Decorate Like A Designer – 20 Unexpected Furniture/Decor Combos Picked From The Lulu & Georgia Labor Dale Sale

Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do when designing a room is creating one that is functional, stylish, cohesive, and reflects your personality. All rooms don’t have to be all of those things, but I think because we are used to seeing perfectly styled rooms that are also UNIQUE, it’s normal to crave that satisfaction in our own homes. But I must remind you (and myself) that the perfectly styled rooms we see on the internet are the result of SEVERAL professionals working together and often borrowing products and styling for one specific shot. Most people don’t live in magazine-worthy homes. That said, I know what it feels like to want a home that is functional, stylish, cohesive, and reflects MY personality. There are many ways to do this, but today I am talking about creating unexpected furniture and decor combinations to make a room feel fresh and exciting (but still cohesive). So how do we do it? I’m glad you asked. The three simple ways to achieve this are:

1. Don’t be afraid to mix several different styles.

2. Combine different textures, patterns, and colors.

3. Incorporate a variety of shapes.

Simple enough, right? And guys, you can even do all three! Just remember, the #1 rule is you can mix ANY style as long as you have a consistent color palette throughout the space.

So since Lulu & Georgia is having their annual Labor Day sale (praise be) and they are our favorite one-stop shop for all things furniture and decor, we put together some shoppable pairings that are exciting and make our hearts beat a little faster. (P.S. all of the products are currently on sale, and the price listed under the product photos is NOT the marked-down price. Be sure to click the link to see the on-sale price). Let’s get into it.

Sofas + Coffee Tables

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our light filled neutral and textural living room

Let’s start with the main living room players: the sofa and the coffee table. In the mountain house living room above, Emily matched a modern vintage sculptural sofa with a modern organic oval coffee table. This choice feels unexpected because the shapes are so different, but they still feel cohesive together because both are neutral and work within the color palette of the room.

1. Gunther Sofa + Duke Round Coffee Table: I love that both these pieces have flat, curved bases but their style and color are different. The sofa is very quiet and minimal so it contrasts really well with a black table that has a dramatic marble texture.
2. Fabienne Sofa + Brisa Coffee Table: This might be my favorite pairing of all time!! The texture combination alone is breathtaking. Geen velvet and burlwood are a match made in literal heaven. Also, please note the legs on the sofa versus the coffee table. The round traditional curves of sofa legs mixed with the postmodern double-block coffee table legs creates a lovely and unexpected juxtaposition.
3. Eleanor Sofa + Dija Round Table: There’s no doubt that the sofa is elegant. She’s refined. She’s luxurious. So are you surprised she pairs so well with the natural wood industrial-style coffee table? It must be the hard lines of the table mixed with the curves of the sofa that make it such a unique (but oh so good) pairing.
4. Breanne Leather Sofa + Ada Oval Coffee Table: Last but not least in this category we have this classic brown leather sofa and modern coffee table. The sofa tufting, color, and shape give it a vintage look so when paired with the very contemporary oval coffee table it is surprising but really special. The thick coffee table legs really stand out against the tapered sofa legs. Like I said, SO good.

Side Tables + Lighting

design by jess bunge for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the feel-good modern romantic bedroom makeover

Side tables and lighting are often coupled together in a room, and both are small enough that you can really get creative by pairing different styles or shapes. In the above bedroom, Jess scored two vintage nightstands and added a modern flair by using two brass dome table lamps. The brass coupled with the dark wood is STUNNING and really gives the room a fresh feel.

