Before Gabriel and Willow were born we had grown up, serious furniture. Tables with modern, sharp edges, settees that were expensive and looked smart, and soft furnishings that were pretty, embellished and weren’t very often out of place.
That all changed once I was pregnant. ‘You’ll not want cream carpets’ they said, ‘a wipe clean sofa guard is what you’ll need’ others advised us. ‘You’ll have to get rid of that coffee table, it could have a baby’s eye out’ family warned us!
Yes. We realised. Having a baby doesn’t just mean creating a perfect nursery, preparing your electrical sockets with safety plugs or even planning what type of parents you will be. It means changing your whole life. And, your furniture.
So we did. We swapped our modern square glass coffee tables for rounder ones, we bought a new settee (paying extra for a stain-guarding cover, naturally) and we swapped the embellished non child-friendly soft furnishings for simple cushions and throws.
Three years have now gone by. We’ve paid off the ‘three years interest free credit’ loan from DFS for our ridiculously boring, yet comfy-ish sofa and as quickly as the kids have grown I have fallen out of love with the Ikea boring furniture and the ‘safe’ coffee tables. The settee is shot, it’s stained, it’s un comfy and I’ve come to the conclusion that it was not good value for money.
I want a change.
I want a stylish living room. I want comfort but I also want quality products. Like those you see magazines when at the hairdressers or perhaps when browsing around beautiful furniture shops such as Rodgers of York
So this is my aim. By Christmas I want to have given our living room a makeover! It’s a large room and has plenty of scope for looking beautiful especially due to the fact we have a balcony and there’s lots of light.
So here’s the plan:
1. New sofas – to sit on, and to feel comfy sitting on!! Perhaps something patterned. I need a change, and want something that looks elegant and ‘grown up’ again!
2. I’d love some beautiful oak shelving units to store all my Paperchase photo albums, all our books and of course to display our family’s framed photographs.
3. A new corner tv stand (oak again)
4. I’d love a large, sturdy oak coffee table. I have this vision of lots of ‘coffee table books’ scattered across it, for my guests to peruse whilst I make them coffee served in a cafetierre! (Or perhaps it will be covered in mugs, magazines, my laptop and pens, but I can dream..either way, it will look fabulous!)
5. Cushions. Candles and Colour. Although I haven’t decided on a colour scheme yet, I have had some ideas of using different shades of pink, with grey to make a stylish, but pretty look. But we shall see.
6. Improved lighting. I’d love some new big lamps, that create a homely atmosphere.
Here’s what I’ve spotted so far. I love this Duresta Lansdowne sofa. It ticks all the boxes for what I’m looking for!
I like the way it’s a timeless piece, and I love the fabric choice. Although I am not 100% sure about this particular colour, I do love the pattern, shape and the ‘country house’ design. I need to have a good think because with a ten year guarantee we would hope to have these chairs a long time! I think we need to have a little trip to Rodgers of York for some inspiration and for a browse of the fabric collection!
I have also fallen in love with this furniture range, it’s also available from Rodgers of York and it’s by Kettle Stamford. I just adore the hallway and living ranges! I have been after a hall way piece like this for years! It’s so sweet, yet looks very solid and hard wearing.
So as usual, I’m probably getting ahead of myself, and now planning on making over the whole house, which is not in the budget! Watch this space for more ideas and plans, it may take a good few months, but I hope that soon we will have a living room to be proud of!
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