After almost two years of living in Chicago (holy shit, time flies!), I finally have my living room ready to share! Well, that’s kind of a lie… I’m still working on my gallery wall above my TV, and I’ll definitely be sharing that side of the living room when it’s complete. But it’s pretty close! As most of us know, Chicago can be pretty dreary for a good eight months of the year. So when I was decorating this space, I knew I wanted it to feel bright and happy! It’s an eclectic mix of colors and patterns, but I think it works. At some point, there will probably be another half helping with decor decisions in my future abodes so I knew I wanted to have fun with it. A custom pink scalloped-back arm chair probably wasn’t the most practical of choices, but hey… Life is short.
It took me forever and a day to decide on the art to go above my couch… I went back and forth with wanting to use one of my own photographs in Italy and ordering a pieces from my favorite photographer. I’ve always been so in love with Gray Malin‘s Italy series and finally decided to go with a piece from the La Dolce Vita collection! But then came the narrowing down… I had a few stipulations: I wanted it to be somewhere I’ve been before and I wanted the photo to be personally meaningful.
My trip to Italy last summer was the first time I had traveled solo internationally and my time on the Amalfi Coast was probably the best week of my life so far. Photographing boats on the water was one of my favorite pastimes, which is how I settled on the print above my couch. Plus, it pulled all of the colors of the room together perfectly!
You can read the full Q&A about my living room decor and decorating style on the Gray Malin blog!
My beloved navy blue velvet tufted sofa came with me from New York, but pretty much everything else was purchased for the space. I went from living in a 300 sq ft studio on Manhattan’s Lower East Side to a 700 sq ft one bedroom apartment in Chicago’s Gold Coast so a lot of extra furniture and decor was needed! (Which sort of explains why it took me so long to finish… 💸💸💸 Traveling more than I’ve been home in Chicago was obviously a big reason, too!)
As you can tell, my kitchen runs right into my living room. This layout makes perfect sense for a dining set between the bar stools and living area, but since I work from home, I needed a spot for my desk and that was the only spot it would work. Not ideal, but it works for now!
Decorating with books is such an easy way to add more color to your space!
Yep, you can totally see the pieces for my gallery wall hiding under my couch from this angle. Whoops!
I don’t have any overhead lights in my apartment (aside from the pendants in my kitchen) so lamps were a must! I needed a lamp for this corner of the room and couldn’t find a floor lamp that I liked last year, so I went with this skinny gold lamp on a stack of books for some height.
I’ve taken “progress photos” of this room over the last two years, and it’s kind of funny how many times I’ve changed things around. What’s even crazier, though, is how much this plant has grown! It’s gotten SO tall.
I collect matchbooks on my travels and I love displaying them in dishes all over my apartment. So many great memories and they’re useful, too!
I’ll be sharing all of the details from my workspace soon!
Update: See that post here!
Shop the Space…
Society Social Navy Tufted Sofa
Scalloped-Back Chair (Fabric is Farrow Strawberry Linen)
Multi Color Pillow (on pink chair)
West Elm Jute Herringbone Rug
One Kings Lane Metallic Animal Hide Rug
Fiddle Leaf Fig & Ceramic Pot: Jayson Home
Succulent and Gold Pot: Jayson Home
Hammered Gold & Marble Coffee Table
Round Mirrored Tray on Coffee Table
Gray Malin Boat Print
Leopard Print Pillows
Ombre Lumbar Pillow
Pink Pillows
Lucite Ghost Chair
Leaf Print Pillow (on lucite chair)
Gold End Table
White Lacquer Media Console
Marble Lamp
Gold Lamp (on media console): Target
Steamline Luggage Stacked Suitcases
Gold Sea Urchins (on suitcases)
Gold Thumbs Up
Gold Gun: Space 519
Bone Inlay Frame
Tocca Montauk Candle
Johnathan Adler Chevron Frame
Eat Well Travel Often Tray
Capri Blue Aloha Orchid Candle
Gold Pineapple
Diptique Candles
Oui Oui Coaster
Jonathan Adler Splatter Coasters
Serena & Lily Counter Stools
White & Rattan Chair
Sheepskin Rug
Books…
Chic Stays
Matcha
Paris in Color
Do One Thing a Day That Centers You
Bright Lights Paris
Living in Style
Garance Dore
Get Your Shit Together
Cupcakes & Cashmere
Influence
Bar Cart…
Brass Etegere
Packed Party Disco Drink (also available here!)
Press for Champagne Buzzer (more here!)
Drink More Gin Print: Design Darling
Stop and Drink the Rosé Print: Etsy
Let’s do Cocktails Print: Evelyn Henson
Gold Sea Urchin on Wall: South Loop Loft
Hermes Orange Tray: Etsy
Let me know if I missed something you want to track down! If something is not linked to exactly, it’s because it’s old or sold out and I found something very similar.
This is so adorable! Currently working on decorating my living room. I don’t have any ceiling lights in mine either, but was able to find some awesome lamps at Home Goods. Love your space!
Ellen | A Pop of Pink
Well done you! It looks super – love the Hermes bar cart tray and that picture about your couch really is something special, you could get lost in it!!
Rebecca
xx
http://www.peppermintdolly.com
I don’t have any overhead lights in my living room either…or bedroom! It’s always such a mystery to me when they don’t put those things in. I love what you’ve done with your space! I’m coming up on a year in the city and I’m realizing just how long it takes me to decorate a place. Let’s just say I’ve still got a longgg ways to go haha.
Love the space!! Somewhat random question — how do you keep the fiddle leaf fig alive with all of your traveling?!
It only has to get watered once a week, actually! I water it on Mondays usually, but sometimes on Sundays or Tuesday depending on when I leave or get home and haven’t had an issue with it losing any leaves. When I’m gone for longer than a week at a time, Hallie helps me out with the watering schedule!
Loving your taste in cushions and the pink and navy seating is gorgeous 🙂
I love all your bright details! I am so impressed with the unexpected decor and how you decorated with so many books without it looking like a study. 🙂
I adore that pink chair soooo much! Your bar set up is to-die-for! All the framed prints are so festive.
xxoo
Mary
http://www.BelleOnTrend.com
Such a happy and chic space! I love it!
This is so nice and simple living room decor for small rooms. I like every small details. You did it very well. Waiting for the gallery walls updates. Thanks for the ideas!
May I know what is the size of your painting ?
The photography print is Gray Malin’s medium size (24″ x 36″), and the framed print size is 29.5″ x 41.5″
So cute! Where did you get your pink throw pillows? The link you have posted is not working.
Unfortunately they’re sold out since they’re from 2015, but they are Society Social! https://www.shopsocietysocial.com/collections/pillows
Hi! Love all of this. What’s your paint color and where to get leopard pillows
Hi Heather! The paint color was the standard color the building had it painted when I moved in, so I actually have no idea. But you can find the pillows here: https://www.shopsocietysocial.com/collections/pillows/products/leopard-print-pillow-1