My Chicago Living Room Tour

Bows & Sequins living room decor with a gold and white marble coffee table, Society Social navy velvet couch, pink and leopard throw pillows.

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.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a navy blue velvet couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, gold and white marble coffee table, and pink wingback chair.

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!)

Bows & Sequins living room with a gold bookshelf bar cart, gold table lamp, and white entertainment center with a woven chevron area rug.

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!

Bows & Sequins Chicago apartment with vision bulletin board, navy bow back chair, pink wingback chair, palm print pillow, navy velvet couch

Bows & Sequins living room with a gold bookshelf bar cart, gold table lamp, and white entertainment center.Decorating with books is such an easy way to add more color to your space!

Bows & Sequins bar cart with Stop & Drink the Rose and Drink More Gin wall prints.

Bows & Sequins shares her bar cart staples on an Hermès orange tray: White Girl rosé, Moët, striped straws, pineapple drink stirrers.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a navy blue velvet couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, gold and white marble coffee table, and pink wingback chair.

Yep, you can totally see the pieces for my gallery wall hiding under my couch from this angle. Whoops!

Bows & Sequins living room with a gold bookshelf bar cart, gold table lamp, and white entertainment center with a woven chevron area rug.

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.

Bows & Sequins shares her bar cart: Chandon sparkling wine, Moët, disco ball mug, Drink More Gin and Stop and Drink the Rosé wall prints.Bows & Sequins living room with a gold bookshelf bar cart, gold table lamp, and white entertainment center with a woven chevron area rug.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a pink wingback chair and colorful printed throw pillow, snake plant, and stacked books.

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.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a navy blue velvet Society Social couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, gold and white marble coffee table, stacked trunks, and pink wingback chair.

Chicago living room decor with Gray Malin Italy print, navy velvet couch, pink and leopard pillows, and marble lamp.

Bows & Sequins gold and marble coffee table decor with Condé Nast Traveller Chic Stays book, Paris in Color.

Bows & Sequins coffee table decor with a gold mirror tray with drink accessories.

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!

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a fiddle leaf fig, Gray Malin print, marble coffee table with a gold mirror tray

Bows & Sequins bar cart with Stop & Drink the Rose and Drink More Gin wall prints.

Bows & Sequins shares her bar cart staples on an Hermès orange tray: White Girl rosé, Moët, striped straws, pineapple drink stirrers.

Bows & Sequins bookshelf decor with stacked Elements of Style, Thug Kitchen cook book, Bright Bazaar coffee table book, and decorative spike sphere.

Bows & Sequins bar cart with Stop & Drink the Rose and Drink More Gin wall prints.

Chicago living room with a gold bar cart, gold table lamp on magazine stack, gold thumbs up statue, and white entertainment center.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room with Society Social navy velvet couch, pink wingback couch, fiddle leaf fig, gold and marble coffee table, and Gray Malin print.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room with navy velvet Society Social couch with pink and leopard throw pillows and a framed Gray Malin Italy print.

Bows & Sequins navy velvet Society Social couch with pink and leopard throw pillows, framed Gray Malin Italy print, and gold and marble coffee table with mirror tray.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room office with a navy velvet couch, mirror end table with stacked coffee books, navy bow chair

I’ll be sharing all of the details from my workspace soon!

Update: See that post here!

Chicago blogger living room decor with a gold glass end table, marble lamp, and gold pineapple decor.

Bows & Sequins living room bookshelf arrangement: Influence by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Living in Style, Bright Lights Paris, and gold plated gun.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a fiddle leaf fig, Gray Malin print, marble coffee table, gold side table

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a fiddle leaf fig, Gray Malin print, marble coffee table with a gold mirror tray

Bows & Sequins gold and marble coffee table with stacked books, mirror tray, and Do One Thing Every Day That Centers You book.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room with navy velvet Society Social couch with pink and leopard throw pillows, a framed Gray Malin Italy print, fiddle leaf fig, and marble table lamp.

Bows & Sequins living room decor with a fiddle leaf fig, stacked trunks, Gray Malin print, Society Social velvet couch, and pink and leopard throw pillows.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a fiddle leaf fig, Gray Malin print, custom velvet navy couch, pink wingback chair, and layered area rugs

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room: velvet navy couch, Gray Malin print, marble coffee table, pink and leopard throw pillows.

Bows & Sequins coffee table decor with a gold mirror tray with drink accessories.

Chicago blogger living room decor with a gold glass end table, marble lamp, palm printed pillow, and gold pineapple decor.

Bows & Sequins living room with a gold bookshelf bar cart, gold table lamp, gold thumbs up statue, and white entertainment center.

