There is something so satisfying about seeing a design go from an idea on a screen to a finished space you can actually walk into. The Olive Lounge was one of those projects. What started as a living room in need of more warmth, personality, and intention eventually became a layered space designed for relaxing, entertaining, and actually living in; complete with a refreshed living room, home bar, custom wine display wall, and a few smaller moments that helped connect everything. The goal was never to make the home feel overly decorated or untouchable. We wanted it to feel elevated, comfortable, and collected; like the room had naturally come together over time. And I think we got there.
Watch the transformation from before → design concept → finished space.
See the transformation of The Olive Lounge from before to design concept to the finished space. This living room, home bar and wine wall project blends warm walnut tones, olive green, soft neutrals, black accents and touches of gold for a space that feels elevated, comfortable and made for entertaining.
Starting With the Bigger Picture
One of the most important parts of this project was making sure the living room and bar felt connected. Although they serve different purposes, they are completely open to one another, so every finish, color, and material had to make sense from almost every angle.
We built the palette around a mix of:
warm walnut wood tones
olive green
soft beige and cream
black accents
warm brass and gold finishes
The combination gave us enough contrast to keep the room interesting while still creating a calm, cohesive foundation. I also wanted the space to feel balanced for both homeowners. Instead of leaning too far in one direction, we mixed tailored pieces with warmer textures, deeper colors and just enough pattern to give the room personality.
Building the Living Room
We started the living room with a soft neutral sofa that gave us a versatile foundation. From there, the olive accent chairs became one of the strongest elements in the space. Their deeper color immediately added richness and helped move the room away from feeling too neutral. The walnut coffee table introduced another layer of warmth, while its rounded shape softened some of the straighter architectural lines throughout the room. A large area rug helped define the seating area and pulled together the cream, olive, brown and charcoal tones already happening throughout the design. Then came the finishing details. Instead of filling the room with accessories just for the sake of having more, I kept the styling intentional. The coffee table received a simple black bowl filled with moss, while decorative books and sculptural accents were used selectively throughout the room. Sometimes knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing what to add.
The Pillow Mix That Pulled It Together
Pillows may be a small detail, but they can completely change how a room feels. For the sofa, I used olive pillow covers with a warm brown stripe to repeat the color of the accent chairs while connecting back to the walnut finishes. A warm leopard lumbar pillow in the center added pattern without competing with the rest of the room. On the olive chairs, soft cream and taupe pillows created contrast and helped lighten the deeper upholstery. Together, the mix gave the room a little personality while still keeping everything sophisticated and easy to live with.
Creating the Wine Wall
The wine wall is probably one of my favorite features in the entire project. What could have remained an awkward strip of wall became an intentional architectural moment. Walnut slats were installed vertically to introduce texture and connect visually to the other wood finishes in the room. Gold wine pegs were then added directly into the slats, allowing the bottles themselves to become part of the design. The result is functional, but it also acts like a piece of art. And because the wine wall sits directly beside the living room, it became one of the elements that really helped give The Olive Lounge its identity.
Giving the Bar Its Own Moment
The bar area needed to feel more finished and more connected to the living room. A dark bar base paired with a warm wood top created contrast while continuing the walnut tones used throughout the space. Cream upholstered bar stools helped bridge the darker bar with the lighter living room furniture. Above it, a modern gold chandelier became the statement lighting moment the room needed. Behind the bar, textured wall treatment and glass-and-gold shelving created a backdrop for liquor bottles and glassware without making the wall feel overly styled. I intentionally kept the shelves functional. This is a real bar, so it needed to look like one. Glassware, liquor, and bar accessories became the décor.
Softening the Room With Window Treatments
With the deeper olive, walnut, and black elements in the room, we needed something softer to balance everything. Full-length neutral curtains helped do exactly that. They added softness and movement to the windows while giving the room a more finished look. The black curtain rods provided just enough contrast to connect back to the darker details throughout the space. Window treatments are one of those elements that can feel like a finishing touch, but they often make one of the biggest differences in how complete a room feels.
A Small Cabinet With a Big Job
Near the entry, we added a walnut cabinet that provided both function and another opportunity to repeat the room's materials. The top was styled with warm gold lighting, leaning artwork, and a small sculptural accent. Inside the open shelving, neutral decorative books, a gold object, and a light checkered box gave the cabinet some personality without overcrowding it. Because the cabinet is visible from multiple areas of the home, styling it helped create a natural transition between the living room and entry.
The Entry Niche
Even the smaller architectural moments deserved attention. The entry niche received framed artwork and a rechargeable brass picture light, turning what could have easily been overlooked into a simple focal point. It is a small detail, but those are often the moments that make a home feel intentionally designed.
Designing Within a Real-Life Budget
Like most real projects, this one required adjustments along the way. Budgets shifted. Certain selections changed. Some items had to be re-sourced. We had to decide where to invest, where to simplify, and where a less expensive option could still give us the look we wanted. That is part of the design process. A beautiful home does not come from buying the most expensive item in every category. It comes from knowing where the visual impact matters most and making thoughtful decisions around it. For The Olive Lounge, that meant investing in the elements that shaped the room: the furniture layout, lighting, wine wall, bar, window treatments, and overall palette, while being strategic with accessories and styling pieces.
Shop The Olive Lounge
Love the look? I’ve rounded up some of the pieces used throughout The Olive Lounge, along with designer-selected finds that can help you recreate the same warm, collected feeling in your own home. Think olive accents, warm walnut tones, soft neutrals, touches of gold, and those finishing details that make a room feel complete.
From lighting and pillows to bar accessories and décor, you can shop the room and save your favorites for your own space.
Some items may vary in availability. Similar designer-selected alternatives may be included when an original piece is no longer available.
The Finished Olive Lounge
In the end, the room feels warm, layered, and inviting. The olive chairs bring depth. The walnut adds warmth. The black accents ground the space. The gold finishes add a little polish. And the soft neutrals keep everything from feeling too heavy. More importantly, the living room, wine wall, and bar now feel like they belong to the same home. Nothing feels overly styled or precious. It is still a space where you can sit down, pour a drink, entertain friends or simply relax at the end of the day. And that was always the goal. The Olive Lounge is proof that an elevated space can still feel comfortable, personal, and completely livable. Because good design should not just look beautiful. It should feel like home.
DS Nelson Interiors
Timeless design for the life you are building.