You guys. You guys! The Treehouse Living Room Tour is ready to share.
I am straight up in love with our living room. I love sitting on the twin sofas. I love the windows. I love the white-washed floors and the white-washed bricks. I love the long row of 3 benches that provide extra seating and give easy access to the views. I love the accordion pendant lamps. I love that the living room, dining nook, entry, hallway and kitchen are one open space. I love that I can sit with a magazine, and chat with Olive while she bakes a cake, or with Ralph while he makes a quesadilla. It’s a very comfortable, inviting, useable space. I’m excited to tell you all about it!
The sofas are my favorite. Their profile is handsome (see the image at top), and they’re a wonderful size — not as small as a love seat, and not as wide as a full couch. I searched and searched for something that would fit this space in just the right way. I wanted to create a sitting area around the fireplace and still leave room for a pathway between the benches and the sofas. (If you’re curious, the sofa is also available in teal, almond and mink — we chose almond.)
The coffee table is by Blu Dot. Isn’t it fantastic? It looks sort of airy and sculptural, but the marble makes it so substantial — it’s quite heavy!
We didn’t photograph the kitchen, because it’s still the nondescript space we inherited when we moved in, but you can see a peek of the kitchen island and our barstools — they face the sitting area. (The stools are great! I’ll tell you more about them in a later post.)
I bought the fringe-y throw blanket on the sofa when I was visiting Ethiopia.
The living room leads to the dining nook. The Thonet chairs are vintage, purchased from Book/Shop here in Oakland. The reproduction table we bought when we lived in Colorado. And we’ve had the chandelier since New York. It’s a remarkable fixture.
The benches! I Instagrammed the benches a few weeks ago and they received lots of ooohs and aaahs. And I’m not surprised. They’re made of reclaimed wood, the proportions are excellent, and they’re simply handsome. The benches come in two finishes, I chose lime wash.
I love the benches as is, but I’m also hatching some plans for these. I’d love to have long cushions made for them, to make them even more inviting. I really want the family to actively enjoy the windows and I love imagining the kids curled up on cushioned benches watching the bluejays make their nests. I’m also considering adding a shelf to legs beneath the seat of each bench. The shelves would be a place where we could store more coffee table books.
We don’t have a full shot of it, but I also wanted to point out the tripod lamp by the fireplace. I splurged on this piece, but I’m glad I did. It’s really distinctive and adds some weight and gravitas to the room.
The rug is by Allen & Roth. It’s 8 x 10 feet, 100% wool, and wasn’t too expensive. That was important to me, because the rug is a bit of an experiment. I really like the plain wood floors in the room and I go back and forth on wanting a rug at all. So far, I’m a fan of this one. It adds warmth and comfort to the space and it’s easy to vacuum. But I may decide to go back to bare floors as the weather warms.
The whole room has a light/neutral palette with natural touches of wood and green. My intention was to use the light colors to help the space feel open, and to reflect the sunlight when it finds it way through the trees. And I wanted to use the natural accents to connect the living room with the forest that surrounds The Treehouse. I’m really happy with how it turned out!
Okay. That’s essentially the full tour. But I do have a few more detail shots + sources if you’d like to see.
I snapped these up-close shots during the shoot, while Sarah took the gorgeous overall shots. First up is Mr. Hippo (maybe Mrs. Hippo? hard to tell). He was here in the house when we moved in. He is hand-made and heavy as can be. He’s fabulous.
The pillow is by Dwell Studio. It’s the one and only throw pillow in the living room! This is the first time I’ve gone the less-is-more route with throw pillows — it seems like my usual instincts are to put pillows everywhere! But simplifying makes sense in this space. There’s so much going on living-wise, that it works best with less stuff. And honestly, it feels fresh to me.
But if I’m going to have only one pillow here, I’m glad it’s this one. It’s gorgeous! And the colors are perfect for the room.
