Our living room is open with the kitchen, which is very nice, but does make it difficult to make sure everything is cohesive (at least in my mind). Our kitchen is neutrals and reds, but I just don't tend to dig reds for the living room. It took us awhile to slowly incorporate color that wouldn't be to overbearing, and for the most part, we have just kept things pretty simple. We went with a dark accent wall to show off the fireplace and to incorporate the dark counters in the kitchen, and the rest of the walls are the same light grey of the kitchen.
And yes, that's a whale on the fireplace because, well, why not?
And yes, that last picture is
really
supposed to show you how the living room looks into the kitchen, but instead it shows you a big old obstruction. Oh Tessa, I love you and your puggle breath.
xo, Laura