Hope you are having a great summer! After taking a little “blog break” I have decided to change the format of things a little.
If you have read recent blogs I was doing a series called “Have You Seen This?” I would share items that I would find in magazines, on the internet, at market, etc. I thought it would be a fun change to begin not just sharing the items, but pairing them together, since this is what I do for my clients. Thus, “Instant Room” was born. In this series, I will choose items for what we will call “virtual rooms”. Not real rooms, with real clients. Just spaces that I use to “virtually” show how to put a room together from items that I find using the internet only. This quick process does not, by any means, mirror that of a real design project. There are so many important little details that go into designing just one space. This is meant to hopefully give you a little insight and maybe even some good ideas that you can use in your home!
So many times I hear both clients and those who visit my shop say “I know what I like, I just can’t put it all together to make it look good!” Do you ever feel that way? If so, I think you will enjoy this new series of blogs where I decide on a decorating style, then go room by room, coordinating furniture, fabrics, flooring, lighting, etc. Hope you enjoy….
So, what style will be first in this “Instant Room” series? Because I do not get the opportunity to complete very many projects that fall into the “Modern” category, I thought that would be a great place to start! Here we go…
the modern living room
Let’s begin with a sofa. I found this great piece, the “Bantam Sofa” on the Design Within Reach website (www.designwithinreach.com). I like the neutrality of the color. I like that is not gray, which is what I see in many modern spaces. Gray can be very dull, so I decided to go with this linen-like color to avoid the drabness of gray. (To all the “gray lovers” out there….I am not opposed to grays, in fact, I wear gray a lot! It just seems that it has been used so much in modern design, I just wanted to go in a little different direction!) 
What about some throw pillows for the sofa? You will need one to rest your head for that Sunday afternoon nap, right? We need a fabric for the pillows. I chose this Duralee fabric, which incorporates the sofa color, but will also coordinate other pieces and fabrics to come.
Before we go much farther, I should introduce the wall color, which is such an important piece of the puzzle. To stay in the “modern” category I wanted to keep the colors rather monotone, so I decided to choose a wall color that would do just that. “Buckram Binding” from Sherwin-Williams provides a soothing, neutral backdrop for the room.
We need some additional seating. Again, from the Design Within Reach website, I found this great chair. It’s straight lines keep us in line with the modern feel of the space. The “Krefold Lounge Chair” is the perfect fit.
Although the cream leather shown on the Krefold Lounge Chair is gorgeous, how about something a little more striking and glam?
This faux croc fabric fits the bill, no questions asked!!
End tables, where are you??? I need a resting place for my beverage, my eye glasses and my favorite new novel!
The straight lines and slim look of this end table really caught my eye. I like that there is open and closed storage as well. The “American Modern Side Table” is a perfect addition to our space! (Can you guess where I found it??)
The “Skagen Cocktail Table” compliments our other pieces quite well. In keeping with the modern feel of the space, this table adds just the right amount of curve in the legs, but just enough straight line to accompany it’s side table accomplice. (Design Within Reach).
Now that we have established our furniture pieces, we need an area rug. Again, thank you 
Design Within Reach. Here comes the gray!! The “Grace Rug” does a great job of grounding our sofa and lounge chairs and also coordinates with the gray in the sofa pillows.
Now for the finishing touches! Lighting, art work and window treatments!
(Accessories- Design Within Reach)
Baton Table Lamp
The Sunflower Clock
“Rubio, Sky, Moon & Hawk” by Bonnie Edelman
For the window treatments, simple, stationary drapery panels
(fabric by Duralee) will provide simplicity and softness. The drapery hardware by Helser Brothers will add a touch of bold that is appropriate for a Modern space and adds something that we do not see in other parts of the room.
And, just like that, we are done!
Now, I would like to mention, that unlike the shows you see on TV, this process is not one that can be done in a weekend. Lots of questions have to be asked, a budget has to be established, details have to be attended to and a time line has to be created to make it all come together to produce the envisioned result. Also, I do not usually suggest that you hit one website or store and make every needed selection. But, what this does show, is that with a little thought and some good help, you can choose those items you like and put them together in a way that makes you savor your space.
Thank you for spending a snippet of your time here today. Be looking for our next space- the modern Kitchen!
