I was looking through my "living room" board on Pinterest the other day when I was struck by something unexpected. Several of my favorite living rooms share three elements in common:
1) a touch of leather
2) mid-century upholstery
3) oriental rugs
By no means an obvious threesome. But it's a design trifecta that wins me over every time! In each of these rooms, the lushly intricate patterns in the oriental rug are a perfect contrast with the masculine leathers and structural upholstery. In some of these rooms the leather is white and bright, which could be overly clinical and monotonous if not for the warmth of an oriental rug. In other rooms, brooding black leather is saved from being too grim by the prettiness of a kilim or persian rug.
Shown above:
1. The room on the left has always been one of may favorites. I love how simple it is, yet how full of warmth. Here all the elements are at play: white modern sofa, black leather chairs, oriental rug. Love it. In the image to the right, the black leather sofa brings out the bold dark patterns in the oriental rug, making the room feel anything but sweet and pretty. Both from Home Edit.
2. Here, white leather mid-century furniture highlights the beautiful architecture of the room. And all that white would be too much without the gorgeous rugs. Laidlaw Schultz Architects.
3. A very contemporary white kitchen is softened just enough by an oriental rug in this Boston home. Boston Globe.
4. This room projects a kind of well-travelled intellect and character with its eclectic furniture and wall of books. Amitzi via Houzz.
5. This incredibly modern, fresh and open space is dotted with oriental rugs. Just goes to show you don't have to stick with a single theme (modern and stark) to make a room glow. Belmont home from Boston Globe.
(Images: As linked above)
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Now that you mention it, it's a "trifecta" I have in my own living room. I would also add: wood floors, abundant natural light, and pale walls. Notice, too, that the rugs favored tend to sport a strong red-blue combination--really lovely against a warm wood floor.
I did the same exercise with my Pinterest but for Furniture, my most active board. The pattern is one only: rustic, wood on everything. I'm amused.
"By no means an obvious threesome."
It is the most classic of modern classic combinations.
It's what I grew up with, and many others besides. I'm thrilled that oriental rugs are making a comeback, as the contemporary rugs were too bland to be a good counterfoil to MCM and leather. Everything comes back in style... eventually. (can Memphis be next?)
This combined look has always been one of our favorites — classic. Thanks for the reminder.
Yeah, I don't really like the look, but I absolutely hate oriental rugs, I find them hideous. They kinda drag down the energy of the mcm furniture.
Funny, I never really thought about it, but not only does my living room have this trifecta, so does my dearest friend's. What's interesting is that I never made this observation till now, because the rooms look so different. I'll add it to the long list of things we have in common. :)
Love that combination.
I'm also drawn to the same combination. For me, it feels intelligent and artful without trying too hard and it never looks the same in anyone's space.
Pale (not necessarily white) walls, Persian/Turkish rugs and leather is probably the most enduring interior style of the past 100 years - seriously, think about it. The nature of the furniture inside would shift over time, but there is no point from the end of the Victorian era to now when you couldn't have walked into a room like that and found it stylish and welcoming. It's a very classic template that allows for considerable individuality and versatility.
HEYNOWTEX - you have probably seen only standard, probably commercial rugs, which are boring. Tribal kilims and true tribal rugs, especially real antiques, can be wonderful and vibrant. I have a kilim from 1850 with a huge white leather sofa, glass coffee table and 1954 Walter Knoll chair. The chair is wonderful with the bold kilim.
Kilims are much more common in Europe.
What about curtain color choices? Solid, pattern or white neutral?