living room reimagined

I guess this year is all about lessons learned.  It's been my first full year in my new home and I've loved every moment of it.  I went from working outside of the house, which involved a 2, sometimes 3 hour commute in addition to the 9-5 thing and now I'm working from my home which takes off so much stress and gives me much more time to focus on what to do next.  I've been sloooooow to finish each room.  I was given some very sage advice when we first moved in, which was to wait a while to see how the house speaks to us before filling it and decorating it.  I couldn't do that with the main living area; that obviously had to be done first.  But as I move through trends and design style and my own personal growing up, I realize that I've moved beyond my current set-up for my living room.  

I've mentioned before that my living room also functions as my kitchen, dining room and family room.   We live in an 1100 square foot cottage and we have one central living area.  For the past five years, I've dreamt of how to decorate my own home once I had one.  After living inside the builder's grade white and tan walls of rental apartments, I couldn't wait to throw some colors on my walls.  Although I now am realizing I am a neutral-ist at heart (punctuated by pops of color of course), I initially wanted something breathy that hinted at a very specific color for my small quarters.

This is the mood board for my current living room

 

The next iteration of this room won't be much different.  Instead of the roman shade hung on an outside mount, I'd like to emphasize my cathedral ceilings and large window with some dramatic neutral drapes.  I'm unsure of whether I want a dupioni-look, a velvet or a linen on the drapes but I do know I want them to be floor to ceiling.  

I'm done with my 'sorbet' phase as paint goes.  While I've loved sorbet colors for the last five years, I can't help but feel little-old-ladyish with this color.  I also think it feels inauthentic in my cabin in the woods - it's too coastal.

I love my couch.  I'll keep the pillows and the rugs.  Maybe I'll layer in a different rug on top of the jute in order to use my hide under my new round dining table.  I've got a fabulous neutral rug in my office that's dying to be appreciated elsewhere.  

I would like to add a tribal brown or black with white throw, to give it some globalness, like this one on Joss & Main today.  

I'd also like to put some wall sconces on the side of my wagon wheel mirror.  Maybe even a wall shelf with my hurricane vases.

I have to figure out a way to ground the room with some black, like Mom always says.  Maybe even a little trim on the drapery for some punch.

For the time being, I'm left to decide on a new paint color.  I'm thinking something that will highlight the neutral theme but anything but pure white.  I'd like just a whisper of an elephant-or dove-gray to make the white accents pop.  Any suggestions out there?

-Bethany