Room of the Day: Soothing and Sunny Living Room
A transitional-style living room provides a grown-up space for a family to entertain and enjoy quiet moments
When Jake and Bethany Block moved from San Francisco to the East Bay community of Lafayette, California, they wanted the living room in their new suburban ranch-style home to be a relaxed, soothing and grown-up space where they could entertain and lounge. With two kids and a dog, the couple needed a nice alternative to their more hectic and kid-centric family room. They worked with designer Ellen Nystrom to create a transitional-style space that incorporates an existing lamp and painting into the new design, with fabrics inspired by favorite colors seen in the painting and in the lush landscape outside.
A hand-woven wool rug with a geometric design in gray and cream adds coziness underfoot. “We really wanted to bring in some bold pattern, and that was the way to do it,” Nystrom says. “We didn’t want to commit to that much pattern on the sofa, so this was the best way to go.”
The transitional-style gray sofa with clean lines has a durable and stain-resistant fabric that makes sense for a home with two kids and a dog. “We wanted something comfortable but not sloppy looking,” Bethany says. “Since we do have kids, we wanted a darker color and went with a low-maintenance fabric.”
The glossy white coffee table with stainless steel base seen in this photo developed a crack, and the couple had trouble finding an exact replacement. A weathered-wood table with a dark metal base has since taken its place. A wood cabinet with metal base (not shown) sits on the wall opposite the sofa and stores linens and entertaining supplies.
Sofa: York, Room & Board; area rug: Fallon FAL-1101, 8-by-11-foot reversible, Surya; wall artwork: “Carmel Valley” (left of window), Stefanie Steinberg, “Tree Silhouette” (right of window), Julie Keaten-Reed
The transitional-style gray sofa with clean lines has a durable and stain-resistant fabric that makes sense for a home with two kids and a dog. “We wanted something comfortable but not sloppy looking,” Bethany says. “Since we do have kids, we wanted a darker color and went with a low-maintenance fabric.”
The glossy white coffee table with stainless steel base seen in this photo developed a crack, and the couple had trouble finding an exact replacement. A weathered-wood table with a dark metal base has since taken its place. A wood cabinet with metal base (not shown) sits on the wall opposite the sofa and stores linens and entertaining supplies.
Sofa: York, Room & Board; area rug: Fallon FAL-1101, 8-by-11-foot reversible, Surya; wall artwork: “Carmel Valley” (left of window), Stefanie Steinberg, “Tree Silhouette” (right of window), Julie Keaten-Reed
Nystrom separated a pair of marble-topped nesting tables and placed one next to the sofa and the other between a pair of turquoise swivel chairs.
The inviting chairs can be used for reading or for visiting with guests on the sofa. The chairs can also be turned around to face the fireplace when the couple want to enjoy a glass of wine in front of the fire.
The curved lines of the swivel chairs and round folds of the Roman window shades help soften the room. A favorite table lamp with gray crackled base and white linen shade that the family had in their smaller San Francisco home was worked into the new design.
Pillows with splashes of coral add contrasting color to both the sofa and chairs. The three large casement windows behind the sofa look out to the home’s front yard.
Side tables: Tiffin Nesting Tables, Bernhardt; side chairs: Madison Swivel Chair in Kravet fabric, Jessica Charles; pillows: Target
The inviting chairs can be used for reading or for visiting with guests on the sofa. The chairs can also be turned around to face the fireplace when the couple want to enjoy a glass of wine in front of the fire.
The curved lines of the swivel chairs and round folds of the Roman window shades help soften the room. A favorite table lamp with gray crackled base and white linen shade that the family had in their smaller San Francisco home was worked into the new design.
Pillows with splashes of coral add contrasting color to both the sofa and chairs. The three large casement windows behind the sofa look out to the home’s front yard.
Side tables: Tiffin Nesting Tables, Bernhardt; side chairs: Madison Swivel Chair in Kravet fabric, Jessica Charles; pillows: Target
An existing pony wall and column slightly divide the living room from the front entry. “The openness and airiness was one of the things they loved about this home,” Nystrom says.
This view looking from the living room into the front entry highlights the attractive turquoise bench. “Having a backless piece of furniture helped us keep the connection between the two spaces,” Nystrom says. “It also relates to the entry by giving people a place to remove or change shoes.”
The entry features a rustic console table that provides extra storage. The table is paired with a large mirror in a metallic finish that the family owned.
Bench: Sudbury in Kravet fabric, Bernhardt; console table: Wildon Home, Wayfair; woven tray on pony wall: Target
The entry features a rustic console table that provides extra storage. The table is paired with a large mirror in a metallic finish that the family owned.
Bench: Sudbury in Kravet fabric, Bernhardt; console table: Wildon Home, Wayfair; woven tray on pony wall: Target
The white-linen Roman shades over the large casement windows have an embroidered pattern that adds a bit of visual interest. A contrasting border in a different pattern ties in the blue color around the room.
“It’s a big, beautiful space that just lets me breathe and hear my thoughts,” Bethany says. “My favorite colors were used in this room, which always makes me feel happy when I pass by.”
Window treatments: fabric, Kravet; trim, Samuel & Sons; fabrication: The Roman Shade Co. of San Mateo
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“It’s a big, beautiful space that just lets me breathe and hear my thoughts,” Bethany says. “My favorite colors were used in this room, which always makes me feel happy when I pass by.”
Window treatments: fabric, Kravet; trim, Samuel & Sons; fabrication: The Roman Shade Co. of San Mateo
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Browse the latest living room photos
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: Jake and Bethany Block, their two kids and dog
Location: Lafayette, California
Size: About 315 square feet (29 square meters)
Cost: $21,000
Designer: Ellen Nystrom of Nystrom Design
The soft white vaulted ceiling and trim were kept the same, but the creamy yellow walls were painted gray to create a neutral backdrop. “It’s a warm gray that works really well in this setting — in particular, by the way the light bounces off it from the skylights and windows,” Nystrom says. “The white ceiling has a sheen, which also helps the light bounce around.”
An acrylic chandelier on a dimmer switch also helps reflect light and creates a stunning focal point in a style that’s a nod to the midcentury ranch vibe of the home. “When my husband saw a picture of it, he went gaga,” says Bethany, who used Houzz to help gather ideas for this project. “When people walk through our front door, that’s the first thing they comment on, how striking it is.”
The fireplace surround that previously had the same creamy yellow as the walls was repainted with the same soft white that was used on the ceiling and trim. The change makes the fireplace surround feel more crisp and fresh. Track lighting helps accentuate the family’s favorite painting. The blues and greens in the artwork and in the lush landscape outside helped inspire the room’s palette, which includes touches of turquoise and pops of coral.
Wall paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore; fireplace painting: Stacy Dynan; chandelier: Acrylic Cube, Regina Andrew Design