Keeping Your Home Stylish with Children, Part II, the Playful Bohemian Living Room

So my poor living room has been a very blank canvas for almost a year now except for the colorful corner of toys piling up.  :-)  First of all it takes a lot of money, so for me Craigslist has become my best friend....but it is very hit or miss so decorating a room, or an entire house can take years.  Sometimes my taste changes before I'm done!!  :-)  But it's fun, and I guess since it's fun, it's okay that it is never 'done.'

So this is my very colorless, sterile room today.  Funny, I think my favorite thing in the room is the beautiful glass hurricane on the wooden chest that I scored at a Flea Market for $20.  I want to add some splashes of color to the couch and walls.

West Elm mirror, and Pottery Barn Vases on mantle.

I do believe it's better to decorate slowly for a couple reasons, firstly, I think it takes time once you move into a place to feel it out, feel out what it wants to become, what you as a person or family unit want it to become.  Secondly, I believe you should love every piece you choose to fill your room, so if that means taking the time to find that perfect piece of furniture or perfect piece of wall art, then take the time.  Or if that means you need time financially to get the things you love and want rather than getting a cheaper room then take the time. 
So over the course of the last few months, that's what I've been doing, visualizing what would be perfect for all of us.  These are my visions:

1. Behind the couch we have this really high wall that seems to be empty, no furniture in front of it and no wall art.  So I think it would be really cool to do a huge Chalkboard Wall.  Since I'm trying to use all eco materials, I will probably go with the very low VOC and very cool paint by Annie Sloan.
A friend turned me on to it, and I'm soo excited to try it out on this wall and some of my furniture makeovers.  What's cool is that any of her paint colors can also be used for a chalkboard wall, so if I wanted a pink chalkboard I could do it, however, I think I'm going to try Graphite.

I am also in love with the Scandinavian Pink, it just might be used on my next furniture makeover....Love Love Love this color!

2. I want to do an eclectic wall above couch - I'm thinking some quirkly pics of downtown Santa Barbara, my Marilyn Monroe print that I got at a Kalamazoo thrift store when I was in college...  somehow, it's managed to stick around so I feel like it's time to hang her again.  And of course, my kids' framed art, and maybe some small mirrors and/or playful art pieces

So here's the wall:

Here are some pics I've shot last few days downtown, maybe one of two of these will work:

Here is Marilyn :-)

5. Color on the couch - I'm loving this fabric on Etsy, I might have to dust the sewing machine off and make a pillow or two with it, maybe add a little pom pom trim.

I'm really into the hand stamping right now, on pillows, quilts, duvets.  I'm loving this Etsy shop Giardino's pillows.  So beautiful.

6. Colorful Throw ????

7. Lovebirds wall art similar to what I saw on Damask & Dentelle Blog, however, I will try to do it myself.  (I will do the art myself). 

What do you think so far??  Always open to any of your ideas!  Stay tuned for my vision for our entryway and kitchen!

Hope you are having a great weekend, gotta go, Dear Genevieve is on! 

Peace,
Jill