Stylish Living Room Happily Sings the Blues
Bold motifs, blue hues and contemporary furnishings shine in this suburban Chicago living room
Marissa Hermanson
August 9, 2017
Houzz Contributor. As a freelance writer who spends most of my time working from home, I have a deep appreciation for the household and the time and effort people put into personalizing their spaces. I write about home and decor, food and drink, culture and travel. My stories have been featured in Cosmopolitan, Forbes Travel Guide, The Knot, Southern Living, among other publications.
Houzz Contributor. As a freelance writer who spends most of my time working from... More
Photos by Werner Straube
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family with three kids
Location: Winnetka, Illinois
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters)
Designer: Julia Buckingham of Buckingham Interiors + Design
While redecorating a young family’s historic home in Chicago’s North Shore suburb of Winnetka, interior designer Julia Buckingham infused the living room with vibrant shades of blue. The designer selected blue as the primary color because it is both vibrant and timeless. “I think that’s why people are so comfortable with blue,” Buckingham says. “You won’t get tired of it.”
Buckingham embraced the period and style of the house by highlighting its architectural accents, like the windows and millwork. Instead of hiding the windows and molding behind curtains, the designer eschewed draperies. “We didn’t want to do window treatments because the windows are so graphic and architectural,” Buckingham says.
A contemporary Manhattan sofa by Shine by S.H.O. is covered in Chivasso’s Globalist fabric and is juxtaposed with vintage midcentury chairs by Adrian Pearsall. Underneath, a muted rug by Oscar Isberian grounds the room.
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family with three kids
Location: Winnetka, Illinois
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters)
Designer: Julia Buckingham of Buckingham Interiors + Design
While redecorating a young family’s historic home in Chicago’s North Shore suburb of Winnetka, interior designer Julia Buckingham infused the living room with vibrant shades of blue. The designer selected blue as the primary color because it is both vibrant and timeless. “I think that’s why people are so comfortable with blue,” Buckingham says. “You won’t get tired of it.”
Buckingham embraced the period and style of the house by highlighting its architectural accents, like the windows and millwork. Instead of hiding the windows and molding behind curtains, the designer eschewed draperies. “We didn’t want to do window treatments because the windows are so graphic and architectural,” Buckingham says.
A contemporary Manhattan sofa by Shine by S.H.O. is covered in Chivasso’s Globalist fabric and is juxtaposed with vintage midcentury chairs by Adrian Pearsall. Underneath, a muted rug by Oscar Isberian grounds the room.
Rather than hanging art on the walls, Buckingham filled picture moldings with a graphic tie dye-inspired custom “ring” wallpaper by Area Environments.
“When you are working with an architecturally significant home, you really need to nod to what makes it historic and the elements that make it feel of the period, but you can still have fun and make it livable,” Buckingham says.
“When you are working with an architecturally significant home, you really need to nod to what makes it historic and the elements that make it feel of the period, but you can still have fun and make it livable,” Buckingham says.
Jonathan Adler’s Maxime Tuffet ottomans have a regal look covered in Peacock fabric in Sapphire from Opuzen.
Find more ottomans for your home
Find more ottomans for your home
A settee by Kravet is covered in a watercolor-inspired fabric from Romo that is paired with velvet Petrol Blue seat cushions also by Romo. Accent pillows in a bold absinthe color by Dedar add an exciting pop of color.
“The sofa is a favorite spot for the homeowner to take a nap in the afternoon,” Buckingham says.
“The sofa is a favorite spot for the homeowner to take a nap in the afternoon,” Buckingham says.
The Gema coffee table, designed by Buckingham for Global Views, is topped with a whimsical collection of decorative accents.
“I’m huge on accessories,” Buckingham says, who made sure that all of the tchotchkes and decorative accents reflected the homeowners’ personal tastes and interests.
“I’m huge on accessories,” Buckingham says, who made sure that all of the tchotchkes and decorative accents reflected the homeowners’ personal tastes and interests.
Another of Buckingham’s product designs for Global Views is the Wiggle chair, which she incorporated into the homeowners’ living room. Buckingham designed the chair’s shapely figure along with the fabric that is embellished with cut velvet raindrops that were hand-died in India.
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Felis, I like your comment, I was thinking such myself, but the wall paper works also, my thoughts was such because I like change and would rather do the framed prints.
Wonderful, inventive designer Julia Buckingham creates beautiful spaces for every client project. We enjoy working with her.
Great article, Marissa! We also love how the color blue can brighten a space. We enjoyed incorporating it throughout this project of ours. Take a look...