In the gray area

One of the blogs I read religiously chronicled, among many enlightening and hilarious parenting adventures, her struggle to adopt a child, after birthing three. She was convinced there was another baby out there for her to love, and she was denied by every agency and every country at every turn. But then her sister got pregnant with her first child, and she realized that her nephew was the baby she felt a calling to have and love. Plus, it was not as expensive for her.

 

This week, I'm leaning toward renting when this mothereffing house sells. In a big complex, which makes me uneasy about sending the boys outside to play when I just cannot take the noise anymore they need fresh air. We do not have high school plans for Jake yet, and the LAST thing I want to do is buy now and need to get out in less than two years. So renting seems safest, and if I rent on the SJS bus route and save myself $250 a month from after care, fiscally prudent.

 

The big boo-hoo is that there is no allowance for renovation in an apartment, or adding and subtracting architectural elements or colors to own a space. But, those who cannot do, teach. Those who cannot adopt children have nephews. Those who cannot redo their own home make themselves available to redo someone else's. For free. For the joy of creating space.

 

The person proceeding with the purchase of the house I posted about last week has a big living room and no furniture. Blank slate. Not even ready to decide on whether the couch should be a cool color or a warm color. So here is a gray couch, two ways. And neither of these two ways have been preferred by the person who is inspiring and requesting the room consultation. I did one that felt familiar to me and one that fringed way out there with more color than I ever dare to use.
 

Ektorp sectional in Svanby Gray (Ikea) / Amberly Wing Chair in Carmago Lattice (Ballard Designs) / Julian Apothecary Floor Lamp (Ballard Designs) / Turquoise lattice side stools (South of Market) / Ferris Wheel vintage pillow cover (Etsy) / Mustard yellow velvet throw pillow (Etsy) / Iman Sunstone Ubud Ikat pillow cover (Etsy) / Coral Porcelain Urn Table Lamp (Lamp Works)  / Refinished Drexel sideboard / Trombone Shorty Jazz Fest poster (personal collection) / Wide Stripe Cotton Jersey Blend Knit Fabric (Girl Charlee) / Benjamin Moore's Silver Satin

 

The couch style that seems to be decided on is a classic, rolled arm sectional. I am using the Ikea version here, but have not consulted with the potential homeowners on this major couch purchase. One of them took up residence on my couch for a while, so I know that a quality sofa carries the import of curling irons and purified water. I paired it with a more modern chair. Because of the TV placement in the room, the ideal chair would recline and swivel, so that it could face the couch for company and face the TV for a vegetative state. I also wanted small tables that could move around easily, depending on where people are sleeping sitting.

 

I love every item and every color in this room (duh, I picked them) but this is such an uncomfortable departure from the style I gravitate to, and it will not be the winning selection for the potential living room. The Trombone Shorty print is from the potential homeowner's personal collection, and it is a treasured item, so I thought, just for sh*ts and giggles, I should do a room pulling from the color and frivolity of the print.

 

I love pillows. I think a room can be nothing with furniture and be everything with lamps and pillows. The living room has a cornice on every window, and while this fabric would be too much for every cornice, the stripe could be a good, thick border around a dark or light grey linen cornice.

  

The second version, with the same couch in French blue and coral is more my jam. This is actually something I would consider for my house. I have a similar mirror, similar topiaries, and I would trade my ottoman in for these barrels if I hadn't just spent grocery money on fine fabric to make a slipcover for said ottoman.

 

Ektorp sectional in Svanby Gray / Amberly Wing Chair in Calisto Stripe Gray (Ballard Designs) / Drum End Table Set (Woodland Imports) / Tri-pod metal floor lamp (One Kings Lane) / Boxwood Square Shaped Topiary (Zodax) / Round bevel mirror (Pottery Barn) / French blue double gourd table lamp (Lamps Plus) / Provence buffet (Christian Street Furniture) / Coral and turquoise hook and eye throw pillow (Home by the Sea Shore) / Vintage velvet pillow cover (Etsy) / Zig zag ikat pillow cover (Etsy) / Benjamin Moore's Tranquility

I did get to use the French country sideboard, and I covet those barrel tables. Again combining form and function when the sectional is full. I could not find anything that could go on the board for the cornices on the windows, but I think a white Sunbrella with nailhead trim or a nailhead design would contrast with the gray-blue walls. I love a topiary, and they are a staple for symmetry on a mantle.

This is a little (lot) too feminine for a living space you expect a man to have friends over to watch a game, no matter how large the TV is. I have had dogs and children ruin an impractically-selected sofa, so this light stripe armchair is OUT. If it looks familiar to you, it should. This is a far too feminine living room for a couple, so it's a pipe dream. Or a projection of what I would do were I to be the potential owner of that particular living room. But I'm not, so neither of these work.

We have settled on a color scheme and room design that works for both potential owners (I am so ready to be able to tell you whose house this is so that I can stop referring to them that way), so two more room boards go up next week. In the meantime, there is a Pinterest board dedicated to ideas for this hopeful house, so click here to follow it and stay on what inspires us for the hopeful house.

BUT, if you follow the board, you may spoil the surprise of finding out who may hopefully possibly prayerfully be homeowning this house soon.