Nothing too amazing about the artichokes, but I thought they were pretty. : ) Also, that wooden bowl is another favorite. It’s another piece that came with house — and we put it to good use daily!
I talked about the benches above, but I thought you might like to see an up-close shot. You may notice the lime wash looks darker in real-life than in the product photo.
The accordion pendant lamps make me smile every time I see them. They are sculptural and stunning. I know they look like a set, but three are from EQ3 and one is from Serena & Lily. They plug in (we added outlets on the ceiling) and offer a soft, warm glow.
This bowl is one of the best things in the house. It’s part of the pottery collection left by the previous owners. Isn’t it amazing? (The Instamax images are by Olive.)
We collected the pinecones at Lake Tahoe. They’re huge! And I think they fit in the space in a wonderful way.
My uncle Mark and Aunt Robin’s home is in the forests between here and Tahoe. When I was growing up, they would bring us giant pinecones like this when they visited us in St. George, and we always had a bowl full in our home as part of the decor — so these also feel like a bit of family history.
This stunning chair is by Safavieh. The seat is made of leather strips. I love how the chair looks, I love that it’s comfortable, and I also love that it has a small footprint — important, because if it was bigger it would get in the way of foot traffic between the fireplace and seating area.
Lastly, on the little ledge that is part of the fireplace wall, you’ll find a petite painting of the home we lived in France — complete with our vintage car! It was painted by Paul Ferney as a housewarming gift for us. Such a treasure!
Okay. Now I’m dying to know. How do you like the living room? Did it turn out how you imagined? Do you remember what it looked like when we first moved in? I’ll add a few “before” pics at bottom in case you’re curious. Have you ever lived with an open floorplan where one room blends into another? How would your family function in a space like this? And is there anything in the space I forgot to mention? Ask me about it in the comments!
P.S. — You can find all the posts about The Treehouse here.
Images by Sarah Hebenstreit. Photo styling by Rosy Strazerri-Fridman.
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Before photos of the Living Room:
Love all the reveals this week! I love it all, I want it all! Gorgeous!
Yay! So glad it’s not Treehouse overload for you.
The next reveals will likely focus on the exterior and yard. And I’m tackling the girls bedroom at the end of the summer!
Love everything about this room. It is definitely going into my mental dream house!
so very pretty. Question about the rug. Love the simple, cozy look, but the link goes to a 5×8 version. Did you find the 8×10 at Lowe’s? thanks.
You bet. I found it in store at Lowe’s. They had 4 or 5 sizes available. Online it was listed as Allen & Roth, but in store it had a different label (I think something like Denbar) — just check by the section of hanging rugs.
Yes, yes, yes to the driftwood tones!! I have a very similar aesthetic feel in my living room, just waiting until I can save up to get new couches and driftwood toned flooring. Someone else mentioned benches – I have a bench on my list that will eventually end up in my house, that would fit perfectly in yours. The woven/worn neutral leather makes my heart pitter patter…. http://www.wayfair.com/William-Sheppee-Saddler-Wood-Bench-SAD165-WSP1030.html
That bench is stunning! And a great price too.
Everything is perfect and beautiful. Light, airy, serene, perfect. You did a fantastic job.
Oh it’s gorgeous! So light and airy – but very warm and welcoming too! : ) Well done!
The difference in the light between the before and after is amazing. Well done! My favorite is the quartet of pendant lights.
It’s beautiful. I especially love the neutrals.
Your living room is lovely! And so welcoming. Congrats!
It is so lovely! What a beautiful space to live your busy lives! It feels so warm and organic and peaceful. A great, thoughtful job you’ve done!
Question, is the white on your walls in the living room the same origami white you’ve used elsewhere? (I actually just got a sample of it this morning :), thinking about painting my downstairs)
Yes.The same Origami White from Sherwin-Williams. I love it so much!
Is there a color code for the origami white? I can’t have paint shipped, but I love the color, and could probably have it mixed here in Norway….
