Living room update: Simple

Whatup world,

Before I start: I have been AWOL the last few days and I am sorry. I'm spending most of my time on architecture homework and model-building.... but you don't want to hear about that! Onto the juicy stuff!


Usually I am a pro at telling people what's wrong with their interiors. Not like an actual pro, but like a pro in my head. However when it's something closer to home, I struggle to step outside my little box and see it with objective eyes.

You may know, our couch over the last few months has been graced with a selection of quite garrish pillows. Exhibit A:

Five Kinds of Happy interiors blog

At times, said pillows appear really pretty on Instagram.
And in various shots around our living room in this home tour

HOWEVER. They are also garrish. What made me think I could impatiently buy up all the brightest and most graphic pillows at Spotlight then expect them all to coordinate on our ONE sofa, I do not know. Especially without one iota of consideration for the fact that some are COOL toned and some are WARM toned and it's all very confusing...
 Ugh, I am ashamed.

So today I decided to try something new. It's called: simple.
Five Kinds of Happy interiors blog


I just removed all the existing pillows
 (i.e. placed them on a nearby chair until husband tells me to get rid of them) 
and replaced them with the yellow ones from our bedroom (which is also in our home tour).

Because who wants to kick the pillows off your bed every night so that you can go to sleep, and try to cram them onto your bedside table because you have a phobia of hair and dust getting onto it if you put it on the floor?
Not I.

Interior by Amy MacLeod - Five Kinds of Happy blog

And then, since I was simplifying, I banished the coffee table books to a side table. (That whole corner of the room needs serious attention. But baby steps...)

Interior by Amy MacLeod - Five Kinds of Happy blog

And now the coffee table looks scarily empty. But I am weary of thinking about styling piles of books and then having to move them every time we go to eat something (this is our only table). So I kinda like it. 
I feel like clearing things away gives me some space to think about what the room needs.

Interior by Amy MacLeod - Five Kinds of Happy blog

....... like SOMETHING for that big ol' piece of blank wall under our ridiculously (and lovely) tall ceilings.

Any ideas? What colours would you use in this room?

As for the rest of the room....... there are a few other changes I shall tell you about after the weekend.

Hope you have a lovely one!

8 comments:

  1. i do the same thing with pillows! i'm like "i want a cozy, eclectic feel" and i pile them up. then one day i come home and wonder where the heck they all came from and why i thought it looked good, haha. your place is a far stretch from that, however. i think it looks great both ways! you have a great eye for mixing and matching.
    it does feel great to simplify once in awhile though :)

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  2. Oh wow all those pillows are irresistible ... i love all the colours.

    Love Chrissi xo

    www.christianaholt.blogspot.com

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  3. Love those yellow cushions. Where are they from? You could add some bold black and white stripes which go perfectly with yellow. Amy x
    http://www.miloandmitzy.blogspot.com

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  4. Girl I know what you mean. I hate having to move my coffee table books every time I want to actually use the coffee table...but they are just so pretty. What are we hoarders of beautiful objects to do?!

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  5. hahhaa love this postt! Hilarious explanation of the pillows, and so appreciate that little detail about having to move the pillows off of the bed, but not actually wanting them to be on the floor... that's a girl after my own heart right there. On a more serious note-- I do sincerely support the steps you've taken towards simplicity in your space. Too often I think people get so caught up in this pressure of having to fill up every space with lots of objects, colors, etc. Sometimes it's really nice to just... have some empty spaces, some quiet patterns, some stillness.

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  6. I agree with Amy, some black & white striped cushions would like fab with your yellow ones. I like Scandinavian trick of having a gorgeous wicker basket to throw cushions into when they're not in use. x

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  7. i loooove it! ESp the mirror in the fire-place thing! That's so cute and just so original and brilliant!

    -liv
    http://chocolivlovelaugh.blogspot.kr

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  8. Your living room is starting to look so light and airy -- I love the small changes you made!

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Thanks for your comment. You are awesome!