Growing up, the living room was our ‘fancy’ room. I have vivid memories of the powder blue velvet brocade couch that sat regally in the living room of our house when I was a little girl. This was where we would sit when we wanted a nice photo. Or where guests would be invited to sit when they stopped by. But, even though it was definitely the space that held our nicest furniture, it was never off-limits to us as kids. We played with our dolls in there, dressed up like Laura and Mary and acted out scenes from Little House on the Prairie and I know my mom would work on her sewing projects in there because one time I stepped on a pin that had sunk down into the shag carpet. It was easy for things to get lost in shag carpet. It also conveniently disguised any blood that came as a result from stepping on a pin. Just sayin’.
So, when I hear people saying that formal living rooms are outdated, I can’t help thinking how much I loved that room growing up and how much I love our living room now. Yes, it’s a tad bit more ‘fancy’. But, it’s also been the scene of so many of my most cherished memories.
And it’s come a long way in terms of style. Most recently, after 9 years of living in this house, it was given a fresh coat of paint.
Here’s how it looked before…
And here how it looks now with our new color (China Doll by Sherwin Williams).
Softer, lighter and just so fresh.
BEFORE
AFTER
I absolutely love how the color kind of changes with the light throughout the day and just how more crisp and clean everything feels.
Yes, I suppose this room might be a little formal for some tastes. But, we really do LIVE in it. Not quite as much as we do in our family room, but this is my favorite place to curl up with a good book.
It’s where my husband and I like to sit with a cup of coffee on Saturday morning and debrief about the week and see how long we can be there before the kids find us.
It’s where we open gifts on Christmas morning.
It was part of the loop my kids made when they would run through the house when they were little.
And I wonder if someday my kids will look back and remember the couch with the damask pattern on it that we’ve had since before they were born.
In a world that seems to be becoming increasingly more casual, I think there’s just a small part of us that enjoys spaces that hint at something with a little more special.
Rooms that are perhaps a little less used but are certainly not less welcoming.
Where you can wear high heels or flip flops and feel equally at home.
And, thankfully, rooms where there isn’t thick shag carpet hiding a rogue sewing pin just waiting to be stepped on! 😉
What are your thoughts on formal living rooms? I’d love to chat with you!
Thank you so much for meeting me at the fence today,
Before you go, take a look at my newly painted dining room!
Absolutely love your light and bright soft and amazing new paint – it’s wonderful!
Such a great post. Your living room looks GREAT!!!
Thank you so much Michele! I always love seeing your comments pop up. 🙂
I just repainted my living room in SW warm oatmeal and love how light and bright it looks and how happy it makes me. I love your side chairs, would you share the source?
Hi Lisa! The chairs are from World Market. 🙂
So lovely!
Thank you Joan!
Love your living room and I love our “more formal” living room too. I think it is sad that so many don’t have this space to enjoy. Maybe the trend will come back.
Thank you so much Marty!!
Your rooms are lovely; both the before and after. Our last home had separate living and formal dining rooms but not now. My first granddaughter called them the Christmas rooms because we only used them for holidays. Kind of sad, but it sure impressed her friends; they’re grammas didn’t have rooms just for Christmas! Hah the innocence of kids
‘Christmas rooms’! I love it!
My sentiments exactly, Vanessa. I loved our formal living room growing up too. Special room, treasured memories. Thank you for prompting memory lane this morning. Your new paint looks lovely! Ready for more special memories.
Thank you so much Sherry!
I agree – I love having a separate “fancy” room to curl up with a good book or sit with my husband for that few moments of quiet.
Your choice of paint color makes the room that much more “fancy”!
Thank you so much Julia!
Love this wall color!! Can you share the trim color!
Hi Julie! Oh man I wish I knew what the trim color was but it was already here when we moved in. So sorry!
Love the new paint color in the living room. So much lighter and warm. The only “formal” room I really have is my dining room. I enjoy decorating and changing out the table for the different holidays and seasons. We do use it fairly often. I do like having a little bit of formal.
It’s good to have just that little bit of formal isn’t it? Thank you so much for your kind words and for stopping by today!
Absolutely beautiful love the way everything shines with the new color
Thank you so much Norma!
Very pretty. We just repainted our main living areas… alabaster white and, also, love the white. We have a living room with attached dining area and no family room in our (empty nester custom) home/10 yrs and I haven’t missed that second area. In our previous homes, we just didn’t use the formal rooms. I have a Laura Ashley armoire that houses the tv and I shut the doors when I want that l room vibe, open for family room vibe. I set up the “dining” area with a (custom) pub table and bar stools and we use it as a game table, sit and have a glass of wine table, etc… and use our (large) breakfast nook as our main eating area. When we bought this house, I didn’t want to pay a mortgage on any rooms we wouldn’t use. It’s been my favorite home. Our master suite is downstairs,so we have a second tv viewing area if we need one.
Looks so great!!!!
So… I just wanna say… that damask sofa has stood the test of time! It still looks so stylish. Good choice!
Yes it has Julie!! We found it on clearance almost 18 years ago and it has definitely held up well!