A Room I Love...Inviting Formality

pic from Adore Magazine via Being Brazen

Sometimes I come across a space that I really love and want to pick it apart so I can learn how to create a room that completely draws you in and makes you want to stay a while.  This room did just that for me!  I'm rarely attracted to formal spaces because they don't look like they can be truly lived in - especially with kids under the age of 10 - but after I looked at the individual pieces of this room I realized that it has a nice balance in practicality.  Let me share my most favorite parts of this room with you.


1) The wallpaper panel on the wall.  This is a great way to infuse a room with a splash of color without breaking the bank.  Wallpaper can be very expensive, so anytime you can get away with only buying one roll, it's a good thing.  The wall is papered then some trim was nailed around the wallpapered portion to finish it off.  Some additional trim was used to panel the rest of the wall, to make it a lovely finished product.  What a great idea!  If you already have paneling in a room, simply place the wallpaper inside the existing paneling.

2) The black bookcase.  This bookcase offers the perfect balance to the room by contrasting with all the white.  Built-ins are wonderful, but not necessary.  You can purchase a plain bookshelf from Ikea and add some trim to the edges then paint it black, for a similar look for much less.

3) The wood floors.  They add just enough rustic, natural tones to keep the room from looking overly elegant and feeling too refined to relax in.

4) The fabric ottoman.  As a mom to a danger-seeking 13 month old, I love any coffee table that is soft and has rounded edges - so I was totally drawn to this.  Ottomans are a great alternative to coffee tables.  Not only do they look good, but you can also prop your feet up on them...not sayin' I'd do that in this room.  I love that the fabric brings in a fun graphic pattern to the room.

5) The sofa.  While the room has an overall formal flare, the styling of the furniture is quite casual. The lines of the sofa are contemporary and the legs are exposed, which makes it appear like it's hovering off the ground a bit.  This keeps the look light and airy.  While it is white (who would do that?!?!), it's most likely made of a fantastic fabric that can be easily wiped down...or, that's what I'll tell myself.

6) The throw pillows!  If you don't already know, I simply adore pillows.  They're often my favorite part of any room.  The pillow combo here is perfect - a little bit of texture with solid yellow velvet fabric (anchoring both ends of the sofa), a little sheen with some satin fabric, and a few subtle prints tossed in for good measure.  Did you notice the two extra pillows in the basket on the bottom shelf of the bookcase?  Having a few extra pillows tucked away gives you some options to mix up the design every once in a while.

7) The lovely chandelier.  Glamour and fun collide with this light fixture.  It is probably made of glass and real crystals, but it would look (almost) equally as good if you took an old brass chandelier and spray painted it matte-white then covered it with some large clear plastic-beaded necklaces.  Just sayin'...

8) The colors...yellow, black, white, gray, plus a few accents.  Black, white, and gray are classics and yellow is a bold cheery color that is very popular (and is projected to stay popular this next year).  The yellow wallpaper defines the space and is the true statement of the room.  The paper hints toward other great accent colors which have been picked up in a few pillows on the sofa - a soft teal, dark lavender, and a small sampling of tawny beige.  Don't forget the whispers of gold in the room, which really complements the yellow.  The gold pot holding a plant on the side table and the gold items on the bookshelves add just the right amount of metallic bling to the space.

9) The fresh flowers to finish it off.  One last pop of color that can't be found anywhere else in the room - fuchsia!   Fresh flowers are the perfect thing to add to a space before it's showcased.  While they're not necessarily practical or affordable on a daily basis, make a habit of adding fresh flowers before company comes over or when flowers are in-season (and cheap) at the farmer's market.

Is there anything I missed that you love about the space?  Please let me know what inspires you in the space.  -Kristen