The Front Parlor/Piano Room

I think of all the rooms in the house, this one has been the most challenging for me to pull together. It's a little awkward, since it's essentially another formal living room (right next to the other formal living room), and for the longest time, I just couldn't get my head around how to make it stand out and serve a unique purpose.

It gets great light thanks to the two sets of large double windows, so it's a really pleasant room to spend time in, but I wanted to shake things up a little bit here.

Then, it hit me. LEOPARD. 

I feel compelled to mention the round table above is indeed centered on the window. It would drive me insane every time I saw it if it was not. The angle of this picture is a little slanted, which is why it looks off-center.

I dig symmetry, so I knew I wanted a pair of matching chairs in here. It took me a while to zero in on exactly what style I wanted, but ultimately settled on a slightly overscale wingback from Ballard, upholstered in a Sunbrella fabric (since these babies will get lots of direct sunlight, I wanted a fabric that could withstand it).   

I am all heart eyes for them and they are exactly what I wanted in this room.

Not to mention, handsome Mr. Lincoln looks like he was made to go there between them, right?

The little metal side table is from Pottery Barn.

The bench under the windows is topped with a couple of Ikea sheepskins to cozy it up a little bit, and the round table in the center of the room is also Ikea. The topiaries are from a little boutique (Cooper & Co for those of you fellow Lincolnites), and the tray is vintage.

Looking toward the other end of the room, you see our piano, which came with the house, but which I painted using Annie Sloan paint in a custom color. 

Have you used this paint? It's black magic. It's perfect for someone like me who likes painting but hates all the boring prep work. Sanding, mineral spirits, etc. No thank you. With this you just dive right in and paint - no prep necessary. I realize this is sounding a little like an ad. I can assure you Annie Sloan has no idea who I am (but if you are reading this, Annie, and want to send me some free swag, I will gladly accept ;))

E's gorgeous little reading nook is on the left above, and we still love that little space very much. The doorway to the right of the piano is a hallway leading to the powder room, and beyond that then the office and TV room in the back of the house. 

The piano stool is an antique, which I upholstered in a cool Nate Berkus fabric.

Not dusty, just old. 

I love the little glass balls on the feet.

The other piano in this room belongs to Miss E:

It's officially the cutest thing ever. 

The rug is a really beautiful woven silk in a striated green with some navy and chartreuse to it as well.

I think it looks especially pretty on the dark wood floors.

I also have a pair of these mirrored cabinets in the room, one on each side of the window. 

That bunny sculpture (by Christy Puetz) has moved around a lot in the house, but I think this is now the perfect spot for it. The artwork above is by Michelle Armas. 

This piece was purchased at auction, and I cannot remember the artist's name (and am too lazy to go look at the signature). I do love it, and also love the pretty gold bamboo-y frame.

You can see in this picture that it hangs on the left side of the room, behind one of the chairs. 

I think I'll be adding a floor lamp in that corner too, once I find one that I really love. 

Here's a view from the Front Parlor into the Formal Living Room and then on into the Dining Room so you can see how all the spaces relate to one another: 

I love how the colors in this room tie into the rest of this part of the house, but also bring some new elements to the table too.  

I have a lot of fun decorating those two little cutouts you see above. Currently, I have a few pieces of blue and white china there, but I'm sure that won't last for too long before I'm swapping in something new. 

Getting this room finished was a big check mark on the to-do list, and I'm so happy with how it came together. It's the perfect mix of mostly traditional elements but with a few modern and whimsical touches, as well as some new, some vintage, some high end, and some low, that I love.

Side note: sweet little Murphy, whom you see above making himself at home on the chair, has been feeling really bad lately and is in a lot of pain due to a slipped disk in his back. If you're so inclined, we'd appreciate any good vibes you can send his way for a speedy recovery.

Thanks so much for reading!