Love Grows Wild blogger Liz Fourez — who cooks, crafts, and shares design tips from her family’s farm in Indiana — tackles a trouble spot in her home: a living room without an identity. A fresh coat of paint, plus color and texture, transform the space into one infused with the Fourez family personality.
We moved into our farmhouse about three years ago, and after struggling with the design of our living room for far too long, I finally decided to put in a little sweat equity and make this a space we truly love.
The living room before
Pulling Together a Farmhouse Living Room Look
We lightened up the room by adding a bright white board-and-batten treatment to the bottom half of the walls and used a warm, cozy gray on top to keep the room from feeling sterile. We also painted all the dark wood trim on the baseboards, windows, and doors to give the space a cohesive feel and make the original hardwood floors really shine.
Living room after
After the room got a much-needed face lift, it was time to layer in the accessories and textiles. We started with a large natural rug to anchor the area where our couches and coffee table would sit. I love its chunky woven texture and the contrast it gives to the wood floors. I added a smaller matching rug underneath our sofa table behind the loveseat. I also added a gorgeous darker rug by our front door that has subtle chevron pattern.
Decorating
When it comes to decorating, I like to keep the majority of my space layered with neutrals, but pillows are the perfect place to have a little bit of fun with color when the mood strikes. I was inspired by fresh, calming, watery hues and added a fun assortment of pillows to bring in that much-needed color for springtime. The coffee table was dressed up with a large blue vase, a lovely scented candle, and a small bouquet of pink roses to complete the color story in the room.
Storage
Storage is a must for our family, so I love having easily accessible baskets in the living room for blankets, extra pillows, magazines, games, and more. I also added a gorgeous tufted ottoman that doubles as extra seating and gives us additional storage. The lid lifts away and is the perfect place to stuff the kids’ toys when company shows up unexpectedly.
Now that this room has been given a long-overdue makeover and finally fits our style and personality, our family loves gathering in here to watch movies, play games, and just spend quality time together. It is light and bright, cozy and comfortable, and a place we love to be!
I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing our new living room all ready for spring!
– Liz Fourez, blogger, Love Grows Wild
