Last spring, a new client reached out for some assistance in completing the design of her living room. She already purchased a few items but wanted BLB’s help “create the perfect Art Deco-fused Afrocentric look.”

As a devoted Super Mom and nurse practitioner, Victoria has a has a busy life. Her family just moved into a renovated ranch south of Atlanta and she wanted to take her time making her new house a home. The first room we’d design would be the living room. In the front of the house and pass-through for most of the home, the formal space was wide with beautiful dark hardwoods and had a ton of natural light. After testing about a dozen sample swatches, Victoria painted the walls a rich emerald green and purchased a blush sofa and black and white patterned rug for the room. She also found a vintage cabinet at a nearby estate sale that she positioned at the rear of the space. However, the room still felt incomplete…

BEFORE:

Victoria describes herself as an artsy, music-loving free-spirit. She was seeking an eclectic, retro and Art Deco look that included both Afrocentric and Bohemian elements. She loved my use of color and unique gallery walls in past projects, so the goal was to create something similar with Black art, tapestries, and décor throughout the room.

First, we’d layer her existing rug with another jute, natural rug underneath to cover more of the open floor and add more texture in the space. We also added faux cowhide rug in the left corner to create singular seating space for reading and listening to music solo. Speaking of seating, we needed to pair more furniture with her existing blush scallop sofa for extra seating, so we purchased two emerald swivel rocking chairs from a local HomeGoods and ordered a floral pattern accent chair from The Inside so Victoria and her daughter could host guests in the sitting room.

Next, we added surface furniture such as coffee tables, a console table, and accent cabinet to give the family places to display their books and other belongings, set down a glass of wine or cup of coffee, and showcase Victoria’s gorgeous new phonogram vinyl player and growing record collection. Above the cabinet, we hung an antique mirror that was Victoria thrifted and spray-painted gold. We also tucked two blush velvet ottomans under the console table that could be pulled out for footrests or additional seats. 

Although we left the existing mahogany wood and antique bronze ceiling fan as-is, we added a brass multi-arm floor lamp in one corner for additional lighting for the evenings. Lastly, the largest wall in the room needed some color, character, and culture. Victoria had a few pieces of art, baskets, and fans that we’d mix in with new photography and colorful artwork sourced from several Black female artists across the country. For the final touch, we complemented all the seating with velvet and patterned throw pillows by two Black women-owned retailers. Here’s how it all turned out…

AFTER:

Thank you, Victoria for inviting me into your new home to design such a special space for your family and guests to relax, enjoy music, and spend time with one another. The combination of rich colors, textures, and Black art brought this living room to life and created an authentic, vintage and vibe-y space that’ll be impossible to duplicate.

For more photos of the room, check out my Portfolio and #ProjectSecretGarden on Instagram.

Be Blessed and Happy Black History Month!

ACG

Design Deets:

Paint – customized using Sparkling Emerald by Behr

Rugs – Wayfair, Etsy

Seating – Overstock, HomeGoods, The Inside

Coffee Tables – Wayfair

Console Table – Pier 1

Ottomans – Wayfair

Accent Cabinet – Wayfair

Floor Lamp - Target

Tapestries - Etsy

Artwork – Melissa Koby, Reyna Noriega, Fine Art America, Value City Furniture

Throw Pillows – Love, by Ravin Collection, Modish Décor Pillows

Photography – Kimberly Murray Photography