You guys! What a year!
To say that 2020 has been full of surprises would be an understatement. We moved from Connecticut to Maryland around March, and as soon as we moved into our new rental, David's boss told him their office would be closed and he needed to work from home. Even though that caught us by surprise at the time, now looking back, I can see positive aspects to this change. We've gotten a lot of family time together, and have enjoyed this home together very much.
When we moved to this new house, I was excited to make this place a home. Even though it's a rental, it's the place we spend most of our time, so I had it in my heart that it would be important to decorate it and turn it into a comfortable place for Dave and the kids.
I think I have finally finished all of the projects I initially had in mind. I wanted to be realistic and not work in all of the rooms, so I picked the living room as focul point of my efforts. It's the first room you see as you walk through the front door, it gets a lot of natural light and it's the place we gather as a family, to read, sing, pray and enjoy time together.
So today's post is featuring our living room design process, the pieces I chose for this space, and honest reviews about them.
Many of you have asked about our Article couch! I get a lot of questions about this sofa. Nost moms wonder how a white sofa holds up so well in a house full of kids. And as I've shared on my page before, we love our Article sofa and I do not regret getting it in that color.
The quality of this Article Abisko Quartz White is nothing short of amazing. Its fabric is not only durable, but also very easy to clean. The kids have touched the surface with their peanut butter covered hands, and the spots were quickly removed with a basic stain remover. We obviously have simple rules, such as no crayons or ink pens near this area, and the kids follow those rules generally well. We sit on it daily, to enjoy the sunlight coming through the window, and we often sit down here to read. I know I was brave picking this color, but I absolutely love it!
If you were ever wondering whether it would be worth investing in item from Article, I just want to share my honest opinion and say that their pieces are definitely worth the investment. With such easy assembly, I was very impressed at how sturdy our couch was. It came in two main sections + legs and a few screws. We screwed the two pieces together and voila! Our work was done.
Here are a couple of tips to make your Article sofa last:
Cover it with a blanket when you're sitting to read with your kids.
Keep a simple stain remover in the house, just in case your kids have peanut butter on their hands, ha!
That's it! I'm sure it will last many years, given you take good care of it. I know ours will!
Now to the other items in this space:
Curtains: Hello Alva - I had heard about them and their designer-curated materials when I was looking for window covering possibilities. These windows are pretty big, and I couldn't find any set of curtains that worked here. So I contacted Alva, they sent me samples in the mail, I picked a color (Oatmeal), sent them the measurements and had them make Custom Euro Pleat Drapes the way I wanted. I chose 100% linen, and the material is beautiful! I was very pleased with their work, the quality is superior to anything you would find in stores. It's true craftsmanship.
Custom frame and artwork: Our custom frame was done by Framebridge. I ordered the artwork from Lindale Studios, and they framed the canvas for me. Frame Bridge's customer service deserves five stars. I love their work, and I think they did a great job with this piece.
Brown chairs: These cute chairs were from Joss & Main. The fabulous, emerald pillows you see on the chairs are also from Article.
Rugs: The jute rug is from Rugs USA. The colorful rug is from Loloi rugs, available on Rugs Direct.
Coffee table and closet: Both are from Sauder USA, and they are some of my most favorite pieces in the house! Their furniture is great, we've been using their products for almost six years now, they are incredible.
Lamp: Floor lamp is from Brightech.
Pillows: Kaekoo Shop
Mirror: Target
Small bench: Home Goods
Faux greenery: Home Goods and Michaels
