girl meets boy

Since we have opted for a floor plan without a formal living room, our family room is going to have to double as a space we are proud to entertain in as well as a comfy, cozy spot for movie night.

As I began to find inspiration for this room I realized I wasn't the only one with an opinion. My husband had one request: a leather Chesterfield Sofa. If I'm being honest, my knee-jerk reaction was "Thank's for the input honey, but I think we'll go in a different direction." I gave it further thought and the idea began to grow on me, especially since I do really like the chesterfield silhouette. My main concern was that this room would end up feeling like a men's locker room at the local country club. To prevent this, I needed some feminine infusion. I started to warm up to the idea of masculinity meets femininity, almost as if two incredibly stylish singles came together to furnish a room. I like that it allows us both to be represented in a space we will likely use frequently.

This will be our most expensive room to furnish, so keeping in the true spirit of an "inspiration" board not all of these pieces shown above are within our budget. It will take time for us to complete this project but, to me, it's worth living in an empty room for a while knowing we are going to invest in pieces we will keep for a lifetime.

Sofa: We want it to be both classic and comfortable. Century Furniture had the perfect chesterfield (here) and we customized it with vintage worn leather, a deep seat, brass nail heads and ultra plush cushions. Please note, this piece must be purchased through an interior designer.

Cocktail Table: This piece will need to be feminine, square or rectangular and delicate. The one pictured above is again from Century Furniture and is one of a few we are considering.

Chairs: We chose a square Pearson Chair silhouette because it will offset the distinct rolling back of the chesterfield. To upholster the pair, we found a wonderful gray/blue velvet that is a bit more formal but still soft and durable. They will double at our dining table as host and hostess for formal occasions.

Bar cart: Instead of a traditional side table I had the idea of using a bar cart. My idea was recently crushed when I realized the company that makes the piece (Hickory Chair) had partnered with Williams Sonoma and was selling it to the public (here) at a price that I just couldn't justify. The search continues.

Fireplace: As seen in the board above, our fireplace will be surrounded by travertine tile. My Dad and I are going to custom build the mantle in August when he comes to town. Stay tuned for a DIY post!

Media Center: In the spirit of DIY, my Dad and I are also going to use the above media center as inspiration for a built-in that we will create ourselves. The builder had an option to include a niche for entertainment equipment in this room, however, it meant losing the only window on the west side of the great room. I chose light.

Floors: As seen in the Kitchen and Dining Room posts, we have chosen dark hardwood for the entire first floor great room.

Accessories: I'm currently in love with this Regina Andrews lamp (here) and think that no room is complete without fresh flowers. The bar set is something that we would like to invest in someday, as my husband is a big scotch fan, but I haven't found the perfect one just yet.

Walls: For now, we have opted to keep the walls a creamy white throughout the great room. Once we move in we may decide the white is too stark, in which case we will opt for a light gray.

Drapes: Since it's sunny year round here in Texas we will absolutely need drapes. I've opted for a deeper gray, however, if we decide not to paint the room white we might have to revisit this decision.

Rug: to keep the room light and coordinate with our carpet on the second level, I found this fabulous jute and wool rug at Pottery Barn (here).

I went into decorating this room with a new perspective after my husband voiced his sofa request. I began to think about the future. This is our first home. The pieces that we decide to invest in today will not necessarily stay in the same room each time we move. In fact, I began to love the idea of the chesterfield because it gives us a statement in our family room today yet it will also provide comfort and masculinity in an office for my husband down the road.

My advice to anyone furnishing a home is to think long term. The kitchen table that you invest in now may become the card table at your family's cabin in 10 years or the dining table that you send with your daughter off to her first apartment. If you invest in quality and find something that you truly love, it will continue to stay with you. In fact, as I sit here tonight, I am typing at a desk that sat in my childhood bedroom. It's an incredible piece that carries great nostalgia for me and will always be somewhere in my home.