My Living Room - Now With Nicer Furniture!

I've been meaning to write up some kind of post about my recent living room updates for the last couple weeks - because we finally bought new furniture AND finally got it home! But you know what makes it hard to write a post about your living room? Having a clean living room of which to take photos! Miracle of miracles I rapidly cleaned up all stray toys and children one day and snapped a couple shots. (Seriously, home bloggers must have time and patience like I don't even know, because taking pictures of your house that actually look good is HARD!)

We bought our new furniture from La-z-boy and I recently bought some fancy Anthropologie curtains that I'm a bit infatuated with so I thought they deserved a blog post all of their own!

Without further ado let's hit some photos!

This is basically our living room. I guess I should have taken a shot from farther back, but our home is small, yet very open. As this is the end of the house, picture the dining room and the kitchen directly behind you in one straight line. That means from the kitchen you can see and hear everything in the living room, from the living room you can see and hear everything in the kitchen. Its small, but when having small children its actually been way more practical and conducive to family life that I would have thought when first moving in here. 

And yes, welcome to my love of orange. The orange can be a shock to some, but I'm being completely honest in saying that I've lived with it for 5 years and have absolutely no regrets. Its made me happy, has added great colour and personality to our rental home, and when living in a land of 9 month long winters you come to need big bursts of colour in your surroundings because outside is just white. The orange is only on a couple walls, with the rest of the walls being a light sand which tones everything down. 

Next shocker - yes, I also really love pattern. And I may have gone a little pattern crazy in here. Actually, I think I'm going to be editing either the blue pillows or the striped throw after looking at these photos, because enough can be enough sometimes! 

Here's the brand new chair. 

After I swore to myself I'd never buy a recliner...I bought a recliner. I found the most un-recliner looking one they had and then found an orange geometric fabric that I loved. I figured it wouldn't be placed right next to an orange wall so wouldn't look completely matchy-matchy, plus I would be able to have something orange even if we move and/or repaint. 

Its ridiculously comfortable even for short little me and my not so short husband. I think a good rocker is kinda a necessary evil when you have kids. There are just too many nights spent up rocking sick babies, or nursing babies, or reading to littles. I also chose this design of chair because I figured it was conducive to a child sitting on each arm!

Basically, I kinda love it.

And here's the new couch.

I've been fantasizing about a grey couch for a long while, and since I wore out our old couch being pregnant all the time we saved up for this one! I bought it for its comfort, depth, and simple lines. I'm glad I picked the fabric I did because I find it both really soft, yet durable and not prone to looking dirty when kids rub against it. It so far seems very wipe/wash friendly. But time will tell its real durability. 

Here's the pillow in what I think is a gorgeous floral print that came with the couch. Honestly, I never expected to like, and love, so many of the fabrics Lay-z-boy offers. I was tempted to get the chair in this fabric, but it turned out to be one of the most expensive fabrics you can pick, but since you don't have any extra cost for the throw pillows this was the perfect way to get the fabric for no added cost! In other words music to my husband's ears! Plus, I think my husband might have thought a giant floral a little too much for a chair. I probably would have too...eventually.

  

And finally the magical new curtains! I ruminated and looked forever for new curtains I would love for what felt like years, but once I saw these ones from Anthropologie I was ruined. They were not a budget friendly choice, but I am confident I'll love them for a long time so that makes it worth it to me. Plus, they're really the only window dressing on the entire main living area so that is a an important space to think about, and the added impact is definitely worth it! I would never go for Anthro curtains for a bedroom, but in the area most used and seen by every visitor, I think it's a good choice. But I do feel ridiculous for not knowing how to sew...

Its by no means perfect. I still want another chair, I keep hoping to find a thrift store find that isn't in dire need of reupholstery. With an additional chair I'd get rid of the random coffee table we have by the window and get a smaller kids table. The couch is longer than our previous couch so I need to get thinner end tables. I'd love to find some cool, vintage floor lamps and buy some trendy new lampshades. But that too is most likely a few months down the road. Oh, and new photos/gallery wall above said couch. The list goes on...

And there we have it. The new additions to our living room that honestly make me all kinds of happy. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I really feel that the home is the important space in your life. For you the stay at home mom who is always at home and deserves beautiful surroundings, for your kids who you are teaching what is beautiful, and for your husband to come home to relax in. Also; in our time of life we aren't spending any money in entertainment, or vacations, or hobbies that involve money or time outside our home, so when you think about it that way this is the best way we can use our money for the most impact in our daily life.  

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