Color, Cactuses Bring California to New Jersey
With a pastel palette and fun accessories, the dream of Palm Springs comes to life in this living room
Splurges and savings. Working with a budget of under $4,000, Gage saved by reusing key pieces already in place and shopping at affordable online retailers for accessories. The flora and fauna wallpaper, however, was a big splurge at $600, taking a large chunk of the budget but making the biggest splash.
“We wanted something in the botanical family but were over traditional palm prints,” Gage says. “This style spoke to us. When I showed it to Natalie, she knew it was the one.”
Here, Jacob’s Chinese Crested dog, Bowie, strikes a pose.
Moroccan pouf: Wayfair; pillows: Target
“We wanted something in the botanical family but were over traditional palm prints,” Gage says. “This style spoke to us. When I showed it to Natalie, she knew it was the one.”
Here, Jacob’s Chinese Crested dog, Bowie, strikes a pose.
Moroccan pouf: Wayfair; pillows: Target
Furnishings. A soft Moroccan rug subtly incorporates all the hues of the room and grounds the space. A pair of flat woven-strap chairs in crisp white and wood offers extra seating.
Plants. In lieu of pendant lights, hanging planters create a relaxed, natural vibe. Jacob took her designer’s cues and went to a local nursery to fill the pots. She also bought a striking cactus, pulling in an organic, living element and a strong sense of desert life she was going for.
Rug: West Elm; hanging planters: Target; metallic cactus basket: West Elm
Plants. In lieu of pendant lights, hanging planters create a relaxed, natural vibe. Jacob took her designer’s cues and went to a local nursery to fill the pots. She also bought a striking cactus, pulling in an organic, living element and a strong sense of desert life she was going for.
Rug: West Elm; hanging planters: Target; metallic cactus basket: West Elm
Display and storage space. A shelving unit and vintage credenza were already in place, so Gage worked them around the white fireplace and sent detailed notes for assembling the accessories, which Jacob and photographer Kyle Born styled together.
Objets d’art include everything from flamingo catchalls for keys to yucca candles. Found art, figurines and records round out the eclectic look.
Shelf: Ikea; candles: Anthropologie; flamingo catchall: cb2
Shelf: Ikea; candles: Anthropologie; flamingo catchall: cb2
Statement art. Jacob took this photo while visiting Palm Springs. “We framed it through Framebridge and knew it had to live over the fireplace,” Gage says. To bring out the California colors, she found little candy-colored pots for more cactuses and succulents.
Styled vignette. For the old credenza, Gage brought in the boho desert Palm Springs vibe with vintage barware, a turquoise lamp and an old guitar.
Lamp: Wayfair
Lamp: Wayfair
Bar cart. This may be the client’s prize item, ordered well in advance and fully stocked for guests. Jacob posts tons of cocktail recipes on her blog and is ready for entertaining on a whim. While the showstopper wallpaper plays up vacation mode, it’s also removable should Jacob get a new inspiration or travel bug — say, for Paris — and she can change direction in a flash.
Bar cart: Anthropologie; rattan mirror: Houzz
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Bar cart: Anthropologie; rattan mirror: Houzz
Browse more Rooms of the Day
Living Room at a Glance
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
Who lives here: Blogger and bartender Natalie Jacob
Size: 213 square feet (19.8 square meters)
Designer: Michelle Gage
Natalie Jacob, bartender and blogger at Arsenic Lace, enlisted Instagram friend Michelle Gage to do a makeover as part of the One Room Challenge, a biannual event put on by design blog Calling It Home. Jacob wanted a Palm Springs vibe in her New Jersey home. Gage, who lives in Philadelphia, collaborated with Jacob long distance by sharing mood boards and measurements to put together the design without ever having set foot in the living room.
Style. To channel Palm Springs, Gage planned a palette of sunset pinks and sky blues. A desert rose sofa anchors the room, while a wall of leafy wallpaper gives the East Coast room an instant feel of being on holiday in a warm climate.
Rose Quartz sofa: Article; wallpaper: Wallflora