It’s hard to believe that this room once looked small, dark and cluttered, but it did. The space was cleared out and completely renovated back in the mid-1950s, and this summery blue & white 50s living room was the end result.
Among the clutter removed were a few lovely antiques, along with some beautiful pieces of blue & white Meissen china which later were shown to their best advantage against a light and airy background.
This white background was deliberate, and — even today — is one of the safest, easiest ways to make smallish rooms seem larger and more open.
ALSO SEE: Wallpapered panels took this blue vintage living room from simple to stylish
Charm and comfort are often sacrificed for an appearance of spaciousness, but this living room had admirably combined these elements. The ceiling and walls were white, as were the heavy cotton draperies.
The elegant white floor was of ordinary pine that had been scraped, painted and waxed. Paint was applied, then rubbed off (as in antiquing) unevenly, but with the strokes running in the same direction.
The simplicity of the blue-and-white color scheme imparted a cool, open feeling, yet there was ample seating space on comfortable furniture.
Colorful paintings decorated the walls, and there was always a steady supply of flowers from the garden to brighten desk and tables. One touch of whimsy: the cute watermelon-design pillow.