1. Culver Side Table + Enno Table Lamp: I love how the inverted triangle shape of the table makes it wider on the top and narrow on the bottom, and on the contrary, the bulb-shaped lamp has a wider base and narrower top. That contrast just looks so cool together, and the smooth all-white lamp really pops nicely against the natural wood grain and fluted detail.
2. Mathus Side Table + Thaddeus Marble Table Lamp: I love this traditional yet industrial matte black side table with a rustic wooden lamp. The large lampshade also adds a traditional flair that speaks to the style of the table. I NEED to see this pair in a room somewhere…
3. Pentwater Side Table + Annika Floor Lamp: That Sarah Sherman Samuel coiled side table already has an interesting shape and a lot of movement, so it calls for a mate that is more simple and classic. The double-necked floor lamp gives just that.
4. Remwald Side Table + Saima Table Lamp: I love the chunkiness of the side table and the light natural wood finish. Paired with the U-shaped lamp base and scalloped shade detail, the table feels modern and fresh.

Dining Tables + Chairs

design by allison pierce | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the no-reno house that looks completely renovated

Mixing the style of your dining table and chairs is the easiest way to create a unique look in your dining room. The more opposing the styles, the better IMHO. I love in the above dining room by Allison Pierce, she mixed a sleek, mid-century modern table with antique farmhouse chairs. The chairs are so stunning and have the coolest details. Do you see those chunky back legs and the back design?? It looks so fresh and exciting paired with the more modern, hard lines of the table.

1. Sandy Dining Table + Whit Dining Chair: That Sarah Sherman Samuel dining chair is something else. It’s so sculptural and elegant that it could potentially look stellar with any style dining table. The unique pairing with the industrial farmhouse table though is such a cool look.
2. Nera Round Dining Table + Lerri Dining Chair: I can easily imagine this chunky wood table in a minimal home with light wood chairs, but paired with a colorful upholstered one, the irregular shape of the table really stands out which makes the pair so interesting together.
3. Maelea Bistro Table + Sydney Dining Chair (Set of 2): I think anything industrial paired with an extremely modern or sculptural element will turn heads. Mark today as the day I learned boucle and aluminum are meant to be together.
4. Ashford Dining Table + Raiatea Dining Chair: Not only is the dining chair woven giving it a beautiful texture, but it also has a unique shape. That texture and shape mixed with the sleek lines of this table are so good, plus I just love a light color chair paired with an all-black table. SWOON.

Rugs + Wallpaper

design by kirsten blazek | photo by alex zarour of virtually here studios | from: tour creative director of 1000x better kirsten blazek’s soulful vintage filled home

Wallpaper or a rug can easily be a jumping-off point for designing a room since they can be very large and stand-out pieces. If you want to create an exciting room right off the bat, you can start with a bold wallpaper mixed with a bold rug. Take this bedroom for example. If you don’t immediately recognize it, this is home of Kirsten Blazek, who I personally revere for her expert use of wallpaper. I love how the large-scale, colorful cactus flowers bring in an eclectic desert vibe, and then the rug grounds the room but still has a pattern and color that contrasts the wallpaper. The pair together truly elevates the room and is so pleasing to the eye.

1. Apple Wallpaper + Senna Rug: Moody Victorian-style wallpaper plus a thick geometric lined rug equals me falling head over heels. I really want to see these two in a room ASAP.
2. Persimmon Birds Wallpaper + Irregular Grid Rug: I love this pairing so much it’s making me rethink everything. I am not currently trying to design my bedroom (since my husband and I will likely have to move to a two-bedroom soon) but that botanical wallpaper with the irregular grid rug would be perfect to create a cozy yet eclectic bedroom.
3. Checkerboard Wallpaper + Daelon Rug: Remember when I said you can mix any style as long as you stick to a consistent color palette? I think this pair here proves that. The trendy checkered wallpaper looks like it was made to be matched with a vintage-style Persian rug.
4. Francois Floral Wallpaper + Benita Geometric Striped Rug: I think this pair proves botanicals and grids are perfect together. The floral pattern is timeless and the grid is more trendy so the two together creates an exciting look. But again, these two are working well together because they have a similar color palette so the clashing of patterns is still easy on the eye.

