Caroline's Living Room Reveal

We’re excited to reveal the living room in Caroline’s gorgeous Phoenix, AZ home! With the New Year in full swing, what better time to share an up close look at where she spends most of her time with family. The cozy fireplace and performance linen L-shape sofa add warmth to winter nights in the desert, which is why it’s quickly become the entire family’s favorite place to relax. From furniture selections to artwork and textiles, we sat down with Caroline to learn more.
Your living room is beautiful! What draws you to neutral tones in a space?
I’m a HUGE fan of neutrals which is why I offer so many neutral fabrics and wall coverings in my collections. They are livable, classic and pair so easily with other colors and textures. When designing my family’s living room, the goal was to create a peaceful space. At the end of a long day the whole family loves unwinding in the living room so I chose a calming color palette.
You’ve used CCT’s hand printed KETUT fabric throughout the space. Tell us about your decision making process.
Like all of our designs, KETUT originated as my own artwork. It’s one of my personal favorites because it has a linear quality that creates a subtle diamond-shaped fade. The color combination of the black print on the natural Belgian linen ground hints at the masculine, and I really like all rooms in our home to feel balanced between masculine and feminine so everyone feels welcome.
There are so many delicate layers in this space. How do you balance / build upon color and textures?
There’s definitely an art to layering in interiors and I like to let color be my guide. I try to limit myself to 3-4 colors per space. For example, in our living room we have the natural colored linen throughout which pairs nicely with our rug so that’s the first color. The second color is the wood tones you see throughout the room - the chair legs and some vases and objet. The third color is the blue from the framed Petros Kublis photograph. The fourth color is the black accents found in the metal picture frame, coffee table legs, coffee table books. Over time I like to change things out and tend to follow the guidelines that if I want to bring a new color in, I’ll try to stick to something in the existing color families. If I change our pillows out I’ll look for something in the neutrals family or blues like dark navy. Working within the confines of a simplified color palette is an easy way to make sure things don’t get too busy looking!
Your sofa (The Irving Sectional) and chairs (The Leroy) are from Maiden Home, what made you choose their furniture for your living room?
I love Maiden Home’s furniture for so many reasons. It’s made in America by furniture experts in North Carolina using the finest materials and construction processes. As a brand they value many of the same things we do at Caroline Cecil Textiles, so I always try to support other businesses in the interiors industry that have a similar ethos to us.
Did you have a featured / main piece, such as furniture or art, that you used as the keystone for your design scheme?
The framed photograph of the ocean by Petros Kublis was the keystone of the living room design. I love that it initially draws your eye in because of the color, but once you’re staring it has a calming effect. Artwork is a great opportunity for self reflection and I’m drawn to pieces that allow visual space throughout the home.
What’s your favorite item in your living room?
As a designer I gravitate towards the details and textures, so I’d have to say the small objects throughout the space are my favorites. I love rotating them around the house, styling, re-styling and seeing how it impacts the way the space feels. It’s incredible how a grouping of throw pillows and coffee table books can transform a space!
Tell us about the assortment of coffee table books on your coffee table.
It’s a mix of art, fashion and home books. Books are a great source of inspiration and also just look pretty as objects, I always have to exercise a lot of restraint when I’m traveling in NYC around so many amazing book and magazine stores. My other achilles heel is the Assouline newsletter! UGH! I need to unsubscribe because I just want to buy everything haha.
How have you incorporated the same colors from your living room, neutrals and cool tones, throughout the rest of your home?
Yes! There is subtle variation from room to room but in general I tried to stick to the same palette throughout so it felt cohesive. I hope to photograph the other rooms in our house soon including our baby’s nursery, breakfast nook and master bedroom!
Tell us about your vase collection. Where do you like to shop for object and home accents?
I’m really picky about the objects in our home. We have vases my grandmother had in her painting studio mixed with hand-thrown ceramics and other pieces I’ve found over the years. When it comes to objects I like everything to look artful, be made from natural materials and enjoy curating a mix of the hi and low.
I honestly can't decide on my favorite part of Caroline's living room because it all looks so beautiful and pulled together. From being able to snuggle up next to the fireplace on the L-shape sofa to the coffee table books and candles, it's the living room of my Pinterest dreams. To learn more about our KETUT design or to purchase a sample for your design library, click here. For more behind-the-scenes images and videos of Caroline's home, follow CCTEXTILES on Instagram.
Cheers!
Allanah