An Arts & Crafts Inspired Home Design

Recently I got a chance to tour the new home of a friend/client who wanted some suggestions for how to make her 1940s charmer more light & bright as well as incorporate her style with the furnishings that she already has. 

She was extremely well-prepared with a divided binder and lots of ideas of her own. The house itself is so lovely. A brick cape cod on a tree-lined street in a great, older neighborhood, the house has a beautiful fireplace in the living room, French doors in the dining room, and hardwood floors throughout. 

We talked about what style she is drawn to (Arts & Crafts with a touch of shabby chic), the colors & patterns she likes best, how she wants to use her main living areas, and what pieces she already owns. It was dream-come-true fun for me. And I hope that at least a few of the ideas I have will be useful to her.  :)

source

First up, her sofa. I would nestle it beneath a large set of windows similar to what's depicted in this photo. Currently she has a futon with clean, wood lines like this chair, and very much in the Arts & Crafts style. 



On the window behind the sofa I would add two of these panels, which clearly are for the bathroom. However, they are wider than a standard drape by 18 inches, which makes them ideal for a large window in a shady room. The rod can be hung so that the drapes--when opened--are pulled far enough to the side that the entire window is exposed. And the ruffles bring in a bit of the shabby chic style that she likes as well as being soft and airy.

The sofa cushion is covered in a kilim-like pattern with reddish tones. I would add some pillows of various sizes to make it feel extra cozy including some with large floral patterns like on these fabrics from Joel Dewberry's heirloom collection. I chose orange to coordinate with a pair of slipper chairs she has that would look fantastic on either side of the fireplace.

Across from the futon/sofa, I would place her settee, which is brown. To lighten up the look of the space, I would add a throw like this one from West Elm. 

Since she is not a huge TV watcher--keeping one around primarily for watching an occasional movie--I recommend visually minimizing the impact of the TV in the room by placing it on a smaller cabinet. More like a nightstand. More like this one from Joss & Main. The drawers are a nice feature because they can contain remote controls, DVDs, magazines, and other "stuff."

To cover the hardwood floors, provide a soft place to sit, and brighten the space, I would use a shag rug like this one from the Home Depot, a surprisingly good source for affordable area rugs in my opinion.

For additional seating and in lieu of a proper coffee table, I would buy a few of these white leather poufs. They add a sophisticated, worldy vibe to a space. They're sold lots of places but this seller on eBay has the lowest price I have found.

source

To light the room, I would LOVE to use this gorgeous sconce. Maybe even two of them, although they are on the pricier side. But a sconce is something you aren't going to change on a whim, and this is a classic look that will endure...

And look how this sconce coordinates with the gingko leaf pattern of this wallpaper. {Incidentally this has been my most popular pin ever--do you follow me on Pinterest? You should!}

The gingko leaf is considered a symbol of longevity, hope, resilience and peace. Is there any wish more lovely for a new home than this???

 

This cute hook is from Anthropologie, and part of their huge summer sale. It would make a great catchall for a purse or jacket in an entry or near a door.

Finally, I would round out the rest of the house with these Ballard shelves in the kitchen to hold a microwave between the range and refrigerator.

And a nautical striped rug from Dash & Albert in the bathroom, like the one offered in this partnership between Country Living magazine and Wayfair.

So ... a design that includes shower curtains for drapes and a shag rug... What do you think??