Wall Art + Decor

styling by lulu and georgia | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

Our final category is wall art and decor which is probably the area you can have the most fun with. Decor is often smaller in scale (I say often because statues and large sculptures do exist and are AWESOME) so it’s low risk and high reward. In the above vignette, a large abstract painting (leaned instead of hung which is one of our favorite styling tricks) is matched with a miniature ladder. I love how the ladder feels eclectic yet quiet and vintage, while the painting is modern and bold. The two together feel special and intentional.

1. Study of Clouds + Ema Vases (Set of 2): A classic vintage style cloud painting with muted blue tones pairs beautifully with these two marbled gray narrow-necked vases. I love how the modern vase shape and dark color contrast with the soft colors of the painting and the ornate brass frame.
2. See Through Wall Art + Cascina Vase: This abstract modern art piece is quiet enough that it is complemented by the organic-looking vase really nicely. I especially love the rattan-wrapped handles that bring in a rustic flair.
3. Botanical Study + Minah Vases (Set of 2): The way the cast-aluminum finish juxtaposes the yellow and green hues of the botanical painting is almost too good for my eyes to handle. Once again, a vintage-style painting with modern vases creates such a fresh and unique look.
4. Sculpture I & II Print + Sina Vase: This large-scale block art has hard geometric lines so an organic-looking, sculptural vase creates movement that is really fun to see. I love how this vase can be a flower vessel or just stand alone as its own sculptural decor element.

Alright my friends, this is where I begrudgingly leave you (I swear I could fantasize about unexpected furniture pairings all day long). Which one is your favorite? Are you feeling inspired to try any of these out in your home? Tell me everything. xx

Opener Image Credits: Design and Styled by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: All Your Living Room Styling Questions Answered

The post Decorate Like A Designer – 20 Unexpected Furniture/Decor Combos Picked From The Lulu & Georgia Labor Dale Sale appeared first on Emily Henderson.

from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/how-to-design-an-exciting-room

The 5 Go-To/No-Fail Living Room Layout Configuration Options To Make The Most Out Of Your Space

Have you ever had a tough time trying to figure out the right seating layout for your living room? ME TOO. Remember this post? You just want it to make sense AND look good. Now, every living room is basically its own little snowflake, unique and likely stocked with architectural features that make you question if anyone involved in the home building process thinks about furniture placement. Not trying to throw shade buuuuttttt… So today we have our 5 go-to seating furniture configurations to hopefully be the Advil for your layout headache. Now since living rooms aren’t all shaped the same, you may need to slightly modify these to make them work best for your space. But don’t worry because we are going to talk through them all.

As I was compiling these layouts based on rooms we have actually designed, this one was one of the most popular. It offers lots of seating options, is perfect for a living room with one main focal point (yes, like a fireplace or where you want to put your tv), and really fills out a room but not in a super crowded way (unless you have a small living room).

MODIFICATIONS:

• If you have a smaller living room, you can take away one, two, or all three of the accent chairs (maybe add a small ottoman or two for more seats).
• If it looks too crowded or is unnecessary, you don’t need to have a side table for each seat and/or each side of the sofa.
• The “lone chair” can be placed diagonally as shown in the graphic or placed directly across from the two chairs.

DESIGN TIPS:

• Make sure that all of your accent chairs don’t match. We almost always have the two that are side-by-side match but the third, on the other side, be different.
• Mix up materials in both fabrics and table finishes.
• Mix up table shapes. It’s going to look “one-note” if say all of your tables are circles.

