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Smelling Salts Journal

May 1, 2018

Living Room Daydreams

Last fall, I mentioned that we don’t really tend to replace our furniture until it’s “way broke.”

Well, after almost twenty years of service, our 5’7″ apartment-sized Ikea sofa has ripped across a central seam for the second time. And, its coils are groaning. I think the old bird is trying to tell us something, like, “get your leggy family off of me before I collapse!”

Opposite, the overstuffed chair is looking more shabby than chic. I mean, you wouldn’t have suspected that a toddler defiance-peed on this chair thirteen years ago…until now.


Of course, the April [snow] showers have kept us indoors quite a bit. So, I’ve indulged in snow-day-dreaming by mapping out a new design plan for the living room. First, I used an old hand-drawing I made on grid-paper. Then, I played around with Plan Your Room.

Working from an unlimited, imaginary budget, I ended up filling it with budget-friendly furniture!

Enter the Sven Series from Article


I’m Crushing On The Sven Sofa in Oxford Gray

Article is an online retailer whose leather sofas I’ve been eyeing for more than a year. When Kerry Clare posted her essay about the Ceni sofa, I was double-sure that when the time came, I wanted to order from Article. Well, that time is soon! I’m really hoping to order the Sven Leather Sofa in Oxford Gray in the coming weeks.

Though, I’ll have to wait until the rest of my complimentary fabric samples arrive, because I would love to pair it with the Sven Chair in one of Article’s luscious velvets, either the royal Cascadia Blue or the beachy Pacific Blue.

Hello Sven Chair!

Drawing from my California youth, I’m California dreaming of the Sven Pacific Blue Chair on the right. Of course, when you’ve got the grid paper out, you might as well go the whole nine yards. I can at least envision what the room would like with a new area rug or no-longer nicked side tables, right? We’ve never had a coffee table! And what about ottomans and lighting? Why not at least consider the possibilities? Ah, day-dreams!

Here are the pieces I’ve been eyeing online!

Rugs [8×10]: Article Crush Dove Gray Rug, Rugs.ca Light Gray Monaco Rug, Rugs.ca Gray Villa Rug, Rugs.ca Restoration Rug
Coffee Tables: Top, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Coffee Table, West Elm Mid Century Pop-Up Storage Coffee Table, Bottom, West Elm Marcio Display Coffee Table, Article Vena Retangluar Coffee Table

Side Tables
: Top, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Side Table, West Elm Agate Side Table, West Elm Myles C Side Table, Bottom, West Elm Martini Side Table, Article Mara Side Table, Article Vena Rectangular Side Table
Ottomans & Poufs: Design Within Reach Softline Teal Wide Drum Pouf, Wayfair Beldi Nest Moroccan Gray Pouf,  Article Lucca Pacific Blue Pillow Set, Article Bamba Pouf, Article Metal Gray Hira Pouf

Standing Lamps: Article Beam Single Nickel Floor Lamp, Ikea Ranarp

I’ve come up with a few living room design boards I like!

Well, there are more than three. But, I thought I’d post the most likely candidates. For the true one-stop shopping experience, the first set of mid-century living room ideas is Article from top to bottom. The second design board is mostly Article with a hint of Rugs.ca and Design within Reach. And the third is a more eclectic mix, pulling items from West Elm, Design within Reach, Rugs.ca, and Ikea.

The All Article Living Room

Elements: Article Sven Leather Sofa in Oxford Gray, Article Lucca Pacific Blue Pillow Set, Article Beam Single Nickel Floor Lamp, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Side Table, Article Crush Dove Gray Rug, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Coffee Table, Article Metal Gray Hira Pouf, Article Bamba Pouf, Article Sven Pacific Blue Chair, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Side Table, Article Beam Single Nickel Floor Lamp

The Article Living Room with A Few Additions

Elements: Article Beam Single Nickel Floor Lamp, Article Sven Leather Sofa in Oxford Gray, Article Lucca Pacific Blue Pillow Set, Rugs.ca Restoration Rug, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Side Table, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Coffee Table, Wayfair Canada Beldi Nest Moroccan Gray Pouf, Design Within Reach Softline Teal Wide Drum Pouf, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Side Table, Article Sven Pacific Blue Chair,  Article Beam Single Nickel Floor Lamp

The Article Living Room with Eclectic Accessories

Elements: Article Sven Leather Sofa in Oxford Gray, Ikea Ranarp Lamp,  Rugs.ca Restoration Rug, West Elm Myles C Side Table, Article Lucca Pacific Blue Pillow Set, Wayfair Canada Beldi Nest Moroccan Gray Pouf, Article Amoeba Wild Walnut Coffee Table, Design Within Reach Softline Teal Wide Drum Pouf, Article Sven Pacific Blue Chair, West Elm Agate Side Table

Which would you pick?

Filed Under: Decor, Essays, Living Tagged With: #oneroomchallenge, Article Furniture, Article Sven, Living Room Design, Mid-century Modern, Sven Chair, Sven Sofa

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Welcome to Smelling Salts! I'm Roseanne, and this is where I record my best recipes, take notes on arts, culture, and style, and write essays about what keeps me going.
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