Please tell me about the logs in the fireplace. I would love to do this, but had heard about concerns with termites, decay, etc. What are your thoughts and where did you get these logs from?
I just love the feel of your living room! So bright and calm and lovely. And I was shocked that the accent chair was from Lowe’s! I usually go to Home Depot and they certainly don’t have anything so stylish there.
Isn’t that chair the coolest? I found it on Lowe’s website — I don’t think they’re available in store. The the Lowe’s online catalog is excellent!
That last picture is heartwarming: all those children contentedly together <3
Thank you for sharing you lovely home!
The floors! My favorite. I wonder what made you go with two couches instead of just one with more chairs. I have a couch and love seat and feel like the love seat never gets used because of its too small, yet too big size. I love the way two couches of the same size look together and I’ve never heard of twin size.
You speak about getting things off your “mental” list and seeing your room together in pictures inspires me to “finish” a room. Having a blog where you hit publish must be motivating. I need that kind of motivation. Does it really feel “finished” for you ever or are you always fiddling with new ideas?
That’s so true! Having to hit publish on a post, means I make sure the photo shoot happens, and that means getting the room good enough to photograph. : ) It’s great motivation!
But of course, as you might expect, the room continues to change after the photo shoot. We switch out a plant or a throw blanket or books. Maybe I’ll make the changes to the benches that I detailed above. The room continues to evolve. But. I really do have the room “marked off my mental checklist”, meaning changes still happen organically, but I’m no longer actively thinking about how to create the space.
Oh! I love it! This is coming at the perfect time for me, too, since we just bought a similar open-floor-plan house (our very first owned home!), and I’m a bit overwhelmed with all the choices I finally get to make. Some great inspiration here. I’ve been following your remodel every step of the way.
So serene and cozy. I love that the artwork and view draw the eye instead of a TV. My husband would be thrilled if we only had one throw pillow! He always teases me about our plethora of pillows. Well done!
Hi Gabrielle. As expected, this room looks absolutely stunning! You do not disappoint, lady. :) We live in a treehouse of sorts too, but in Los Angeles. And we also enjoy having 2 sofas in our living room but are looking to replace the ones we currently have. I was checking out your sofas on the sale but couldn’t locate the interior dimensions. Would you mind shooting those over? I’m wondering about the interior length and width. Could two people fit laying down (side by side) on one of the sofas? Thanks for your help.
You bet! If you go here and click on the specifications tab, you’ll find all the measurements.
I just happen to be on joss and main yesterday and saw this awesome sale…I loved everything in it…then I happen to glance and see your picture…then I was like…awh!!! No wonder I love this stuff!!! Very cool!!
really love the moments of asymmetry everywhere. such a gorgeous happy room.
Amazing job! I echo the compliments from everyone else. I tried to skim all the comments–maybe someone else asked a similar question—I was wondering how many people (kids) fit comfortably on your couches. We’ve been considering a sectional, but I’m having a hard time finding a stylish one that is within budget. Maybe two of your type of couches in an “L-shape” would work?
My one hesitancy with ordering a couch online is that you don’t get a chance to sit in it first. Would you consider them comfy enough to be “family room” furniture? It’s so pretty!
I’d say 3 adults per sofa (or more if we’re talking about little kids), but I would say these are not family room couches. For TV watching and serious lounging, we prefer something deeper and more cushioned. The sofas in our living room are a little more formal — and that’s on purpose. Yes, they are comfortable, but they’re intended to encourage conversation more than say, naps. : )
Thanks for answering my questions–especially when you are super busy. I appreciate it!
The light is so beautiful in that space- really lovely.
It is a wonderfully serene, light room. Beautiful job.
I’m so impressed with the cream rug, almond toned sofas and six kids!
I am loving all your house posts and would really like a retrospective on your room reveals in different homes over the years – you always have such clever ideas and clean, simple taste. And you’ve lived in such different cities which has an interesting influence on design choices. Excuse me while I commission your content (!).