Bows & Sequins shares her living room decor in Chicago: oui oui stacked plates, diptyque Rosafolia candle, and cupcakes & cashmere stacked books.

Bows & Sequins bar cart with Stop & Drink the Rose and Drink More Gin wall prints.

Bows & Sequins shares her bar cart: Chandon sparkling wine, Moët, disco ball mug, and Double Tap heart coasters.

Bows & Sequins shares her bar cart staples on an Hermès orange tray with pink and orange polka dot glasses: White Girl rosé, Moët, striped straws, and pineapple drink stirrers.

Bows & Sequins living room decor with a fiddle leaf fig, stacked trunks, Gray Malin print, Society Social velvet couch, pink and leopard throw pillows

Bows & Sequins living room decor with a Gray Malin print, Society Social navy velvet couch with pink and leopard throw pillows.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a pink wingback chair and colorful printed throw pillow, snake plant, and stacked books.

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.

Chicago living room with a brass bookshelf bar cart, gold table lamp on magazine stack, gold thumbs up statue, and white entertainment center.

Bows & Sequins bar cart with Stop & Drink the Rose and Drink More Gin wall prints.

Bows & Sequins living room decor: Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, navy velvet couch, stacked coffee table books.

Bows & Sequins living room decor: gold pineapple, palm printed throw pillow, marble lamp, Garance Doré photography book.

Bows & Sequins living room decor: gold pineapple, palm printed throw pillow, marble lamp, Garance Doré photography book.

Bows & Sequins living room bookshelf arrangement: Influence by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Living in Style, Bright Lights Paris, and gold plated gun.

Bows & Sequins living room decor with a Gray Malin print, Society Social navy velvet couch, coffee table and tray.

Chicago living room with a brass bookshelf bar cart, gold table lamp on magazine stack, gold thumbs up statue, and white entertainment center.

Bows & Sequins shares her bar cart: Chandon sparkling wine, Moët, disco ball mug, and Drink More Gin wall print.

Bows & Sequins custom navy velvet Society Social couch with pink and leopard throw pillows and framed Gray Malin Italy print.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a pink wingback chair and colorful printed throw pillow, snake plant, and stacked books.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a navy blue velvet Society Social couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, gold and white marble coffee table, and pink wingback chair.

Bows & Sequins living room mirror tray with coasters, matchbox collection, and Travel + Leisure magazine.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a fiddle leaf fig, Gray Malin Italy print, marble coffee table, and layered area rugs.

Bows & Sequins custom navy velvet Society Social couch with pink and leopard throw pillows and framed Gray Malin Italy print.

Bows & Sequins bar cart with Stop & Drink the Rose and Drink More Gin wall prints.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a navy blue velvet couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, marble coffee table, and layered area rugs.

Bows & Sequins navy velvet Society Social couch with pink and leopard throw pillows, framed Gray Malin Italy print, and gold and marble coffee table with mirror tray and stacked books.

Bows & Sequins living room mirror tray with coasters, matchbox collection, and Travel + Leisure magazine.

Bows & Sequins Chicago apartment living room with a navy blue velvet Society Social couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, gold and white marble coffee table, and pink wingback chair.

Bows & Sequins Chicago apartment living room with a navy blue velvet Society Social couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, gold and white marble coffee table, and pink wingback chair.

Bows & Sequins Chicago living room decor with a navy blue velvet Society Social couch, Gray Malin Italy print, pink and leopard throw pillows, gold and white marble coffee table, stacked trunks, and pink wingback chair.

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28 Comments

  1. 6.20.17
    Ellen said:

    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

  2. 6.20.17

    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

  3. 6.20.17

    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.

  4. 6.20.17
    Sarah said:

    Love the space!! Somewhat random question — how do you keep the fiddle leaf fig alive with all of your traveling?!

    • 6.20.17
      Jessica said:

      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!

  5. 6.20.17
    Kerrie said:

    Loving your taste in cushions and the pink and navy seating is gorgeous 🙂

  6. 6.20.17

    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. 🙂

  7. 6.20.17
    Mary said:

    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

  8. 6.21.17
    evelyn said:

    Such a happy and chic space! I love it!

  9. 8.18.17

    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!

  10. 8.19.17
    Crystal said:

    May I know what is the size of your painting ?

    • 1.8.20
      Jessica said:

      The photography print is Gray Malin’s medium size (24″ x 36″), and the framed print size is 29.5″ x 41.5″

  11. 1.8.20
    Chandni said:

    So cute! Where did you get your pink throw pillows? The link you have posted is not working.

  12. 12.15.20
    Heather said:

    Hi! Love all of this. What’s your paint color and where to get leopard pillows