Scheming ...

I've been working on the living room now for far too long. Just when I thought I had a room nearly pulled together, something went awry and I had to start over. There have been so many hurdles in the way, but I think I'm finally "Cooking with Crisco" and I've got a plan! With Tyler planning to move in this coming October, I have to have it all finished by then to host a little Welcome Home gathering at the apartment. The walls went back to white, and I'm waiting on curtains for the living room and the dining room. The seagrass rugs went back down, and I bought a dhurrie for the living room to layer over the seagrass there.

I bought a truck load of wicker. Not really, but it feels like it. I also had that giant blue sofa slipcovered in white, and the little rattan settee for the dining room has been outfitted in gorgeous white cushions as well.

Tyler and I worked together to pick out some fabrics:

The first one was Tyler's choice - and I like it too. Miles Redd for Schumacher, called Bright Pavilion. It's designed based on a pair of antique wallpaper panels that Miles has in his home, and has a varied range of greens and blues, and a sort of spruce/blue background.

Here's a photo of the original panels in Miles' parlor. I'm not going to lie to you, the fabric is not cheap ... but, it will work for pillows.

Next, I found this spruce/blue linen from a wholesale source. It's the perfect blue/green color to coordinate with the background color of the Schumacher fabric. I also found this amazing emerald green patisserie. These will also be made into pillows, with a square of the emerald trim on the front of the pillow - helping to spread around the color of that Miles Redd Schumacher fabric, without having to buy more of it! 

This emerald velvet from Lee Jofa will also be used as pillows. If you can't tell, green is Tyler's favorite color. So I'm doing my best to work it into the design. 

This dhurrie, in an 8x10 will be centered over the seagrass in the living room seating group, which has a HUGE white sofa, two wicker chairs, and a very long (VERY LONG) wicker coffee table/bench, along with a gorgeous bronze and vintage faux bamboo cocktail table in front of the faux fireplace. More on all that later. 

Next, I waffled back and forth about chairs for what seemed like an eternity. I finally ended up choosing these inexpensive ones in a beautiful emerald velvet:

And instead chose to spend money on more fabric and a octagonal dining room table, inspired by this beauty: 

When I was in Peru, I bought 2 alpaca blankets in a warm green and tan, and some time ago Tyler and I bought some emerald green glass vases, which I've adorned in jungle beans from Peru, made into necklaces, and handwoven belts loomed in a peculiar way of alpaca yarn. 

Of course, even now when I feel like my vision is finally complete, I have dilemmas: where to put all the books I've amassed. I wanted to do bookshelves, but I've turned that idea away because the space they could go is taken by a beautiful Empire style dresser which is desperately needed to store Tyler's things. So, I'll pile them up on the floor like little tables. It's not ideal - but until we move on to a different space, it'll do! 

The Apartment Before

I will warn you now ... the room isn't like it was before. Not really at all. Sure, it's still the same color paint on the walls, the windows have curtains, (albeit different curtains, and rods!) the rugs didn't move ... but it's not as formal. It's got a very fun and comfortable feeling to it that I love, and that I think suits my life right now. 

I look back at this space, for instance - beautiful really. It was perfectly pretty, and people loved looking at it. When it came to being functional though, totally different story! Firstly, the benches were sharply appointed (those slipcovers were gorgeous) but they were not comfortable and they were a bit wobbly. I remember having dinner at these stools once, and that was more than enough. It was a room for photos. A room to be enjoyed from afar. I just don't live like that anymore. 

When Tyler and I get home from a long day at work, we enjoy opening a bottle of wine, cooking together, and having dinner at the table. That's my life now, and it's every bit as wonderful and perfect as it sounds. 

So when do you get to see it? Soon! I promise! Things are being delivered this week that will make sneak peek shots easy to take! So, keep your eye on my instagram page! That's where I'll be posting everything first. Get your first look there, in my stories or on the grid, and then once it's all ready for photos - I'll put it all on here! 

Happy Weekend All!