Living Room Design on a Budget and in a Hurry

My new client came to me to produce a total living room design on a budget in time for a party she was giving in 3 weeks time. She brought me a floor plan of the room. At first, she was convinced she wanted a sectional sofa, but together we decided a sofa was a better option. She had ordered a sofa and chair from a large discount store. However, when it arrived she realized it was too large. It was also of such inferior quality that she refused to accept it and demanded a refund.

Keeping in mind that she has two children, a 4 year old and a 10 month old, we had to create a room that was not only beautiful but also practical for 2 young children. To this end, we decided to do the sofa in a micro fiber velvet. This fabric cleans miraculously. You can spill absolutely anything on it, and it washes off with mild soap and water. It is also incredibly soft to touch. Since her walls were a yellow hued ivory, we decided to go with a soft teal for the sofa. Then we found in my store pillows that were a sunny yellow with the soft teal as the motif in the print.

Next we chose an ottoman coffee table in a faux leather. This idea is practical on two counts. First of all, it is extremely easy to clean even with only a damp sponge. In addition to that, there are no sharp corners to bruise a toddler learning to walk.

While the budget did not allow for an additional chair, but she needed some more seating, we went with upholstered cubes in a fun and quirky cowhide print fabric. Later on, when she purchases an upholstered chair for next to the sofa, the cubes can go next to the fireplace and be used for additional seating when there are extra guests.

We also ordered a chenille abstracted animal print rug that is in a lighter version of the soft teal of the sofa.

The new pieces mixed seamlessly with her chair, end tables, lamp and mirror that she already owned. It all came together perfectly and well in time for her party. At a later date, we may want to add some more accessories and an upholstered chair. However, the room looks well thought out and certainly made quite a positive impression on her guests.