When I first gazed upon her, I immediately fell for our 1935 house. It was originally built for the Younkers department store heiress, Ruthie Rosenfield. Since I share a first name with her, I’ve manufactured an entire backstory where the “OG Ruthie” is obsessed with this version of the living room (duh).
My vision? The richest jumbo print mural, moldings drenched in color, and the thickest custom curtains.
My main goal wasn’t just about how it looked, but how it felt. I wanted the room to feel layered, collected, and slightly mysterious—like a room you’d find in a countryside manor. And if your mom subscribed to Martha Stewart Living in the Y2K years, there’s a good chance that her “Turkey Hill” mural lives rent-free in your head, too.
The Walls: Bringing the Forest Floor In
The absolute showstopper of this room is the walls. We said goodbye to the gray peel-and-stick faux grasscloth and installed the incredible Graham and Brown Bodenham Heritage Green Bespoke Mural.
I fell in love with the specific details of this print. It’s a moody landscape of deep trees and gorgeous, lush forest floor foliage that wraps the room in a deep, historical green. It instantly added depth and age to the space.
The Process: Five Phases (and One Panic Attack)
Our living room is a whopping 600 square feet—twice the size of my first post-college apartment. Because the project was going to take weeks and the kids were home, I decided to break it into five small sections rather than doing the entire space at once.
HOT TIP: I put the wallpaper paste directly on the walls. I roll it and brush it on. I personally find it easier to install and it is so much less messy.
With a custom mural, there is no repeat like traditional wallpaper—just feet and feet of custom panels. If you make a big mistake, you are cooked. I was real nervous for about the first nine panels, and then I finally started to get into a rhythm. To complement the dramatic green, we chose a powdery blue for the built-ins and paneling. Here’s the first section I completed.
Honestly? I’m not sure I’m ever going back to doing a whole room at once! Breaking it down created so much less chaos, the room was still usable (mostly), and we even hosted a get-together in the middle of the process. If you have a large project and kids at home, try breaking it down. Watch the entire process in my living room story highlight.
The Lighting Strategy: “No Big Light,” But Make it 28
Many of our rooms lack a “big light” (overhead fixture). To achieve that cozy, layered, flickering vibe at night, we compensated by installing a ridiculous number of fixtures.
At last count, there are twenty-eight different lighting sources in this room! Scroll to the last slide for the Lighting video tour!
We used brass picture lights on the bookshelves, pleated-shade table lamps, floor lamps, and sconces. They operate on two switches, each illuminating a different lighting zone. It is pure magic at night.
The Real Life Reveal
This room is again headquarters for sleepovers and epic blanket forts. We mixed textures fearlessly—yes, that is an animal print sofa (because leopard is a neutral, right?). We created intimate conversation and activity zones within the large footprint. Well hello, activity desk and game table.
And if you look closely at the tour video (scroll to the last slide), it’s like a game of Where’s Waldo. There is a tub of Legos hidden in plain sight, and though I didn’t see one in the final shots, you know there is a stray Nerf bullet lurking behind one of those velvet chairs.
We wanted a space that felt elevated, collected, and maximalist, but still comfortable enough for real life to happen. I’m so thrilled this space finally matches the history and heart of our 1935 home.
Shop the Details
A huge thank you to Graham & Brown for providing the materials for this project.
- Mural: Bodenham Heritage Green Bespoke Mural (Substrate: Matte) Paper
- Paneling/Molding: “Smooth Sailing” (Eggshell finish—easier to get a smooth result on a large surface) Blue paint
- Trim/Mantel: “Fetish” (Gloss finish, for that classic shine!) Brown paint
- Curtains: Custom Campanile Pale Blue Custom curtains
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