Let’s now look at some examples:

photo by david tsay for styled: secrets for arranging rooms, from tabletops to bookshelves

This living room belongs to the founder of Schoolhouse Electric, Brian Faherty, and was styled for Em’s first book. Notice how Brian chose a traditional leather chesterfield sofa, with two midcentury modern style matching chairs in a classic patterned fabric, then to mix up the seating even more he chose a beautiful MCM lounge chair and ottoman. None of the seating matches but they all work together and are perfectly complemented by that simple industrial coffee table. Notice also how he only has one side table. I think it would have felt crowded otherwise. So then with a few other furniture pieces along the perimeter, this layout is comfortable, visually interesting, and perfectly fills in the space.

photos by zeke ruelas | from: brady’s living room reveal

Here was Brady’s first iteration of his living room layout. Same idea as Brian’s but flipped. Brady also added a side table between the set of leather chairs.

photo by zeke ruelas | from: brady’s living room reveal

Here you now can see that the layout is focused around his awesome fireplace:) Also instead of a larger lounge chair, he choose a fun-shaped accent chair in a lighter toned leather without any kind of ottoman or table. Since his living room was smaller he didn’t need it for the room to feel full.

photo by zeke ruelas | from: ginny’s living room reveal

EHD alum, Ginny, also decided this was the best layout for maximum seating and focusing on her fireplace.

photos by zeke ruelas | from: ginny’s living room reveal

Ginny also had to deal with the fact that her front door opened into her living room. Because of that, the two matching chairs are slightly further from the sofa (not touching the rug), giving the illusion of a separate seating area and entry. A very slight modification that makes a big difference for the flow of the room.

Now for Option Two! So maybe you don’t love that first layout or maybe you have more than one focal point. This is a great option for you then. Having two chairs directly across from your sofa is a great way to prioritize conversation while still making sure your TV can also be a priority.

MODIFICATIONS:

• Chairs can be split up to be across from each other (so a simpler version of Option One)
• You can decrease your number of side tables.
• You can replace the chairs with a bench (but that might not be as comfortable to sit on:))
• The sofa could be a sectional as seen in Em’s old living room.

DESIGN TIP:

• If you want to be able to see what is behind the chairs, make sure they have a low profile. You don’t want to block the TV if no one is sitting in them!

photo by tessa neustadt | from: mel’s living room reveal

Another EHD Design Team Alum, Mel, perfectly achieved this layout in her old living room. Her view was clearly a priority for her so she chose to have her sofa facing that direction so she could enjoy it. Then to have her living room still feel cozy yet airy, she placed those two beautiful light leather chairs directly across for when she had a few guests over. Notice how the wall with the credenza is another focal point and this layout also invites it in.

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: ugly cry” warning: sara gives her momma’s living room a refresh for mother’s day

When Sara helped her parents refresh their living room this was also the perfect layout given the two points of entry and the fireplace. It feels open yet cozy. They also didn’t have to worry about a tv for this space so using the taller wingback chairs was an awesome design choice that gave the room more visual levels.

photos by tessa neustadt | from: griffith park sunroom reveal

While this isn’t a pass-through room, this is a great layout if you have one. Actually, this is a great example!

If you have a large living room with one designated focal point, this could be a great option for you. It gives you a ton of seating and is perfect for facilitating conversations. I think we could all use more of that!

MODIFICATIONS:

• If you don’t have space for the accent chairs get’em outta there!
• Add or take away side tables as needed.

DESIGN TIP:

• Unless you have a strong vision and want to break the rules, pick matching sofas and then matching accent chairs. If you are desperate to mix things up a little but don’t know where to start, choose the same sofa (or chair) and just pick a different color in the same fabric. Like two of the same velvet sofa in two different colors.

photo by tessa neustadt | from: griffith park living room reveal

This is best shown in the Griffith Park Living Room. The focal point is clearly the fireplace (ornate and traditional), the sofas (simple and modern) are matching as well as the chairs (modern and vintage). Can you just imagine all the fun game (and maybe wine) nights that have been held in this room?? Also, that organic coffee table is incredible and brings so much movement and contrasts the traditional style of the home perfectly.

design by annie segal and marieke ochtman of asom home | styled by pop up home | photo by corey gibbons | from: tour this house flip in the hills (by emily’s friend of asom home)

So these boucle beauts are more loveseat sized but you still get the idea. The difference with this layout is that the chairs are next to the fireplace and are on a diagonal. Looks very cool and fun.

