Small Space Solutions: Designing a Livable-Lux Living Room
Olaniyi Swarn is an interior stylist in the Chicagoland area. She specializes in transforming small spaces of 1000 sqft or less. Her goal in any project she takes on is to transform ordinary spaces into dynamic and luxurious living experiences no matter what the size. "My design aesthetic is something I like to call Global Bohemian Chic. It's a style that infuses culture, art, and an elegant mix of color, says Olaniyi. Her style shines through on this project.
A client reached out to Olaniyi asking to refresh her living room. She was a young professional, an entrepreneur looking to update the living room of her period home to reflect her lifestyle better. The house was built around 1906 and still has some of its original charms. Most of it, however, has been stripped. One thing that remained in place were the fantastic 10-foot curved ceilings and beautiful window casings. Olaniyi's goal was to restore some character, but with a modern twist.
The home was built in 1906 and had undergone many changes over the past 115 years. Sadly, many of these changes stripped the house of its character. Olaniyi re-introduced wall molding and casings but kept them low-profile to breathe a little modernity into the room. They continued that strategy throughout the space with the furnishings chosen.
"I wanted to top off the room with something unique, and after carefully studying the space, I chose to add a modern porcelain-clad faux fireplace. When connecting the electricity, we discovered that the ORIGINAL fireplace was hidden behind the wall where I designated the new one should go! Of course, the mantel had been completely removed. But the chimney--along with all its ashes was hidden behind the wall. I was pretty excited and proud to see that my current recommendations respected the layout of the original space," says Olaniyi.
MEET Olaniyi
A SMALL SPACE SOLUTION EXPERT IN THE CHIGAGOLAND AREA
INSPIRATION
The client's velvety blue sofa served as the starting point for this makeover. It was the only piece of furniture that the client had purchased for the space before contacting Olaniyi. The sofa was oversized for the room and dictated much of what she could do. The client is a successful salon owner and wanted something that reflected her artistic, feminine, and business sides all at once.
THE FIFTH WALL
“The ceiling mural is from a company in Sweden called PhotoWall. When the homeowner reached out to me, she was certain that she wanted a floral pattern of some sort. It was up to me to figure out how to incorporate that into the space. When clients show an interest in wallpaper, I generally steer them to ones with larger prints. I think wallpapers with large repeats deliver a crisper cleaner experience that is immediately grasped.”
Getting the light right
“I instantly fell in love with the entire Keenan lightning line as soon as I saw it. What drew me to the line was the classic shape of the white opaque glass shades. Shaded chandeliers scream vintage. These shades made of glass gave them a modern spin, which is totally in line with our goal for the living room.”
“Even in small places, lighting creates beautiful shadows that add depth and an element of mystery to a space. Those shadows can even make the illusion of a larger area. The trick is layering it correctly. In each space I design, I try to include a lighting plan that features light that shines from above, eye-level, and below. ”
The Reveal