I also love that framed print – I assume it’s a print. Could you please tell us a little more?
Do you mean the one over the fireplace? Or the one near the benches?
Sorry, the one near the benches…
Ah, I meant the fireplace! Tired! And I see you’ve answered my question below – lovely to have artwork with a personal connection. Thanks. You have very detail focused readers and lots of patience!
Wow — a stunning transformation! I can tell that designing is your passion. :) Also it makes me feel good to know that it took you a while to get to this point. Sometimes I walk into a lovely home and feel like it must have always been that way or have happened overnight. A post like this makes me feel like I really can transform my own surroundings.
Your living room is beautiful. I’m glad you like your open floor plan but I have to say that we are now living in a very open floor plan and I’ve decided that I hate it. My family is loud and the noise is the one large open room drives me crazy. I feel like I can’t even have a conversation sometimes because all the noise is competing so everyone just gets louder. I have other issues with it also. Another one is that I feel like we are always eating and munching because we never really get out of the kitchen. We are moving this summer into an older home we bought which has a more closed floorplan and I couldn’t be happier. The rooms still flow nicely but I think some walls are going to be great and keep me sane.
My heart sank when I saw that you called the tripod lamp was a splurge, because surely that would mean beyond the reach of mere mortals like me, but I looked anyway, and the price wasn’t too bad! It’s so refreshing to see someone in the design community put together something like this that is actually attainable and realistic!
Beautiful room, beautiful kids. It looks like a room to build the happiest of memories in.
I suppose “splurge” is relative. : )
I am in love with the transformation! We are building right now and I would love to know about the base that you put in underneath the outer windows. Is it mdf or wood? and would you mind telling me how tall and thick is it? Thank you so much! It all looks so beautiful but at the same time simple and non fussy.
The baseboards are 8 inch pre-primed pine boards. You can find them at any lumber yard. I love how simple they are.
The room is very beautiful. Nice job. Like Ann’s comment above, I was wondering about the framed print on the fireplace. Can you please share the source?
The artwork on the fireplace was given to us by Ben’s sister, Lisa, when we lived in Colorado. Lisa’s niece is the artist and created it for her MFA show (if I remember correctly). Lisa bought it to support her niece but didn’t have a good place to display it, and I LOVED it and knew I’d find the perfect spot.
I think my favorite part of the room is the light and how it bounces off all the beautiful pieces you’ve chosen. I am also amazed truly by how small the actual space is and how you’ve made it work for your family. Such a great example of how you don’t need a huge room or home even to make life work for your family. Less is more and I just love it. Plus yellow is my favorite accent color. So sunny and cheerful! Brilliant work.
This may be a silly question, but is the branch in the clear vase real (from your yard?) or is it fake? If it’s real, how long does it last in water? I love the idea of bringing the outdoors in and love the bright green circles!
It’s a branch from our yard. Maude found it. Depending on how fresh the branches are when we bring them in, they can last for a couple of weeks. Luckily, we have lots of greenery to choose from. : )
Your house and the story of how you found it have inspired me to be extremely picky in my current home search – you’ve found something extraordinary and made it even more so! Tell me, where do you store your kid stuff – we’ve got legos and toys and board games galore in our living room!
Your house looks great! I love how bright and airy it is. The kids obviously love the space. Those yellow chairs around the dining room table are wonderful! The yellow accents are fantastic. And yellow is even my least favorite color, but it looks amazing in your living room. Thank you for sharing!
I love the yellow & grey blanket in the first picture. Where did you snag that?
Isn’t that a fun pop of color? It’s actually a long sweater/wrap of mine that I found at Garnet Hill.
Oh, my goodness! Your ability to see the future of a room is breathtaking. I LOVE IT!
Love it! wondering how the marble tabletop will hold up with spills and arts & crafts (with my own 3 kids) because I’m smitten with it :)
I’m definitely crossing my fingers that crafting and spills mostly happen on the kitchen island and the metal dinner table — or especially upstairs in the studio.