You knew I wouldn’t leave you without talking about a sectional layout:) This is another Em Henderson go-to. It’s great for a large living room with a focal point like a fireplace. Let’s just jump right in:

MODIFICATIONS:

• Doesn’t matter which side the chaise is on.
• Both chairs can be placed at a diagonal.
• Take away a chair if you don’t have the space.
• Add or take away side tables as needed.

DESIGN TIP:

• Personally, I think it’s more visually interesting for the chairs to be different but as you will see below matching look great too.

photos by tessa neustadt | from: how to add style to a neutral living room (+ get the look)

Ahhh. The stunning Glendale house. Em has always said she didn’t finally nail the layout and color palette of this room until this version (the one she styled to sell it). But the brown leather chair is spaced just far enough from the sectional’s chaise to not crowd it but isn’t so far that it feels all by itself. Then the opposite chair helps to bring in the other side of the room. Big fan.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: mountain house reveal: our light-filled neutral textural living room

At the mountain house, Em did more of the “pair of chairs” look across from the sectional but choose mix-matched chairs for a unique, eclectic look. Those organic side tables and coffee table also help to really fill out the space.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the ultimate family-friendly media room + wet bar

The media room from the Portland Project, has this layout but used matching accent chairs and they look great.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the ultimate family-friendly media room + wet bar

Also because they are close to the wall, it was the perfect opportunity to use high-back chairs. No need to worry about blocking any views:)

Last but not least we have “the small living room” layout. I kinda covered this in Option One but I wanted to give you some visual examples.

MODIFICATIONS:

• You can take away the chair or replace it with a small ottoman.
• You can take away a side table.

DESIGN TIP:

Don’t be afraid of standard-sized furniture in a small space. Sometimes “small space” specific furniture can make a room look even smaller. Of course, be sure to measure to make sure the pieces will fit and not overcrowd. It’s a balance:)

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: jess’ long awaited (small space) living room reveal

Here’s my old little baby living room. I didn’t choose the smallest size sofa offered and was able to fit two side tables and that fun little accent chair. To be honest, the chair wasn’t sat in very much because of its size BUT it added a ton of personality and was useful for the couple of “parties” I did throw.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: ryann’s living/dining room moto reveal

Ryann’s living room is also on the smaller side but she was able to get that wonderful vintage wingback chair in there without it feeling crowded. Instead, it helps to define the living space from the dining area.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: mountain house reveal: how we designed our super kid-friendly family room

Emily’s mountain house family room is definitely a more “standard” size but this layout is still great! The key is to make sure the proportions of the furniture are correct. This sofa is big and deep, that incredible chair is larger with a good sized ottoman, and the coffee table is also a great size. Scale is always the hardest in any furniture layout design. You don’t want to overcrowd but you don’t want things to look bitsy. When it’s right is when it looks really well designed:)

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: my friend’s kid and pet-friendly family room reveal

Here’s one more because it’s pretty and I wanted to add it in! It feels really approachable and relatable. Hope it gives you even more confidence to go for it!

So there are our five living room seating layout configurations. There are definitely more but hopefully, these are universal enough to get you the living room you want.

Love you, mean it.

Oh and here they are all together if you want to have them pinned in one place:)

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Zeke Ruelas | From: Ginny’s Living Room Reveal

The post The 5 Go-To/No-Fail Living Room Layout Configuration Options To Make The Most Out Of Your Space appeared first on Emily Henderson.

from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/the-5-go-to-no-fail-living-room-layout-configuration-options-to-make-the-most-out-of-your-space

Lea’s Open Concept Pass-Through Dining Room Design Agony – SOLVED!

