Designing with Character + Living Room Refresh!

This post is sponsored by Article.

Okay, let me start by saying I actually had no intention of changing my living room. What had happened was… I was redoing my office, and while waiting for a set of chairs that kept getting pushed further and further back, I started considering other options. I was working with Article on our office, and I decided to pivot to our main living space. 

The before! It was fine, but not the most comfy for long-term lounging.

(I did end up refreshing the office, though! Check out the reveal in this post, including the Madera Desk from Article.)

I knew I wanted to prioritize comfort in the space. We had two semi-uncomfy sofas at the time (one in the office), and I needed a place to lounge, ya know? I kept coming back to the Sven sofa. We actually used to have one in our old apartment.

Our old apartment, the Park View Perch. 🥲

I wanted to go a little more moody this time. I’ve been really feeling the color brown lately – it feels more sophisticated, more grounded. Article sent over the Chocolat Charme leather Sven sofa and now my living room looks like a 70’s brown dream.

Our current living room, now with the Article Sven sofa in Charme Chocolat.

How cool is this chair? I found it from Mod Factory on Facebook Marketplace and managed to pick it up right before I came down with Covid. I wouldn’t normally go for microsuede (I’m not really drawn to it) but I fell in love with the shape of this accent chair. Unsurprisingly, Winnie seems to love it and immediately claimed it for himself. 

I love to mix both new and vintage pieces into our spaces. It makes a room look more intentional and character-filled, as opposed to a staged catalog. It’s that character that draws people in, that makes you say wow, I love this room and not this looks like a showroom. 

One question I’ve received about a leather couch is aren’t you worried about the dogs scratching it? To that I say: it’s called ✨patina✨!

I still need to make a few tweaks in here (namely, I’d like a coffee table), but I’m pretty happy with how it’s coming along. It’s just a refreshing sight to see when I walk in the front door.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the refresh! What kind of coffee table should I get?