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Okay, so it's going on a couple of years (maybe a little more... who's counting?!) since we completed this project but we're still obsessed with everything about it and it's still one of our most loved spaces across our social platforms (a true testament to timeless design, right?!). We continue to get a ton of questions about the built-in in this living room and so, in conclusion, it's just too good to not share all of the deets, complete with before and after photos!
Our brief for this space was welcoming, bright and comfortable, with plenty of family-friendly, cozy seating for lounging, and a place to hang a BIG TV. We were working with a totally blank canvas, a builder-grade box if you will, and the space was lacking any character or warmth. Our biggest challenge was the sheer size of the space - it felt cavernous. The 16ft long focal wall (our only option for TV placement) also happened to be 12ft high and so a freestanding media console, which would have been dwarfed by the wall, was immediately out of the running. Instead, we designed a beautiful built-in to help fill the space and scaled up the sectional and artwork to keep things balanced!
Because of its large size, we were extra conscious of ensuring that the cabinetry didn't feel overwhelming or visually heavy. To achieve this we opted for a classic white finish with a contrasting oak interior, which helps to break things up and create some visual depth. The darker tone within the recesses also creates less of a contrast between the backing and the TV - minimizing the big black box effect that happens when the TV is switched off.
For the cabinetry itself we used two different depths - shallow for the side sections with a run of deeper cabinetry in the middle, lending some dimension to what would otherwise have been a very long, flat piece. A mix of doors (in the middle) and drawers (on each end) provide lots of versatile storage and, along with the finish choices and cabinet sizing, help keep things visually interesting.
The open shelves above allowed us to bring in character, texture and movement with some gorgeous styling! When we're working with a lot of open shelves, as we were in this case, we love to utilize rows of neutral books - the result is a full, finished look that doesn't feel cluttered. The spaces without books are filled with a curated selection of objects (vintage where we can!) in different finishes like brass, ceramic, wovens and woods- and we always love to add some greenery for a little bit of life! Finally, four picture lights help to illuminate the shelves, highlighting all of the styling and adding a pretty ambiance in the evenings!
For the lounge area itself, we selected a large L shaped sectional upholstered in a light linen-look performance fabric, and two textural cane accent chairs , providing plenty of comfortable seating. We love the soft curves on these chairs and how they contrast with the hard lines of the built-in. We had plush seat and back cushions made for them, in the most beautiful dusty pink linen, which up the comfort factor and tie in with the large scale artwork behind. To finish the seating area we added two large ottomans, upholstered in a perfectly cozy boucle, in front of the built-in!
Design by The Habitat Collective / Photography by Trevo Studios
HabCo Tip: Ottomans are a great way to bring in some occasional additional seating if you don't have the space for an accent chair. They can be easily moved around to suit any gathering, provide a comfortable place to pop your feet when sitting on the sofa, and can double as a side table with the help of a tray!
A long custom sofa table helps separate and define the living area, which shares this space with the kitchen. We love the rustic, vintage-inspired texture!
We centered the seating area around a huge (and very heavy!) stone topped coffee table. The sandblasted top adds the perfect touch of texture - a beautiful backdrop for stacked books, a candle, and and organic, vining plant.
The vintage rug is one of our favorite pieces in this space - a lucky find in just the right size and color scheme that grounds the seating area perfectly. A large sculptural chandelier with linen shades and luxurious white linen window treatments complete the look.
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