It’s gorgeous, Gabrielle! I love the overall neutral look of the space with the pops of color. And those benches are fabulous!
This is perfect. I love it. This type of space totally speaks to me…lots of white and neutrals, with plenty of wood (whitewashed or not). Fantastic! And the windows…with the trees outside. Do you think this might be your “forever home?” You’ve moved around quite a bit in the past few years, do you even embrace the idea of a ‘forever’ home and putting down roots, or do you like moving and changing things up? (I think about this a lot lately with our impending move to Cincinnati where we plan on settling down for the long haul.)
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it’s amazing. I have to admit I thought it might be hard to renovate, but you obviously are a DESIGNER and of course knew it would look fab post renovation! really ah-mazing!!
I’m working through my new french home much the same…..but I’m not quite at your level yet!
xoxo
I just had a brainstorm for my own furniture and thought immediately of your lovely couches. Hire someone to make linen slipcovers or apron type covers for your couches. You can live with them in daily life and take them off when you want to be more sophisticated. I am looking at an emerald green Danish modern chair I was given and am giddy with excitement with my plan to make a linen slipcover for it. I have five children and love light furniture – slipcovers it is!
Hello! Can you tell me where you got the framed black and white artwork hanging by the benches? Love it.
Hi Dylan. It’s Fleur by Henri Matisse. I found it on Art.com a few years ago, but they no longer seem to list it on their site.
Looks amazing! So clean and fresh. Well done :)
I wish you would come decorate my living room. It’s completely unfinished (still building). We live in the Caribbean (entice?).
Your new living room surprises me– it’s much more formal than your past two living rooms have been. I remember your Colorado living room had a large bookshelf and overstuffed couches with lots of pillows and lots of color. And Ls Cressonaire– well, it’s French, so we don’t expect you to copy or emulate it, but it was still very warm and full of life.
This living room? Well, Gabby, you can’t really go wrong with the wood and the trees outside, and I like most of the individual pieces you’ve got, but it seems much colder than your past spaces. I miss the color and the dark wood tones and the painted details. I loved the color pops in your reading loft, and I had hoped that those would continue through the house.
Absolutely
Gorgeous….
Love every element…
Sherry
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I think your design has depth, interest, sophistication–the adjectives could go on and on, but I’m most impressed w/the architecture of the house, and I see again how important that is to the overall effect. You chose your home well!
Hi Gabrielle!
I absolutely love your living room! It is so fresh, bright, and clean. But I really love the way the view is the focal point. It inspires me to pare down my stuff, go more neutral.
Question for you, I’ve looked for that rug as an 8 by 10, but can only find a 5 by 8. Where did you find that larger size? Did you have to order it at the store? Any help you have is much appreciated!
Hi Amanda! I found the rug in stock at Lowe’s in several sizes. But in store, it had a different brand name (though the item numbers are the same). I hope that helps!
wow! I am so in love with the house, itself, first of all! the mass amount of windows and light that integrate the forest so well, just leave me so delighted and heartsick for such a home! Second of all, I love the elegant lines of your sofa’s, the fab quirk of hippo, and the print on your fireplace….Your dining room is perfection! That chandelier and its story are incredible, I die a little death for bentwood, and the table adds a little industrial contrast-sweet!!! Cheers to you from a Coloradan and former Angeleno who wishes she could find such a home!!!
Your home looks like something out of a dream! What a special place to grow up! I was wondering about the rug. I have been looking for an affordable 8×10 and when I saw your photos of your living room I automatically started scanning through to see where the rug was from. I was wondering though. The picture online shows it looking a lot darker and more beige where as your looks more white/cream in your photos. Would you say your photos are a good representation of the color?
Hi Rachel. I’d say it’s somewhere between cream and beige.
THE HIPPO!!!!! And I love the room! :)