Living Room Updates & Neighborhood Pretties

Six months ago we moved into a sunny apartment in Amherst MA. I was immediately taken with the views and the amount of natural light. The forrest is literally our backyard. However, it is a rental and it lacks any architectural embellishments. It’s a blank canvas without crown moldings, wainscoting or a fireplace – you know, all the good stuff. However it has amazing views and a semi-open floor plan which we liked. It also has a 6-foot window seat that soon became our favorite spot for watching the wildlife  in front of our window. 

As I mentioned before, this place will be our home for one or two years, until my husband gets a tenure track and we move to someplace more permanent. Investing too much in a home we’re going to leave so soon made no financial sense to us. However, the decorator in me still wanted to cozy-up the place and make it look pretty, even if on a budget. 

So, we started with a pair of IKEA bookshelves we painstakingly adorned with base and dentil crown molding. It was a project worth the effort because they now look custom-made. We love them. Next was painting the walls. Nothing fancy here. Ideally I would have wanted either shiplap or a wainscoting and wallpaper combination but, like I said, the investment made no sense financially with this place. Since I didn’t want white walls either, I spent an agonizing few weeks testing paint colors. I tried several  blues, inspired by textile designer Louise Townsend’s drawing room but the blues were looking rather cold in our place. I then tried Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan and it looked lovely but the effect was too subtle and I knew I wanted something more bold, more dramatic and with an edge. I finally landed on Farrow & Ball’s French Gray. I loved it right away and so did my husband (very important to get his approval 🙂 ), so I had it matched at a local paint shop and feel like they did a great job.

My little hurricane needs a candle.

Another scenario I had for the wall above the sofa was a sequence of framed botanicals. Who knows, it might still happen 🙂  The sconces were an Overstock find that I spray painted antique gold and replaced the lamp shades. Custom pillows are on their merry way. Can you guess my fabric choice? 

To dos left for this room – the window seat cushion which, after looking at dozens of samples,  I think I’ve finally figured out. We also have a pair of bamboo chairs that need new cushions so there’s that too. In the meantime, Isabella’s room is almost ready. I landed on a fabric for a roman shade and pillow. We still need a slipcover for her cozy reading spot and a few more baskets.

Our bedroom is the last room on my list but I think I have it all figured out on paper. I will blog about my plans soon. And because you’ve been so patient reading through our decoration saga, here is a bonus – a few favorite Amherst homes and pics I snapped on a neighborhood walk yesterday. The light was perfect.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into our home and you should know that I do appreciate all your kind comments here and on Instagram.

Until next time!