The Receiving Room

I suppose since Brian and I have been living together for 3 years, being engaged hasn't made me think much about moving in together, mixing our "stuff" or the normal trials and tribulations that come with merging two completely separate lives into one.

Since we're really past most of that, I've thought a lot more about "nesting" and what really goes into to making your house your home. 

I'm still chomping at the bit to move residences, and I spend a lot of time thinking about the formal living room in our next house. The pieces that I've been building up----our sofa, coffee table, our dainty little chairs----are all things I plan to translate into our formal living room. 

Formal living rooms tend to conjure images of the late 1950's and early 1960's, when people actually used their formal living rooms for receiving and entertaining their guests. 

I love the idea of welcoming guests into a room where no one is glued to the latest sporting event or reality show (The Real Housewives of Honey-Boo-Boo-Ville, as Brian has dubbed all reality tv programs). Simply enjoying a cocktail or two and each other's company. What a concept.

My thoughts usually turn to Don and Betty's formal living in Mad Men----Living room versions 1 and 2, and even though her character was obviously a total witch, Hilly's formal living in The Help.

 I was in the Lee Jofa/Brunschwig & Fils showroom the other day and was DYING over a room that had upholstered walls in the most amazing fabric. I kept thinking, forget papering a teensy room or two in your house, how about breaking out the big guns and going for your formal living room.

Would love to do so with one of these totally breathtaking Brunschwig fabrics.

See fabric images here.

If you've never read, Entertaining is Fun! by the late, great Dorothy Draper, 

please get yourself to ebay/Amazon immediately and order a copy. It's out of print now, but you can find vintage copies on both sites.

 Mrs. Draper talks lots about making your house "Say Welcome" when entertaining and in general. 

It makes me want to coif the perfect formal living room.

Mrs. Draper in one of her beautiful living rooms.

I pinned this living room via Cote de Texas and I'm obsessed with the perfect mix of traditional/modern/French. The perfect formal living room is comfortable, a little dressy and representative of YOU.

After all, isn't it all of our dreams to entertain guests in a beautiful room whilst wearing a vintage caftan a la Catherine Deneuve?

To see all of my favorite rooms & inspirations, follow me on Pinterest. 

Happy Almost Weekend all! I'm headed to the beach with a few girlfriends for a bachelorette party and some R&R. What are you doing?