Rustic Chic Living Room

Our living room – like much of our home – has been an evolving process…

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

When we moved into our big 1940 colonial fixer upper three years ago, we didn’t really have any furniture that fit the scale of this room. So we did what I always recommend: taking our time to find and layer pieces we truly loved.

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

Now it is an eclectic mix of old and new (there is a full source list at the end). A traditional rug and a big modern brown leather  couch (which, for the record, would not be my first choice aesthetically, but this is one of those instances when family – i.e. what husband wanted plus the mess of two boys and a baby girl – comes first… and I think this is proof that you can decorate around something that may not be your favorite and still love the space in the end).

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

My love of Paris is reflected in these French-style armchairs and my DIY Vintage map of Paris.

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

Oh, and we can’t forget the antique chest I scored for my husband at the flea market in Paris; that, my friends, is a story you’ve got to read.

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

The art deco mirrored dresser is an actual antique vanity that belonged to a late far distant cousin… I love how it adds a little elegance and modernity to the space.

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

And it balances our super traditional buffet from my great grandmother on the other side of the room. The brown is so heavy, but the tiger striped wood is too lovely to cover up just yet…  We’ll see how long I hold out. 😉

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

The most useful space in the room might just be the game table; I know I’ve shared this before, but I really do believe it has been so helpful to have a designated place to play table games (because, naturally, card games get eaten by the baby if they are played on the floor… don’t you have card-eating babies terrorizing your house? 😉 )

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

Again, the antique spindle chairs that I spray painted and distressed years ago contrast the more modern tufted linen chair, whose mate is acting as a desk chair in Mr. Pax’s office currently.

My favorite recent addition is the tufted ottoman*. It used to sit at the foot of my bed in our master bedroom until I replaced it with this linen one*. It weighs almost nothing, so it can easily be moved back and forth to act as a coffee table or as extra seating. It can also easily be slid around the room with one or two young boys riding atop – don’t ask me how I know this…

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

It really is the perfect coffee table when you’ve got a little one learning to walk. Speaking of that little one, today is her birthday! I can’t believe she’s one already.

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

I could go on, but I think I’ll save you my nostalgia. Since we are moving in about a month (and a big thank you to all of you who have been thinking of and praying for us in this process!), I really could go on forever about how special this home has been: our first home in the states to raise our family, the place where I brought two of my three children home from the hospital… You get the idea. All that to say, it has been a huge blessing in our lives, but we are equally thrilled to see what God has in store for the next chapter!

gorgeous neutral living room with blue and turquoise accents: mix of antiques, affordable pieces, and diy ideas | maisondepax.com

All tangents aside, here’s that source list I promised. Feel free to ask questions!

GENERAL:
-wall color: Barcelona Beige by SW
-curtains: DIY smocked drop cloth curtains
-chandeliers: Habitat Restore (tutorial coming soon!)

FURNITURE:
-mirrored dresser, tiger oak buffet, both trunks, game table, black chairs: antiques
-couch and rug: The Dump – a discount furniture outlet
-armchairs: Restoration Hardware – in fog army duck fabric
-ottoman: World Market*
-tufted linen chair: store out of business, but I like these* for a similar feel
-blue media cabinet: El Paso Import Co
-gray side tables: DIY project

ART:
-vintage map above couch: DIY project
-black and white Paris images: available for instant digital download here
-map above brown buffet: print of an antique bought off Ebay years ago

ACCESSORIES:
-throw: gift, similar here*
-pillows: Homegoods (blue) and DIY project (white)
-lamppost: Lowe’s, 10 years ago
-wreath on antique window frame: diy eucalyptus wreath
-mercury glass vase on mantel: Hobby Lobby
-rest of mercury glass accents: Marshall’s, a few years ago
-demijohn on brown buffet: Hobby Lobby
-mercury glass lamp: HomeGoods

MORE MAISON DE PAX ROOM TOURS:

French Inspired Dining Room

 Gorgeous, simple French dining room | maisondepax.com #diy #decorating #design

Master Bath

I love this bathroom! Gorgeous finishes and brilliant ideas for space-efficient solutions at maisondepax.com

Our Whitewashed Attic

great tips to prep your guest room to make your guests feel right at home via maisondepax.com #guestroom #overnightguests #holidays

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16 Comments

  1. Beautiful! I have been wanting a tufted ottoman. Great point how it would be wonderful for a little one! No one wants hard edges at that level with a toddler around. I love all the mixtures of texture and color. Have a safe move and may your daughter have the best first birthday! I am going to have to make a map like yours. I have been eyeing an expensive one and was looking up prints that I could enlarge when I came across your pin. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Thank you so much, Renee! I’m so glad you like it all. If you make the map, be sure to let me know… I’d love to see how it turns out! 🙂

  2. The space you’ve created looks just like you….even with things like the rug that aren’t your first choice. I love that tufted ottoman.

    You’ve created a beautiful home! As overwhelming as it is to move, it is exciting to have a new place to transform!

    Jamie

    1. Thank you so much, Jamie! I so appreciate the encouragement, and you’re right… I’m both overwhelmed and thrilled about having a new space to design! xx

  3. You won’t hear from me for a while,i am going on vac. for 2 weeks.I pray everything goes very well with your move and i know your next house will be as wonderful as this one. Are you sure you weren’t the one chewed on the cards and not your precious little girl?lol

    1. Bless you, Marlene! I hope you have a wonderful vacation!! And I guess we’ll never know… 😉

  4. i love your easy, relaxed style with European touch. don’t you just love God’s humor? He does not want us to get too comfortable where we are. Sooo excited for you and your family for what He has in store for you, a new adventure. BIGGER and better. And i will be reading on……

    1. You’re so kind, Miriam! And yes, I do love His humor… Thank you so much for your encouragement and your continued support! Here’s to all He has in store. 🙂

  5. It looks beautiful. I really like your style and the combinations that you make. Your blog gives me a lot of inspiration 🙂

    Wishing you and your family all the best in your new home,
    Sophie

  6. What a great room! I love the mix. After seeing your pretty turquoise ottoman I am now looking at our brown one and wondering if I am brave enough to use ASCP Provence on the fabric. We also have the brown leather and blues are my favourite accents.

    1. Thank you so much, Elizabeth!! I’ve never painted upholstery with ASCP, but I’ve always wanted to try. If you do it, I’d love to see how it turns out!!

  7. This is awesome!! Beautiful! Beautiful! I am loving your decorating! I was looking at the office post. I know you are getting rid of yours, but I just put a cow hide in our office – LOVE it!!

    1. You are so sweet, Gwen… Thank you! And don’t worry, I’m not getting rid of my cowhide, I just moved it to my bedroom. 😉

  8. I should have gone to bed 2 hours ago, but I can’t stop clicking on your blog posts!

    I really appreciate your candor about having a big, dark brown, leather couch, that would not have been your first choice. Me too! My husband bought most of our furniture before we were married and I have been struggling for years with this couch, feeling like if only I could replace it, then everything would be perfect. All that to say, I am in LOVE with your style and am so inspired to love my big, brown, leather, couch! Tonight I added a light textured blanket and two textured lighter pillows and I LOVED it! So thank you!

    1. Thank you Janine! There are some definite wins to having a leather couch (easy to keep clean, for example). Lighten it up with some soft throws and pillows. 🙂

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