Calm and Serene Living Room, and Kid Friendly Too!

Something about winter and the New Year always has me editing the decorative items in my home and reducing them to the bare minimum. With that frame of mind, it's no wonder that this simple, no fuss room is speaking to me this week. I found these pictures on Jen's great blog Inspiration for Decoration. She has thousands of images uploaded, and I could seriously spend days looking at all of the great pictures. ETA: This room belongs to the talented Michelle at Three Men and a Lady. Thanks, Emily!

Things I like about this room:

• The affordability: the floors look to be laminate. The couches and chairs are slipcovered, meaning you could purchase whatever was in your budget and then cover them all to coordinate them. The pillows are all simple, and easily made by you if you can sew straight seams.


• The color palette: a very restricted color palette of greenish khaki, soft tans, creamy whites and black and white photos means this room is relaxing and serene.


• The kid-friendly factor: Slipcovered furniture means washable furniture. The dining room table is simple and durable, the curtains can be bleached clean. The rug can take quite a beating before it will show wear, and the ottoman in place of a coffee table means that there are no sharp corners to bang little heads on.


• The wow factor: As calm and kid-friendly as this room is, it still has a glamorous chandelier, a funky fan/light, pretty moulding and interesting dining room chairs. It's a great example of making a room stylish, and still making it friendly for those who live in it.


• The personal touch: As a photographer (mostly of children) I love those gorgeous portraits on the wall. Showcasing them in black and white makes them more like art, while still keeping it very personal.

What about you? Does winter have you furiously editing your things and restricting your color palette? Or is that just me...