Extreme Living Room Makeover
This makeover was very long overdue! For as long as I’ve known my friend Denise she has always wanted to redecorate her living room. Once the pandemic hit and she was forced to spend every day at home she finally realized she had to get serious about her family home living up to its potential. The must-haves Denise and her family had for the living room were - better flow, a warm and cozy feeling, plenty of seating and of course a styled design.
Before & After…
Choosing The PERFECT White
Denise already had the walls painted white (pure white, semi-gloss) but that was just a bit too stark and sterile for this space. We still wanted a shade of white for the living room but choosing the perfect shade can be difficult! We decided a warm white would work best since we wanted to create a smooth transition into the rest of her home. The color we went with was Dove Wing by Benjamin Moore’s regal select collection in a flat finish.
I gave the room some contrast and dimension by painting the trim around all the windows and entryways black. The color I used for this was also from Benjamin Moore’s regal select line in the color Mopboard Black in a satin finish. This color is stunning you guys… you’ll notice the first coat is sort of a dark teal but after the second coat dries it transforms into this impactful black which was a perfect contrast.
The Bay Window Curtains
The bay windows in this space were just too beautiful not to highlight. I really wanted to provide a dramatic stylistic impression with the curtains. Thankfully found this amazing bay window curtain rod on Amazon which makes the rod look custom to fit the space instead of having 3 separate curtain rods. They were wide enough to cover the length of all three windows and had a beautiful antique brass finish. I hung the rods 10” from the ceiling which was the perfect height for the curtains to puddle beautifully on the floor.
The curtains I used are a beautiful natural linen fabric that’s semi-sheer to still allow light to pour into the room. I used a total of six curtain panels and attached them to the rod using curtain rings in a bronze finish that complimented the rod. Tip: If you need your curtains to be a bit longer, use rings to attach them to the rod as it will add about 2” to the length!
I absolutely love how the dark window trim and the curtains collaborate in this space.
You can shop all these items here:
DIY Coffee Table
One thing I definitely knew I wanted was an oval coffee table and I came across a gorgeous, but very expensive one on Anthropologie I knew would work!
Everything about this table was perfect except for the price. I just couldn’t spend $1,000 on a coffee table … and it was out of stock.
So… I made one myself. For just $25. Lol!
This was definitely a spontaneous DIY because I didn’t know what I was doing! But I absolutely love how it turned out.
I decorated the top with a beautiful statement wood piece, hardcover books, candles and brass candle holders. I love combining textures and finishes on a coffee table! It brings so much interest to a room.
THE Rug
Denise and her family invested in new couches before we started the makeover. They went with a dark grey sofa and loveseat with clean, modern lines. The simplicity of the sofas allowed us to have fun with the rug for this space.
Luckily, I was able to get my hands on an area rug from the @chrislovesjulia x Loloi Rugs collaboration. They sold out the first time so when they announced the restock I made sure not to miss it! I got an 8x10 Persian-inspired area rug that is beautifully distressed and has rich earthy tones. These rugs are also crafted specifically for high trafficked areas because they’re low-pile and easy to clean!
Rugs are also a perfect item to pull colors from when it decorating a room so selecting THE rug can take time, but it's often something I like to get in the beginning design stages of a room!
Seating For The Family…
Denise definitely wanted to make sure there was enough seating for everybody. So, after searching EVERYWHERE for the perfect accent chair, I found a pair of natural, rich wood-trimmed chairs from Target!! They incorporated mixed materials which is exactly what I was looking for. I definitely lucked out finding these! You can find the link here.
As for accent pillows, I wanted to keep them neutral but also bring in a touch of the contrasting black color. I found this beautiful pair of pillows at Homegoods and they worked perfectly!
DIY Watercolor Art
It was important to Denise and her family to include some cultural pieces of art in the living room. Finding and sourcing the perfect pieces takes time so, without having to spend a lot of money on something that is temporary, I watercolored these really pretty and simple abstract flower prints then used a pair of frames I had in storage which were light wood that perfectly complimented the mix of tones in the room.
This living room was so much fun to do! I’m so happy we were able to pull off such a cohesive space using most of the pieces of furniture they already had. Denise and her family will be able to enjoy their time in a space that is definitely now living up to its potential!
Watch the room makeover from start to finish on YouTube below: