. is. amazing.
sorry to be the naysayer, but it is way too blah for me, no warm colors.. , cohesively bland.I may be influenced by thinking it was tile too.
I love the bold framing around the windows and lack of curtains. Letting ALL THE LIGHT in is part of what makes this room so lovely. The space feels cozy without feeling crowded. Certainly more stylish than when I lived with a four year old…
Honestly, this might be my favorite room you’ve EVER done. I love love love it.
I think I know what was meant by “this is not a design masterpiece” and I actually really like it! I admire all the design masterpieces but this just feels really accessible for “normal” families, at least, so it’s pretty practical inspiration. Thanks for sharing it and the reasoning (warm tone from ottoman, texture/slight pattern but still neutral from rug) that helps punch it up to look designed.
Such a lovely room. Could you include some before pictures with this kind of posts? I really enjoy seeing the difference designing a room can make.
Maybe other parts of the house would provide a context that is Modern Farmhouse, but I don’t see that in these photos.
I like it, but I want to take the opportunity to ask what I’ve wanted to ask several times before with this type of house – How do you deal with everyone looking through your window, especially at night when the room is all lit up? You can see the street/cars/other houses clearly from the inside, so I assume the reverse is true? Do you always have (non-tattered) pajamas on if you aren’t in your street clothes?
It looks great without curtains, but I go in my house (and especially my tv room) to hide and mentally the openness of this space to the street would be a huge challenge to me.
I was wondering about this too. Daylight hours seem like less of an issue, but at night it’d be like living in a fishbowl — on display to the whole neighborhood! I have friends with a wall of uncovered windows like this, but they are facing the back yard with nothing but a steep hill and fields behind them as far as the eye can see, so for them privacy is a non-issue.
Otherwise, pretty room. 🙂
I was in the camp of “must have blinds or curtains on all the windows” but when we moved into our house the windows don’t make that easy (in-swing casements with solid brick walls). I’ve never gotten around to putting any up (it’s been 11 years now) and it doesn’t bother me. During the day no one can see in unless I’m within 3 feet of the window – partially because the house is higher than the sidewalk and also because it’s brighter outside. During the evening people can see in but I don’t really care what they see. It’s still limited view because of the angle and I try to not walk around with zero clothes on.
We went without curtains for awhile in our family room with an 8-ft sliding door. It’s in the back of the house and our neighbors would have to use help to see much, but in the summer It was about 20 degrees warmer than the rest of the house. We also have some guests that camp out on the couch so we we added drapes. I think shades would be easy to install on the lower doors.
I would add a higher plant stand or something else next to the bookcases. They would bother me.
Love the couch, railing, ottoman, painting, and chair. Looks like a comfy place to watch TV.
The phrase “modern farmhouse” is starting to make my teeth itch (waaaaaaay overused on HGTV), But this is a very pleasant room. I LOVE that armchair. That particular style of rolled arm is my fav. Not too high, and the roll makes it comfy. The vintage painting is a perfect complement and injects (to my eye) a much-needed color note. I also love the ottoman. I just adore that particular shade of caramel leather.
Not crazy about the rug, though. Especially in that size it looks like bathroom tile.
AHHH! I’ve been eyeing that ottoman for months to go with my couch that is a similar color to the one in this post! Pretty sure resistance will now be futile!
For what it’s worth, I would love to see more spaces that are “not some crazy design masterpiece but it came together really well and is such a lovely place to hang out and relax.” I feel like it goes to show that if budget or priorities prevent us “non-design people” from having a truly designed/styled space, there’s an between that’s functional and lovely too.
Hi Emily. Any information you can share on the brown chair?
Thanks!
Laurie
Yesssss. Need to know about the chair! It’s the best piece and no link! Pretty please.
Hi! We asked Emily’s friend about the chair, and she said it’s from Cisco (http://www.ciscobrothers.com/seating/chairs/acacia-chair-1). She bought it about a year and a half ago and hasn’t seen it in brown since BUT, Cisco has a similar fabric (http://www.ciscobrothers.com/fabric-library/medina-pepper) that you could work with them on using. Good luck!
y’all are crazy that rug is beautiful. I highly doubt that it looks like tile in person… so why does it matter if it read that way on your iPhone small image?
Looking on a giant computer screen and still thought it was tile. just have a different opinion….
Love this room! Been eying that ottoman!! The painting, the white paint, the rug, the lines of the space! I think you made the tiny shelves work so well!!
What a cozy room! I think the portrait on the staircase looks out of place and kind of just slapped up there. Either something more needs to be added, or just keep it a clean slate.
Love love love it! I want to watch a movie there!
OMG I am crushing SO HARD on that stair railing!
No picture of adorable dog or adorable 4 year-old gets a sad face…
🙁
Nice! What is the paint color (Ceiling and walls). Thanks!!!
Hey EHD Team!
I love all of the reveals of what “new” (“new” as in, most of it looks like it was bought within what is trending now) spaces you have done recently. The clients I have are usually giving me challenges in their spaces to design around existing furniture that isn’t trending anymore. I was wondering if you could put some advice for how to design around/witj dated looks.
Thank you!
Huge huge huge fan,
Janet M
Any details you can share about the throw on the back of the chair?
Thank you!
I stumbled upon this couch at a local shop a few weeks ago and since have become OBSESSED. It’s gorgeous, slipcovered, and the most comfortable couch I’ve ever sat on. The price tag has me crying inside and I keep telling myself it’s waaay too expensive. You have now absolutely confirmed my gut feeling that it’s an awesome sofa. Time to start my Louis sofa savings account!
amazing post man i reallly like it your site ..
https://makegooglemyhomepage.co/
Love u Emily but that rug would look like sad garbage after a WEEK in our kid + dog house. Would love some ACTUALLY family friendly rug recos… and/or options that are so reasonably priced u could ditch em after a few years of SERIOUS wear and tear and not feel bad. I’m talking about a big crazy dog who always brings some of the outside inside, a baby with reflux and giant projectile spit ups and a 2 year old boy, need I say more?
The chair!!! Please tell me more about the chair!!
We bought a couch in a similar color and it’s bringing down the mood of our room. Nice to see you were able to brighten it up but still include that awesome blue chair.
I own a home with similar architecture and am needing to replace windows and a slider. This combination is perfect. I have been struggling to describe this look to my contractor and window companies. I’ve been saying black windows with no casing or mounding. Is there terminology I should use to describe this look better? I know I can show a photo, but would love to understand the terminology too. What type/brand of windows are these? Can you help me out?
I just want to lay on this couch and cuddle my doggies and gaze out that window all day long! Although with my dogs there is would be covered in slobber. 🙂 Such a great room!
I did not think the rug was old ugly tile for one second-I love love love it!
Thank you for sharing a real life family room that includes a regular tv! It’s beautiful and relatable. I hate that ours is th focus of the room, but that’s just the way it is. This post shows a room can still have fabulous style and include a tv that isn’t that awesome Frame.
Ahhhh… A down-filled cushion on the sofa. So nice! I would like to find accent chairs that are down-filled (or essentially, filled with something safe/natural, as opposed to polyurethane foam). In my searches, non-foam chairs are over $1000.
I reluctantly continue to buy foam-filled stuff, due to my budget.
The room looks great! Getting some ideas from the bookshelf styling, and really everything. I love that Schoolhouse Electric floor lamp.
I thought I “had to” have a table or sofa behind my sectional, yet neither felt right. This is giving me the push to just have the couch by itself!
Do you have any dining room chair video’s…trying to match up with an antique 1931 mahogany table and a wooden bench…