Inspiration Board for a living room inspired by early colonial explorers of Arabia

 I have been working on designing my own living room these days.

I had always intended to paint the walls a burnished golden yellow since I moved in and best be getting on that. I had a friend who had painted their cinema room walls (their Dad was an architect so yes, they actually had a room soley for the purpose of watching movies) this particular shade and I always remember being in love with it and the dark colours of their Venetian textiles. I fnacy it will compliment the Iranian and Bedouin textiles we've [husband and I] have always intended to amass. The pefect place for those is accent cushions on the couch. Before I moved into Muscat, I never had a sofa/couch, or majlis seating you know. We did the whole straw mat and carpet on the ground thing with Arabic style majlis cushion pushed up against the wall. Perfectly nice, but kinda hurt our neck when we tried to stare up at the TV, ya know?

And I want to put some of my English-conlonial design aesthetic into my own home.

So at first I fell in love with this Morocco sofa from Homesensense. It was just "so me". I loved the paisley cushions, and the colour scheme of golden brown, sky blue, burnt orange, and umber remined me of the hotel suite at the Qasr Al Serab. 300+ something or other for the 3 seater though, and 245 for the two seater. In the end, being the cheap-o that I am, I got a couch made instead in a golden fabric with the curves and buttoned upholstery similar to inspiartion board above. It cost me only 70 Omani rials for the 3 seater and 55 for the two seater. I bought the cushions already I just need to get the covers sewn for them and am slowly amassing the textiles and fabrics.

I already have my coffee table, a vintage colonial style. I just need to add a decorative nail-stud on the trim and it will be perfect. I don't have the small rubber mallet required for DIY work on the nail trim though so it is project that awaits another day. Until I find a rubber mallet in Muscat. Qahwa service on antique tray setting the table and it will be perfect.

For nudge to the Bedu girl in me, we intend to put a sheepskin rug under the coffee table, which will be lain on top a Persian-style Turkish carpet. Maybe one day I will splurge on real Iranian one. Or maybe I will inherit one from my family, who knows, but right now, one those just isn't in my budget. The Turkish ones are about 45 on sale and regularily 90-110 for the size and quality I desire in a Turkish import.

I really don't know what we are going to do about lamps. Should we use candles in antique style lamps (but so hot). Should we do Tiffany stained glass {a nod to the Victorian influence I grew up with} or vintage tassel trim 1930s reference? Do I do something modern in a shape that I like? [I think I'll hold off on deciding about the lamps until Idecide about my art].I DO know I want a antique styled phone to sit on one of the side tables and I do know that I am EVENTUALLY going to purchase a set of three Syrian inlaid tables, and use the largest of the two as sidetables [70 OMR for the set before bartering]. I also know that my husband will hang his antique rifle way up high in the room when he is not using it so none of the kids can get at it.

We will either buy a framed oil to hang on the back wall, or some framed art, black and white photography or prints that I admire. I intend (when my daughter stops puting everything in her mouth) to plant alot of white peace lillies in planters and have larger ferns. A room always looks better with green in it. One of my favourite Middleeastern nod deisgn inlfuences are the set designs of  the movie Kingdom of Heaven. There is not a scene in any well furnished space in a frame where isn't a whole wack of ferns.

That's all that's on my mind for the space right now.