| Family Room |

Accessorize Your Living Room

By Rivki Rabinowitz | June 15, 2020

Seeing bits and pieces of my family on the walls was just what I needed to feel settled going into Shabbos.

I

’m not saying I like this gig because I’m currently in the midst of a renovation myself, but then again, I’m not saying I don’t.

In my previous house, I was dedicated to accumulating all sorts of fun art: children’s projects, framed to enhance their nostalgia and saturation; family photos, enlarged and printed on resin; vintage mirrors and maps, which I encourage you to source for your own homes; and Judaica, vibrant and meaningful.

Once the renovation kicked off, we moved into a rental home. The move was on a Wednesday, and by candle-lighting on Friday, every single little piece was hung. I say this not to laud my own organizational skills, nor to impose any kind of pressure checklist in your lives. It felt uncomplicated to me: individualized memorabilia have a way of personalizing a space like few other things can. And while this current home is temporary, it was so important to me to transform it into a place that felt like ours. Seeing bits and pieces of my family on the walls was just what I needed to feel settled going into Shabbos.

And really, regardless of your lifestyle, personalizing a space is a universal premise. While our dwellings are all temporary, it is the little injections of life, of family, of personality, that transform them from a house to a home. I’m off to water my asparagus fern from last issue

Rivki Rabinowitz
Editor, Family Room

A classic landscape painting (often done with oils in moody shades) reads understated and effortless. I love the cool tones in this one, which would look absolutely striking hung next to a black-and-white photograph with lots of negative space.

TAKE A BREAK (24”x18”)
$198, Minted.com

My style will always lend itself to an unpretentious and casual feel, with excessive use of patterns and layering. Sometimes, though, all a room really needs to feel lived in is a well-used throw, with an emphasis on texture. I can visualize my kids scrambling for this one on cold winter nights.

BOURINA FRINGE THROW BLANKET
$23.99, Amazon.com

Okay, okay, hear me out. A record player in off-the-moment hues like dusty rose, washed blue, or sage is a throwback in the best kind of way. Amassing a collection of vinyls can become a fun music enthusiast’s hobby, and this quirky piece would look wonderful on a bookshelf or desk, too.

CROSLEY VOYAGER VINTAGE PORTABLE TURNTABLE
$70, Amazon.com

Not every family room segues into becoming the multipurpose homework and desk room, but in my household, that’s exactly the way it is. This iconic banker’s lamp — with its strong wash of emerald green, highly bevelled brass base, and soft ambient glow — references the new wave of traditionalism: peppered throughout homes and achieving balance when paired with contemporary pieces.