You can tell a lot about a person by their living room. One glimpse reveals whether they alphabetize their books, live with pets (ahem, black couches), or enforce a socks-only policy.
Just like you, every living room has a personality—it’s an ever-shifting record of your day-to-day life. But with a little intention, these spaces can transform into interactive galleries painted with leather and linen.
Of course, we’re not talking about stiff showrooms filled with glass tables that crack from one side-eye glance. The key is balance: a spot to kick your feet up while still being wowed by your surroundings. If you feel like your feng shui isn’t up to snuff and you need inspo to take your living room from bleak to unique, allow us to curate an effortlessly cool, elevated SD living room for you with finds from local home stores.
Courtesy of Nativa Interiors
Hepa Side Bar
$2,389, available at Nativa Interiors
If Gatsby traded his mansion for a downtown loft, this would be the bar cart he’d roll out. The geometric curves, brass-accented wheels, and removable serving trays make it part sculpture, part cocktail station. As for that plastic flask from college? We’d leave it in the cupboard.
Courtesy of Nativa Interiors
The Ball Walnut Side Table
$1,399, available at Nativa Interiors
No red wine on this side table. Drips are forbidden, but if you must, an old-fashioned on a gold-encrusted coaster will do to keep the marble top pristine.
If you’re a cotton-candy-wishes-vanilla-cherry-blossom-dreams kind of person, we won’t judge. But for those looking for a more elevated sensory experience that doubles as décor, the Onyx Candle is an ideal addition to a coffee table. Notes of patchouli, cedar, quince, rose, and citrus emanate from soy wax hand-poured in La Jolla.
Courtesy of Rove Concepts
Reya Curved Sectional
$3,749, available at Rove Concepts
Okay, at first glance, it might just seem like a white couch. But real luxury lives in the details: a kiln-dried hardwood frame, a curved silhouette, modern felt fabric, and enough space to sprawl and be drawn like a French girl. Just maybe save spaghetti night for the dining table.
Courtesy of Lawrance Furniture
Bubble Lamp
$2,285, available at Lawrance Furniture
The lights of this handmade Italian lamp are as organic (and beautiful) as they come, mimicking flowers on a branch or bubbles on a wand. Whatever the shape, the blown Murano glass adds soft, ambient lighting to that one dark corner, lava lamp–style.
Courtesy of Lawrance Furniture
Fiam Phantom Mirror
$5,000, available at Lawrance Furniture
The Phantom Mirror is like a fun-house mirror that grew up and went to art school. Inspired by its theatrical namesake, this Italian-made objet d’art depicts half reality, half illusion thanks to its warped glass, perfect for an otherwise blank living room wall.
Courtesy of Lawrance Furniture
QLOCKTWO Wall Clock
$1,780–$7,300, available at Lawrance Furniture
Haven’t you heard? Numbers are sooo last season. We’ve come a long way since the sundials of ancient Egypt, and as it turns out, clocks have evolved into chic pieces of art that speak to you in glowing sentences such as “It is half past seven” and “It is 10 o’clock.” It’s minimalist; mesmerizing; and, dare we say, timeless.
Courtesy of Roam Homeware
Shipwreck Pottery
Prices start at $195, available at Roam Homeware
Not all treasures glitter. Some are sea-stained clay weathered by centuries below the surface. Salvaged off the coast of Indonesia, this 16th-century shipwreck pottery collection comes encrusted with real barnacle shells that have likely hitched a ride since the days of Shakespeare. Bottle of rum not included.
Courtesy of Roam Homeware
Blue Crush by Linney Warren
$6,000, Acrylic on canvas, 48” x 72”,available at Roam Homeware
The best pieces of art are ones that make you cock your head sideways and squint your eyes. Before you figure out what you’re looking at, you’ve fallen into a trance. Part of Warren’s Leisure Collection, Blue Crushblends color, ocean creatures, and swirling bodies in a hypnotizing symphony. Consider this an excuse to finally replace that horrible fruit basket painting hanging above the mantel.
Courtesy of Nativa Interiors
Magnolia Chair
$890, available at Nativa Interiors
We’ve always been a bit skeptical of armless chairs—do we keep our arms down like a Buckingham guard?— but this one changed our minds. The soft bouclé wool and wide seat make it surprisingly inviting; plus, it sits on a swivel, so you can spin in style.
Courtesy of Nativa Interiors
Tromso Console
$4,380, available at Nativa Interiors
Whoever said high-end meant cream-colored-everything clearly hasn’t met this console. At 80 inches wide, this hefty, ochre, guanacaste wood console brings a much-needed dose of drama, especially paired with a white couch, beige rug, and eggshell lamp. Just pick your spot wisely, because once this beast is down, it ain’t budging.
Lili Kim is a content coordinator and writer for San Diego Magazine, with experience highlighting local businesses and communities. When not writing or shooting film, she is likely brewing her seventh cup of tea of the day or strolling along Sunset Cliffs.
