Pretty and Preppy Living Room

pic from apartmenttherapy

The other day while browsing through a few of my favorite blogs, Apartment Therapy, I spotted this preppy living room space belonging to Toronto-based designer Tommy Smythe and fell in love with it immediately.  There are so many beautiful things in the room so I wanted to step through the space and tell you what I love about it...

1) The crisp classic color palette - there is something beautiful about white walls when we're constantly inundated with bold colors all the time.  I love color, but my eyes appreciate a breath of fresh white every once in a while.  Tommy added a perfect amount of classic accent colors like black, navy, and red, to keep the room from being bland.  He has successfully selected a color palette that will never go out of style.

2) The "collected" feel of meshing old with new - for example, the gorgeous Federal-style mirror on the left and the modern fabric on the antique wing-back chairs.

3) The gallery wall - we see them all the time but rarely are they executed so perfectly, with the perfect mix and match of different shaped and different colored frames.

4) The gold accents - just like a touch a jewelry added to an outfit, the few gold pieces in the room really make it glow and give it an added dimension.  My favorite gold accent in the room is the interior of the lamp-shade...the lamp glows whether it's on or not.  Metallic accents when applied with restraint are simply dashing!

5) The graphic rug - I'm a little biased on this one because striped rugs are my "thing" right now.  I can't get enough of them.  It's such a classic pattern but it makes a space look so up-to-date and stylish.  The navy and white stripes are fresh but don't take attention away from the other pretty things in the room.

6) The touch of whimsy - see the Magic 8 ball on the side table, the picture of the dog on the wall, and the bowl of matches and Rubik's Cube on the coffee table?  They are fun conversation starters that keep the space from looking to formal or stuffy.  And, I guaranteed they probably get used!

7) The Hermes blanket - not the most affordable accessory in the space, but adored all the same.  Not certain if I have an affinity to the blanket because our last name starts with an "H" so it looks like a custom piece made just for us, or if it's simply a pipe dream to have a Hermes item on display in my living room...

8) The marble-topped coffee table - the mix of white marble and dark wood stain are one of my favorite combos right now.  It looks amazing on furniture, in a kitchen, you name it!

9) The spotted fabric on the chairs - in a million years I wouldn't have picked this fabric out on my own, but I think it's such a beautiful risk.  I think it's the perfect juxtaposition for the more traditional items in the room, and the size of the pattern complements the larger more bold pattern on the rug perfectly.

10) The Grand Union (or Continental Colors) flag pillow - did you know that this was the first national flag of the United States from 1775-1777, the one we used even after the Declaration of Independence until the stars and stripes flag came about after the Flag Act of 1777.  A patriotic history lesson wrapped up in a punchy pillow is a beautiful thing!

Keep reading so see a few more views of this gorgeous space...

 pic from apartmenttherapy

 pic from apartmenttherapy

pic from apartmenttherapy

I love the trophies, the pops of greenery, and the modern striped art.  And, I'm ever so glad Tommy added a few fun yellow accents just for me! :)  Hope you had fun touring Tommy's living room with me.  You can tour even more rooms of his former home and current home {here} on Canadian House & Homes website.  -Kristen