The garden style living room is light and casual, and gives the feeling that you're outdoors. Here's get the look right. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Select seating pieces that are upholstered in a light-colored fabric such as a solid off-white cotton or linen, country check, awning stripe or floral. Add coordinating pillows, some with flounces.
2. Go with a coffee table that doesn't have a heavy look. A dainty, light-toned wood table will work, or a glass-topped metal or wicker-and-metal model. Consider putting a glass top over a garden bench if you can find one in the right height.
3. Use end tables that are light-toned wood or are painted. Painted tables could be embellished with a floral design or might appear to be worn and weathered.
4. Light the room with table lamps that are low-key, with plain wrought iron or ceramic bases, or that underscore garden style and have floral motif shades and terracotta, wicker or floral-motif bases.
5. Choose an outdoorsy sisal area rug, or a wool or cotton one with a floral motif. If the floor is hardwood, keep it light - a dark stain could pull down the happy feel of your room.
6. Dress the windows simply or leave them bare to blur the separation between indoors and outdoors. Simple curtains that work well include checks, plain solids (for example, homespun-look tab-tops hung on a tree-branch rod), eyelet, and of course, florals.
7. Hang pictures that celebrate the garden - blooming landscapes, botanical drawings or floral still lifes.
8. Accessorize further with all types of flowers - dried, silk, fresh, potted - in pitchers, watering cans and vases. Other suitable accessories include lace doilies, vintage-look tablecloths, animal figurines, birdhouses, baskets and even well-worn garden tools.
Tags: floral motif, garden style, light-toned wood, with floral