Hey friends! It has been such a looooong time since I first started working on the dining room dilemma. It’s been so long in fact I thought I’d start by sharing my design agony here so you can catch up on all my struggles with this space. If you have a  good memory, you’ll remember our dining room is an open concept and a pass-through space from the living room (which had its own problems that Emily helped me solve, thank you Em!) to the kitchen. Here is the floor plan so you can visualize the space:

As you can see we don’t have a lot of space here to work with and only have two walls on either side. The wall with windows has piano windows installed, not because we have an upright piano but because we live in the city and houses are placed within an arm’s length of one another. Trust me, we love our neighbors. Remember this post? But….we also don’t want to stare into their windows through our windows, ya feel me? Awkward.

Sometimes projects, however well intended, create a snowball effect that maybe you or I didn’t foresee. That’s what happened to us in our dining room. I loved our original dining room design and I especially loved our antique corner cabinet (ahem, I mean I did haul that thing from house to house with us as we moved), and I also really loved the table (still do, it’s been moved to the basement as my work surface). But when I re-designed the living room, we LOVED the way it took shape and how it started to vibe and feel organic. Which is great, except our dining room didn’t have that same FEEL.

The Living Room Now:

Wall Sconce | Sideboard | Stump Table (similar) | Arm Chair | Rug | Coffee Table | Round Ceramic Tray (large) | Modern Bowl   

The Dining Room Before:

Both are very pretty and feel very us, but they didn’t flow together and complement each other, especially when they’re a mere two feet away from one another and in the same visual path.

For context with this project, this all began during the pandemic and just as the world started to open back up. So if we were going to tackle a dining room makeover, some of my must-haves were:

• Cozy aesthetic
• Cohesive with the living room 
• Thoughtfully curated
• Bespoke
• Designed with intention
• Functionality and flow

Before we get into the reveal, you should know a lot (and I mean a lot ) of planning went into this space – keeping in mind, that we didn’t make one structural change. It was actually quite a few readers and Instagram friends who suggested banquette seating under the piano windows. (I’m always listening, folks!). Sadly, that would mean I would lose the corner cabinet I’ve held onto for 15 years but after much debate, it was time to let her go. This time, instead of retiring her to our storage unit, she found a new life with a new family who was looking and looking for a piece like her to complete their space.

So now that the idea of a banquette was heavy on my mind and since I was still grieving the loss of parting with my beloved corner cabinet, I knew something equally special had to replace her. So I began sketching out my ideas of bench seating and landed on this:

Don’t judge my not-so-3-D attempt at drawing. Yes, this is what I turned over to my friends at Traditional Cabinetry. Andrew and Liz both came out to measure (because you can’t take my word on measurements) and talk through the project. They really listened and we had really good chemistry right away. If you’re ever commissioning a custom-built piece just be aware that 1) it’s expensive (and rightfully so) and 2) you really need to have a good communication plan and relationship with your trade partner so that a drawing like this can actually be delivered. 

Insert Megan (not thee Stallion) – who took my chicken scratch and turned it into an actual buildable rendering.

Then the magic happened:

I just have to over-share because the amount of work and attention to detail that actually goes into a custom piece is remarkable and the Traditional Cabinetry team deserves their flowers.

Finally, it was install day!

Our very own in-house Quality Assurance Tester (AKA my husband) tested it thoroughly. And it was so good I could’ve stopped here.

Table (similar) | Chairs | Vase (similar) | Candle     

However, while all of the hard work and heavy lifting was going on I was literally holding meetings with Calico Corners to partner on phase II of the bench – the upholstery. Then we landed on these fabrics to complete the bench:

Calico Corners Stripe Fabric | Calico Corners Green Velvet Fabric

The Calico Corners team stopped out to measure the bench in person and off to the workroom they went to create the perfect complement to the white oak bench while also keeping within my organic aesthetic.

I’ve worked with Calico Corners on 4 projects now and every time, they exceed my expectations.

Did you know velvet is a wonderful performance fabric? So easy to clean and remove pet hair. I see you Remi and Mister! Also, these soft-close drawers feel so buttery.

