A sculpted, all-ivory living room where a plaster-based crescent banquette sweeps around a raw travertine block table, arched openings and glowing niches replace wall art, and a single tree supplies every drop of colour.
The idea behind it
The banquette is the big move: because its plastered base matches the walls and floor, the seating reads as part of the building. That continuity is what separates this look from simply buying a curved sofa — the room feels excavated rather than furnished.
Stone plays the grounding role. One oversized travertine block in the centre and a smaller travertine drum by the chair give the soft plaster and boucle something ancient and heavy to push against, keeping all that cream from floating away.
The walls carry the decoration through geometry — an arched doorway, a pill-shaped display niche and lit sculptural recesses. With no frames or shelves competing, daylight through the sheers becomes the room's moving artwork.
What you will need
Built-in curved banquette, A plaster- or cement-finished platform base with a fitted seat cushion and loose pillows.
Travertine block coffee table, A low square-cut slab with softly raw edges as the room's single heavy anchor.
Boucle pebble chair, One rounded lounge chair repeating the room's curves at seat scale.
Travertine drum side table, A small stone cylinder beside the chair echoing the big table.
Lime plaster or micro-cement finish, Continuous chalky surface across walls, banquette base and ideally the floor.
Carved display niche, A long recessed shelf for a quiet row of earthenware vessels.
Floor-to-ceiling sheer curtains, Soft light diffusion that keeps shadows gentle on the plaster.
Tall potted tree, A branching tree in a stone urn — the room's only strong colour.
Steal the look
Step 1
Plan the banquette curve on the floor with tape first; aim for a sweep that faces both the window and the room's centre.
Step 2
Build the platform from framed ply or blockwork, then finish it in the same plaster or micro-cement as the walls.
Step 3
Have seat pads cut to follow the curve and covered in a heavy ivory boucle; add loose pillows in neighbouring creams.
Step 4
Place the travertine block table low and central — around 30 cm high — and style it with three objects maximum.
Step 5
Add the boucle chair and travertine drum opposite the banquette to close the conversation circle.
Step 6
Carve or construct a pill-shaped niche in the main wall and line up simple pottery inside it.
Step 7
Fit concealed warm-white lighting in any deeper recesses so the walls glow at dusk.
Step 8
Hang ceiling-height sheers, set the tree by the window, and resist adding anything else.
Perfect for
- Owners renovating who can commit to built-in seating
- Fans of Mediterranean and organic-minimal interiors
- Large or open-plan rooms that need architectural shaping
- Anyone who finds colour and pattern visually tiring
Avoid if
- You rent or expect to rearrange furniture seasonally
- Your household is hard on light upholstery — ivory boucle shows everything
- The room is small; a fixed crescent eats flexible floor space
- You want bold colour, gallery walls or layered pattern
Estimated budget
Budget
A curved modular sofa in cream boucle stands in for the built-in, paired with a travertine-look concrete table and DIY limewash paint.
$800-$2,500
Mid-range
Carpenter-built plastered banquette with custom seat pads, a genuine travertine drum side table and a cast-stone coffee table.
$2,500-$8,000
Luxury
Full micro-cement envelope with carved niches and lit recesses, a quarried travertine block table and bespoke curved upholstery.
$8,000+
Colour palette6 tones
Chalk Ivory
walls and banquette base
#EDE5D8
Cream Boucle
upholstery
#E8DFCE
Honeyed Travertine
tables and urns
#CBB89C
Sand Floor
seamless flooring
#D8CDBA
Olive Leaf
tree and stems
#6F7A4E
Espresso Accent
sphere and small objects
#4A3B2E
Frequently AskedQuestions
Finish the base in the same material as the walls — lime plaster or micro-cement — so platform and architecture share one surface. Keep upholstery to a fitted seat pad and loose cushions on top, and run the same seamless finish onto the floor so the curve appears carved rather than placed.
Yes, with one caveat: travertine is porous, so have it sealed and wipe spills promptly, especially wine, coffee and citrus. Its weight is actually an advantage — a low stone block never wobbles or drifts, and small chips and patina tend to make the honed surface look better, not worse.
Vary texture instead of colour: chalky plaster, nubby boucle, pitted travertine and airy sheers all read differently under the same light. Add carved niches or arches so shadows create depth, and place one living tree — its green is the only contrast a tonal room needs.
Join the conversation
Share your thoughts on this room.