Happy Monday friends! How about a little #interiorinspo to start the week off right?
A couple months ago one of my best friends and her husband purchased their first home (congrats Nicole and Joe!) in the fun neighborhood of Wicker Park. And let me just tell you, their place is adorable. They’d lived together in an apartment before, but they were ready to make this place their “grown-up home.” So Nicole asked me to help her come up with some decor ideas, particularly for her living room, that weren’t too feminine and still made Joe feel comfortable in the space. (Side note: the concept of merging male and female styles to make a home is a much longer, more in-depth blog post I’ve got coming down the line. Ok, you may resume normal programming.)
Nicole knew she wanted the bones of the room to stay neutral so she could play with color in accessories down the line. The main challenge of the room was that it’s not really your standard shape – it’s shaped more like a square than a rectangle, but with an angled fireplace on one wall (wood-burning, I know, swoon). So we struggled to find the right rug for the room for quite some time (and I LOVE what she ended up choosing, it’s perfect). But I’m getting ahead of myself.
I pulled this moodboard together for her when she first asked for my help. She and Joe had already chosen the couch pictured, but everything else had yet to be decided. I think the items she ultimately chose are pretty closely aligned with my original vision. She stayed fairly neutral and added dimension through texture. What’s nice is that now she always has the option to add a little excitement with colorful accessories (read: blankets, pillows, vases, books, and other objects) and switch them out as her mood or the season changes.
Another great thing about this mood board is the price point of most objects. We’ve seen a huge shift within the interior design industry over the past decade. Interior design used to be reserved for rich white housewives, or stuffy old ladies in Connecticut. Not anymore, my friends. Designers like Nate Berkus, Thomas O’Brien, and blogs like Young House Love have totally demonstrated that good design is attainable at any price. (I digress, a different post for a different time). My point being, the price points for these items (ok, except for the fiddle leaf fig tree) are affordable for most people. Most of the things are from Target or discounted online retailers. So the good news was Nicole and Joe didn’t have to break the bank to make their new home feel well-designed.
So what do you think? Do you like it? Would you live in this space?
A big thanks to Nicole for letting me share a peek into her design journey. I wish you and Joe a lifetime of happiness in your home!