Clearly, you can see how much I’m over the moon with this whole bench. The table and chairs really helped bring in warmth and comfort as well as the legs on this table are just well…sexy.

Now it’s been such a long time coming so I am so thrilled to share the reveal!

Calico Corners Striped Fabric | Calico Corners Green Velvet | Dining Table (similar) | Chairs | Chandelier | Counter Stool

Since we’ve snowballed here, I made a very simple swap of lighting and stools in the kitchen to also carry the flow of the dining room through to the kitchen a little bit more because we are SO not ready to look at a kitchen remodel.

Pendant Lights | Counter Stools | White Fruit Bowl

And now that we are older, I VERY much appreciate a stool with a back and these are so comfy while contrasting a bit more than their predecessors against the all-white cabinetry.

Cabinets | Armchair

I know I shared a peek of them before in my build-up to this post but I have to share again how these cabinets balance out this space while also providing much-needed storage and display space because as a stylist well….let’s just say I have a lot of stuff 🙂

Visually, the weight of the cabinets works so well with the adjacent wall where the bench and windows are. It’s a narrow room so shifting the seating to the window wall really helped define the walkway. See those sexy table legs I’m talking about? Also, your eyes aren’t going crazy, the table has a slightly irregular shape as well which made me fall even harder for her. Thank you, High Fashion Home.

And although I wish I had moved this chair for photography, it really is this beautiful and comfortable.

Back to those beautiful cabinets that so many people swoon over on Instagram.

I do get a lot of questions about how I styled them but truly I filled them with the pieces that I love and since I am a very earthy color pallet lover, well, it all just meshes on its own. Sure, I play with heights and arrangements but keeping within the same muted color family makes life easier when you have this many shelves and glass doors. Play with textures, glass, pottery, wood, etc. If this speaks to you as it does to me, I also gravitate towards artisan handmade items for their organic shapes and irregularities. Most of the items here have been thrifted and if you do choose to thrift, understand patience and persistence are your best friends because it takes time. But anyone can do it so don’t be discouraged. If this is where you find design paralysis within your own home, you can help narrow down what you like by saving inspiration photos from magazines (yes, I still do that) or of course, Pinterest. Now just pay attention to the photos you save. Something about those images even if they’re not matching your exact vision caught your eye. Study the image to find what is it that your eye is drawn to. The color? Shadowing? Textures? Does it spark a feeling you long to feel? The shape or silhouette of an object can also be alluring to the eye. 

Stylist Tip: Vary heights and scale so that your eye dances around to look at everything but leave enough visual breathing room for your eyes to rest. AKA – don’t cram all of the things into a cabinet just because they physically fit.

Dinner Plates (similar) | Pasta Bowls (similar) | Ceramic Cups (similar)

Like anything, styling takes practice and everyone works through design dilemmas and paralysis. 

One tip I learned with open-concept floor plans is to design them in a way that all of the spaces feel like they’re in the same relationship even though some may have different personalities. You can achieve this through color, textures, pattern-play, etc. Did I check off every single one off the must-haves in the dining room? No. But it finally feels juuuuust right. I think it feels cohesive with the living room now and that was one of my end goals. I like that the two spaces don’t match but they do complement one another and tell the same story. I get it, open-concept floor plans are tough! But, that doesn’t mean they are impossible and if I can do it without any structural changes being made, so can anyone else. The biggest lesson I learned when designing our dining room? Design with intention and purpose and ask yourself those tough questions such as investment vs. expense. Do you truly love it or can you wait until you find that perfect vintage/antique piece? Long story short, taking a scalable design approach really allowed me to thoughtfully curate our home.

*Design by Lea Johnson
**Photos by Sage E Imagery

The post Lea’s Open Concept Pass-Through Dining Room Design Agony – SOLVED! appeared first on Emily Henderson.

from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/open-concept-pass-through-dining-room-layout-solution