One sofa, three ways

Here's a freelance project I've been working on.  My client is a bachelor, who graduated from college 10 years ago.  Since then, like most Americans, he's been concentrating on his career, and working a ton.  He hardly has any time for anything else.  He has a nice house, but all he has is the futon he had when he graduated, an ugly/comfy easy chair and, of course, a large screen TV.  No style at all.  That's what he wants me to help him with.  He recently started dating so would like to fix his living room up a little.  He wants something simple, modern and masculine, but also something that a lady would feel comfortable in.  Two requirements:  one wall should house the ugly/comfy chair, and the other the massive TV.  He'd like suggestions for the rest of the room.  He has lovely dark wood floors.  His walls are beige, but we are thinking of painting them a lovely dove gray.  He was adamant that he did not want a leather sofa, which is okay by me.  We shopped for sofas together, and we agreed on the piazza velvet storm sofa from CB2.  We both love the low scale.  I tried to talk him into buying two of them, I love the look of two sofas creating a conversation area, and then we could get rid of the easy chair.  That's a no go, the recliner is staying. Oh well, I had try.

Seating is settled.  Now for accessories.  He wants it stylish, but simple.  Once the basics, like seating are done, I use the formula 3P + L to decorate a room.  That is, add the three Ps:  a painting, a pillow and a piece of pottery, then add to that a funky lamp.  With 3P + L your accessories are all taken care of.  All that's left to be added is a rug and an unexpected coffee table.  Doing a room from scratch is as easy as this:  something comfy to sit on, 3P + L, coffee table, rug, and you are done!  Here are three mood boards I have prepared using this easy formula.  I've relied heavily on Etsy for the accessories.  Etsy is fastly becoming my favorite go-to resource.

Sources:  lamp - lavintagefurnishings;  vase - StudioOneStudio;  painting - Brian Elston;  pillow - Behirah;  twiggy side table, city slicker red table and tie die rug from CB2.

Here's a couple of ideas I love:  hanging multiples of the same piece of art and the palette coffee table.  Sources:  lamp - gspots;  vintage ashtray - linea72;  prints by Robert Comire;  beautiful silk pillow by pyxeestyx;  white shag rug from Chiasso;  example of palette table via Bodie and Fou, I'll need to have a local artisan make one of these.  Luckily, I picked up a couple of business cards at Wall Eye's Art of Artisans exhibit described below.

My client's new girlfriend loves silver.  He said I could prepare an edgy, feminine mood board featuring silver.  I'm sure he'll reject this one, but it was fun and I kinda dig it.  Sources:  silver leaf side table from Urban Outfitters, this piece provides some great storage for those pesky remotes;  yellow vase from DemARTinDesign;  art from erasoul;  yellow silk pillow from Mi Casa Bella; big dipper arc lamp from CB2;  white shag rug from Chiasso;  Nate Berkus silver pouf from HSN.  It sure was fun - and a stretch - to contempate a masculine room.  I'll be sure to keep you posted on this project.