Saturday, June 18, 2016

The Living Room, San Francisco Style

Since many followers of my blog keep asking for more photos of our San Francisco home, I decided to get out my big girl camera and do a photo shoot, beginning with the living room which has evolved quite a bit since we moved in last January.

Since everyone loves a great before and after, here is how the living room looked when we bought the house.  
Gold walls, nice cathedral ceiling and parquet floors.

The floors had to be retrofitted with plywood, so a new herringbone floor went over it.
The fireplace hearth was also replaced with soapstone.

The entire room got a coat of white paint.

I also had a chandelier installed in the beamed ceiling, where there wasn't one before.

And here is the room today.
It's a long room with a corner fireplace, so furniture placement has been a challenge.
I solved the issue by placing the seating arrangement on one end of the room...

 ...and keeping the piano and bookshelf on the other side.
The sofa is a gray velvet chesterfield and it took a couple of tries to get it right!



A simple black console sits behind the sofa.
This is the area I'm still in the process of staging.

Perhaps more brass lanterns and some plants?

This room receives a lot of light, but also has views of adjacent homes and apartments I'd rather not see. 
My solution was to plant trees outside on the balcony to camouflage the view. 

Two club chairs sit close to the fireplace. 

An old bamboo table sits for now between the two chairs.  

The chairs are upholstered in suede and are virtually indestructible. 

Oscar can't scratch the leather, but if someone can tell me the solution for white dog hair on velvet and suede, let me know!

The antler trophy over the fireplace is the only thing on the walls so far in this room.


I'm so afraid to put a nail in the new walls!
For now, floral arrangements and books on the coffee table are serving as art.


Family photos and my shell box collection on the piano.

We've been collecting books on San Francisco, so maybe we will find some prints or paintings of San Francisco for the walls.

Many of you have commented that my new look is so different from our previous home.
White walls, less clutter and accessories, bare floors, basically a cleaner look.  
Yes, I miss my old living room and its old world feel, I won't lie.
But this house in San Francisco calls for a cleaner, more contemporary feel.
I am far from contemporary, but compared to where I was before, this is quite a departure.
It has been a challenge, but I've enjoyed it!

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23 comments:

Shenita @ Embellishments by SLR said...

Delores, your new home is coming together beautifully. Everything feels so warm and inviting. I am sure that you are enjoying the process; and Oscar seems to be right at home! I enjoy reading your updates.

gme said...

Delores, the new home is looking great. I think you have a certain style and while this house is starting out a little more sleek and contemporary, I have a feeling that over time it will evolve into the more traditional style of your old home because it is what you truly love. After a while it will be a little less painful to put nail holes in those pretty new walls...-:)

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Your living room is beautiful, Delores! I love the seating area...the chairs are gorgeous (and your cute pup seems to love them, too). The book case is wonderful for the space and I love how the room peeks into the kitchen and garden. Our home has a lot of farmhouse and cottage features, but we will be moving to our lakehouse in the next year or two...and it has more of a mid-century modern feel. Thankfully, I love that very different style as well...and I like to listen to how my house tells me to decorate, just like you are doing.

Sarah said...

Delores with your exquisite taste and eye for beautiful detail, you can pull off any look. The living room is lovely. I like all the light and the comfortable sitting area. Your shell box collection is beautiful. I have a few small shell boxes that I've had through the years. I like to group them with my Nantucket baskets for a summer look, even though we are land locked here in central TX. Thanks for sharing the update. Look forward to seeing more.

Calypso In The Country said...

You have such a talent for pulling a room together! I was so excited to see a new post from you. The room is beautiful and I think it is a brilliant idea to put the tall trees on the deck to block the neighbors and to add greenery. I laughed when you said you didn't want to put any nails in the new walls. We painted about 8 months ago and I have yet to finish hanging all my pictures! Enjoy your week and thanks for the tour of your lovely room!
Shelley

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Oh I love it, I think it still has an old world collected feeling. Love the gray and the natural suede, so pretty together and of course I adore the cowhide. You've made it look fabulous as you always do.

Pete and Lauren Virtue said...

What a treat to check your blog and find not one but two new posts! I've been waiting to see what wonderful things you've done to your new abode, and I love the new contemporary style you've adopted for the city! Thank you for sharing your home & style! Can't wait to see more!

Sandy said...

Oh I just love this room! Now about that doggie hair problem.....we have a 55 lb border collie mix with tons of black hair. She has shed terribly every day since we rescued her. She also has horrible allergies that make her scratch constantly in the spring and fall. This past April, after seeing our vet 4 times in 2 months, my husband did some research. He found several articles about Salmon Oil. He ordered it and we started her on about 1/2 tsp over her dry food twice daily. The itching & scratching stopped within a couple of weeks, but then about a month or so later I noticed she no longer sheds!! We are amazed! And hey, she has a little more pep in her 10 yr. old step also. Considering I have a new very light velvet sofa, I have kept a coordinating throw over it to keep the hair at bay. I have removed the throw!

cotedetexas said...

So
Beautiful. Love your new house!!! I have pet hair issues especially on velvet pillows. I have a lint
Brush that is made of this material that picks
Up the hair. It is so fabulous. Got it on amazon. The material on it is red. Wish I had the name of it. They had several versions.

cotedetexas said...

Jiffy Evercare Magik Lint Brush 1042 Ok I looked it up. That's the name on Amazon. Go search it.

Mary Ann Pickett said...

This is so lovely! It feels fresh but with character and charm. LOVE the floors!

Unknown said...

It's very beautiful! I love how you have it arranged, and you have the perfect accessories. Great job!

Dianne said...

I love this room. It is my favorite color combination ( gray and tobacco). Thank you for finally showing us this gorgeous new place. I look forward to the rest of the tour.
Are you loving your new city as well?

Bonnie said...

Well, dear Delores, all your thoughts, wondering, investigating, and more wondering....paid off. The living room is beautiful! Just what you were talking about all along. I love it. Can't wait to sit in one of those two chairs by the fireplace and sip a glass (or two) of wine....soon. You should be so proud. And, hey, your photography is not bad either! Hugs to you. B

My Little Bungalow said...

Such a warm, cozy, inviting room! Your style reminds me somewhat of Joan's (For the Love of a House blog). My favorite elements are the sofa, window treatments and antlers!
Claudia

Sammy said...

So pretty! It does look so clean. I love the white walls with the furniture!

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

The details of this room and wonderful. Love the ceiling especially with how the beams were designed. The fireplace is so unique too with it's angles and trim. I like how you nestled the furniture- it creates a cozy setting good for socializing. Adding a green wall outside is a perfect idea since privacy can be hard to achieve. I saw some wonderful pillows yesterday at a favorite store I like to go to for home furnishings and deco that had an antler design on it- they were at least 20" in size. Your antler set over the fireplace made me think of those again and the pillows looked reminiscent of it. I like the grand piano and the bookcase setting- open and clean. You sure are good with design and planning things out!

for the love of a house said...

The living room is Beautiful Delores! Love the sofa, and I covet that little oil painting on the mantel:) Hope y'all are enjoying "summer in the city!!!" xxojoan

Veryvintagevilla said...

So beautiful! Love following along as you have renovated your Home in the city.

Miranda said...

Looks great! The herringbone floor is so pretty.

DeeDee said...

Do you mind to share who makes your beautiful gray sofa?

vignette design said...

Hi DeeDee,
I ordered the sofa from Restoration Hardware.

Sheila @ Maison de Cinq said...

Love the room! it is a departure from your old style, but I think just a "modernized" version. You still have warmth and character and it looks beautiful!

Sheila
xo

www.maisondecinq.blogspot.com

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