Come see what we started with, the plans for our mid mod eclectic living room, our paint & wallpaper decisions, and the colourful touches we made to the space, all before arriving here.
All sources listed at the bottom
*Behr & HomePop & Sazerac Stitches sponsored this post, but all thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make PMQ for two possible.
Grab the tutorial for the upcycled MCM bar cabinet and the source for those Hairpin Legs
Ok now that we got THAT out of the way, let’s talk about each corner of this amazing and colour living room. I’m going to cover each area on it’s own, so that you can take in all the goodness one nook at a time. Make sure you check out the other linking participants’ space as well!
The Eclectic Living Room Portrait Gallery
For the first time ever, we have a fireplace and mantel in our living room. Not only that, but’s marble and teak, and OMG I cannot get over how nice it is to have it as a space. That being said, it stands out on its own, so I wanted to do as little as possible to it.
To utilize the feature, without overpowering it, or modifying it, I used the mantel to display a curated collection of portraits and pieces. It’s no secret that I love Janet Hill Studio’s pieces, so you can see many of hers here. To the collection I’ve added Willa Heart – her little foo dogs and chinoiserie inspired pieces are the perfect companion to the portraits.
On top of that, you’ve got my curated finds like the butterfly kite, my ceramic soldier, and a few well chosen hourglasses. The whole is accentuated by some ginger jars and tall colourful branches.
The African Tribal Mask is something I found on Instagram. I’ve been admiring the store for a while, and was overjoyed that they agreed to send me one for the living room. I think the face is in striking contrast to the more traditional pieces, and really ties it together.
The Mid Century Bar Cabinet
This is a DIY that will be up on the blog next week, but I am beyond thrilled that I got it finished and in place. I’ve managed to repurpose a white storage cabinet from Home Depot (originally in my home office, and then as part of the Wes Anderson Inspired Credenza).
This house does not lack in bar options. Between the bar in the basement, the sideboard in the dining room, and now this bright red piece in the living room. It makes for the perfect little storage area, and a great place to keep seasonal liqueurs.
The retro jaguar TV Lamp was an auction find this summer. We went to bid on a few different items, but quickly got outbid. In the end, we were determined to come home with something, and this lamp is what we got. It hasn’t had a home until now, and it’s lie it’s always been here.
Let’s talk about this light we’re here. Kristen from Sazerac Stitches approached me about a month ago and we were able to get this amazing fixture (the Lyra) out the door and to me in time for the reveal. It’s got a twin elsewhere in the space, but we’ll get to that.
The sculptural aspect of the Lyra is stunning, and very mid mod. It’s so impactful, it doesn’t need anything else on that wall. Boots agrees.
Don’t the gold mid century styled chairs look great in the space? I know I’ve talked about them before, but showing them off in the context of the living room is truly great.
The Mid Century Leather Sectional Couch
This part isn’t new, but like the chairs, it’s nice to be able to show it off in context of the completed space. We got it earlier this fall and have been enjoying it’s warm buttery colour, and sturdy build ever since. We accented it with a tufted leather ottoman from HomePop, and some well chosen soft furnishing.
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know that I’ve had an ongoing saga with Anthropologie over the arrival of a blanket, that — much like Lebowski’s rug — will tie the room together. Would you believe that it arrived a few hours after I finished shooting the completed space?!
The sectional is a first for us, but because it’s IKEA, if we ever need to make it smaller to fit a different home, we just take the chaise off. Super easy!
You can spy our new curtains from Roostery here. They really brighten the room, and make it feel like me. The punchy ikat pattern in orange and pink, would likely not be people’s first choice for curtains, but they’re mine – and they’re perfect.
Because no photo shoot is complete without the pets making themselves known – here are Bruce and Boots enjoying the sunshine while I slave away. They both quite like the ottoman: Bruce, because he can put toys on it. Boots, because he can sit on it like a throne.
The Eclectic Wallpaper Accent Wall
Y’all got a whiff of what was to come in week 4 when I announced that I was going to add in wallpaper, but if you had seen my plans from week 2, you would have known it was an option. Week 5 I showed it off in place, and now you get to see it all!
It makes SUCH a statement, and will serve us well for years to come. Once we got it on the walls, I wanted to use it on literally very surface, but that’s a no-no, so I was happy to use the leftovers in the bar cabinet.
One of the reasons I love the wallpaper, is that it plays off the blue on the walls oh so well. We use Behr’s colour of the year Blueprint in our mid mod eclectic living room, and are thrilled with it. At first I was worried it was too dark, but once I got the wallpaper on the wall, the paint took on a new life in contract, and it now reflected in all the finishing choices we made.
I’m still learning how to photograph this house (and therefore how to edit the photos), so bear with me if the blue hues aren’t exactly the same. The way the light travels through the space is truly mesmerizing, so it’s only natural that it would change the way the walls look throughout.
The Mid Century Fretwork Panels
These are a feature that came with the house, and one of the reasons that we initially came to look at it too. I mean, how many homes these days come with two giant mid century iron panels, that match the railings inside and out? Not many.
So with each step I take towards the living room when I come home, I am greeted by a wave of texture, depth, and history. It’s perfect. These panels are one of the first things people remark on.
