Inspired by the silver screen
Hues of grey can give your living room some Old Hollywood glamour
A monochromatic palette, it is pretty much agreed, provides your home’s most public space — the living room — with a calm, cohesive feel.
The question is whether to use a tightly controlled colour scheme to create: 1) Hollywood glam with low-key luxe; 2) rural urbanity with a relaxed, rustic look; or 3) modern elegance with things polished, poised and patterned?
It all comes down to this: Which one is you?
For a Hollywood glam effect, nuanced shades of grey — from shadowy tones on a geometric rug to grey-tinged lilacs, pinks and blues in accessories — lend this living room a quiet elegance that hearkens back to vintage glamour from the 1930s and ’40s.
It’s all grounded in grey, which designers and homeowners continue to embrace. And it performs beautifully as a background neutral that works both with subtle pastels and strong accent colours, says Sebastien Fauteux, creative director for Urban Barn, which styled the room for their fall preview catalogue.
“Grey is a wonderful alternative to the classic neutral palette, and with so many options, you’re free to make the tone subtle or bold depending on your style. Grey is also unique in that it comes in both cool and warm tones, which makes it easy to blend into a variety of different spaces,” he explains.
The look for this space was inspired, says Fauteux, by a love of champagne and soft pastel tones.
“Blush or muted blues present a feeling of calmness and tranquility, which is still fresh for fall. It’s a very sleek, very accessible, colour story that homeowners can be comfortable bringing to their space,” he adds.
Here, the two largest surfaces in the room — walls and flooring — reflect the tightly edited grey palette while adding much-needed texture. Walls are washed in stippled vertical lines in tones of grey, while a bold geometric pattern in subtly variegated shades acts as an anchor.
The hardest working element of this room will be the tailored sofa, which is saved from severity by its slightly rounded arms and the pattern created by tufting.
It’s complemented by an occa- sional chair with a seat deep enough for comfort, and slim, unadorned arms that match the sleek lines of the room.
A ribbed pillow with a soft silky finish adds sheen, while others in fluffy wool and floral prints offer pattern and depth.
The steel base on a long, low rectangular coffee table references the room’s glam inspiration, but is updated with an oak top finished in a dark grey stain that lets the wood grain shine through.
Made from recycled Spanish glass, the floor lamp works as a light-bouncing sculptural element, and compliments glass accessories in translucent blues. The crisp white of its shade is echoed in ceramic accessories and candles.
An oversized print in the same colour family offers a decorative focal point that makes a statement without overwhelming any of the room’s other elements.