The living room redesign above is from the blog A Thoughtful Place. The redesign’s focal point is, of course, the rug. The blogger said she bought three different rugs with classic stripes and tested them in the room. The one above is the winner. She even mentions how well the black in the rug accents the other black pieces in the room.
If you want to design a room with a similar vibe, you’ll want to go for a striped rug. Elements around the room should match some of the colorings of the stripes for cohesion. Think black and white art with a black and white striped rug or chair legs that match the rug, like in the photo.
For larger furniture pieces, the hallmark of this style is the soft, soothing colors that go with anything. You’ll want to look for beige sofa selections and light blue fabrics. Some floral accenting goes well in this style, too. Below you can see some selections that match this look.
Of course, you could also try pulling the room together with a striped sofa or large chair. You can see all stripe selections here, and there is a black-and-white stripe selection below.