Furniture And Decor Sources For Our Mid Mod Eclectic Living Room
Wall Colour: Behr’s Blueprint S470-5
Wallpaper: Hygge & West Angelina (in Navy)
Carpets: two 7 x 9’6″ Theria Retro Checker Tiles
Accent Chairs: HomePop’s The Dean
Sectional Couch: IKEA’s Landskrona
Leather Ottoman: HomePop’s Large Square All Over
Light Fixture no1: Sazerac Stitches’s Lyra
Light Fixture no2: Sazerac Stitches’s Zodiac 1
Curtains: Roostery The Sweetheart Stripe
Bar Cabinet: DIY tutorial for an Upcycled MCM Bar Cabinet
Buffalo Check Dresser: DIY on Fusion Mineral Paint Blog
Dresser under TV: Thrifted and painted
Art on the mantel: Janet Hill Studio’s White Glove, Janet Hill Studio’s Catty Cathy, UMASQU’s Modern African Mask #1, Willa Heart’s Bitsy & Tipsy, Willa Heart’s Bernice & Clarice, Jenny’s Print Shop Butterflies.
Art on the Buffalo Plaid Dresser: Willa Heart’s Cheetah Girls, Minted’s Enliven Art Print
Pillows on Gold Chairs: from Tonic Living – no longer sold
everything was thrifted or purchased as one-of-a-kind.
Shop the mid mod eclectic living room look
amazing! That wallpaper and wall color is so gorgeous. Also I’m in love with that ottoman. Nice work!
Thank you thank you! I still can’t believe it all came together!
What!!!!! You nailed this thing! Spec use of color, pattern, and character filled accents and furniture. You are a master!
Ps. My husband likes it too 🙂
Woooooah! A husband approved room?!
this space is so you- bold and bright and fun! i love the ottoman SOOOO much! i may need it in my future!
HomePop has been lovely! The ottoman is FAB
It’s beautiful! I love how much the panels pop now! The wallpaper is so good! Such a colorful, happy space! Great job!
Thanks babe! Now that my post is live I can go check out everyone else’s!
It all works beautifully, and it is soooo you. Such a feast for the eyes.
Congrats Ariel!
thanks Pam <3
I’m just in awe — you have such a dizzying talent to preserve history, capture all the vogue of it’s charm, and pair it perfectly with the hottest contemporary vogue! You never lose sight of yourself too — you always find just the right way to make it your own. So dazzled! Impressed as always!
I I don’t know how I missed this yesterday but I love it all so much! amazing job as always!!
Thank youuuu!!! You didn’t miss it yesterday, because I hit publish at like 11pm!
This is perfection! ???? You are so good with color and styling. Goals!
Thanks babe! It felt really good to get it put together!
Beautifully styled, Ariel. It was so much fun to see it mid-realization. Bruce, Boots and Toby add so much to character as well!
New to your blog…this room is beautiful! As someone who is color averse…its inspiring! Question on the rug…in your photos the rug reads navy but the source link appears black. Can you clarify? Thanks!
Oh really?! It’s definitely black! Might be the difference in computer screens! I edited to my screen, so it shows black. Thanks for pointing that out!
Love your style, especially The stunning wallpaper with the blue wall !
Obviously you are a very talented designer. I love that you repeated the color of your hardwoods in the room with your velvet chairs. Few people and even designers remember that the hardwood floors are a color too. I also admire your use of color and like you I adore Miles Redd and try to channel him when I decorate. Like you I have a kitchen with blue cabinets. (for some reason my computer will not let me make capital letters on your site)
Forgive me for giving some tweaking suggestions to think of, use perhaps, laugh at, reject whole cloth or a combination of all.
What do you think of balancing the fireplace by moving the two largest pieces of art (Janet hill& butterfly) to the right toward the wall?
YOu could first sketch the fireplace mantel on a piece of paper and then draw a line down the middle. The center of the side without the fireplace is where you need to center the largest piece of artwork i.e. Janet hill & butterfly. Leave the mantle empty over the actual fireplace.
REmove leaning mirror & replace with long bench- a long line to direct eye to fireplace.
to provide contrast Replace the leather tufted ottoman with a round ottoman in a contrasting textile (linen or nubby wool by Romo fabics Cellini in gray/white would be pretty but get sample first of course to compare in space) in a dappled grey/white color like fireplace brick or use a round coffee table painted in a white/gray dappled look. (good design repeats itself but two tufted pieces in one room right next to each other in a similar but textile, isn’t the ideal way to repeat yourself but a better place to provide contrasting textures.)
Move the bar to the next wall under the wonderful light fixture. They will look made for each other.
add a small bench to the area next to the Tv console. Behind the console hang a dark tribal tapestry.
REmove anemic crown molding. If you cannot remove the radiator panels then install a taller kick molding (boxy modern molding with simple profile) that reaches the height of the radiator and of course paint it white like the radiator panel.
this would be some what expensive but gorgeous, On the wall with the round mirror and dusty pink table with orchid replace with a custom mirror that spans the length of the radiator (if radiator is gone, remove kick molding so the the mirror can run straight to the floor) and bring the mirror up to the height of your other doorways. frame mirror in simple molding like molding in the rest of house, Then put a small demilune table in front and middle of mirror (keeps people from walking into it). You might have to cut and move legs on demilune table to avoid radiator. I saw it in a youtube video and it would work great in your house. I wish I had a spot to do it.
If you want to see my house and send me similar tweaking suggestions, I am up for it. there is nothing like a fresh perspective especially on ones own home where decorating is much more difficult because it is so personal.
Did you paint the lemongrass green foo dog and flower centerpiece on the ottoman?? if so, how did you paint the foo dog? I have a white one I really want to make pop
hello! No I did not, it came that way. If your dog has a finish on it already, I recommend sanding it with a really high grit sandpaper. I also recommend using a primer spray paint (like Zinser), and then spray painting. It will give you the best coverage, but you’ll need to do a few coats to get all the nooks and crannies. RESIST the urge to spray up close or you’ll get drippy gobs.