Sitting Room Tour: HGTV Green Home 2009

Yvonne Henriot Giraud alligator prints and the color green — the pairing seems ideal for a coastal Florida sitting room. “The alligator prints were the first purchase,” adds interior designer Linda Woodrum, “So I was looking for a color that worked with, highlighted and seemed as if it fit the natural subject of the gators.”

Once the wall color was selected, Woodrum set about filling the room with furnishings and accessories that would provide a soft spot for visitors to land and relax as they watch their favorite shows on the 32-inch Sony Bravia LCD-TV. The comfy sleeper sofa complete with embroidered linen pillows is flanked by two club chairs — covered in graphic-print fabric — that are softened by lime-green pillows and cuddly cotton cable-knit throws. “The sofa is a nice neutral with interesting texture and I liked the funky print of the chairs,” says Woodrum. “The pillows on the sofa were a great rich tone-on-tone texture.” A striated two-tone nylon rug completes the casual arrangement of furniture.

Then, to make an eco-friendly statement in the room Woodrum refers to as “a little bit of a tropical forest,” she added a coffee table that in a former life served as a lettuce crate. “The top lifts off, the crate collapses and can be removed easily from the room so the sleeper sofa can be opened,” she adds. A bowl of pears set in a wire basket, a mother-of-pearl box and a Cymbidium orchid create an interesting tabletop arrangement. Two side tables, once foot-long hot dog carts topped with baking trays for hot dog buns, display an interesting mix of organic elements: turned wood lamps, cork candle holders, a carved wood bowl filled with snake plant and moss, and wooden frames.

“With the same color on all six surfaces the room feels cozy and safe,” adds Woodrum. “It’s a place to go to when you need a little quiet time but still want an interesting environment.”