Living room, after.

I keep meaning to post these photos of our living room, updated and without the television. Here is the before:

It wasn’t all that terrible, it just wasn’t all that useful either. We didn’t use it as much as we could have because we don’t watch TV with Tuesday (or really that much ourselves anymore) and it was weird to hang out in here all facing a big black box that wasn’t on. With the television gone we re-arranged to make the room more open and hang out friendly. I also wanted to lighten it up so I sewed new curtains from some gorgeous Japanese fabric.

I still need to figure out a few accessories, but this is it! We love the new layout (and we pretty much tried everything). I’m sure you’re going to ask about this beautiful rug. I’ll tell you it’s by Amy Butler for Chandra. DON’T BUY IT! Stay far away from these rugs, and this company. We searched all over the place to find a rug that fit our look, and this was it. Unfortunately I think the workmanship is poor. Our first rug had chunks coming apart and now we have to treat this thing like a baby. We can barely vacuum it, it took months for the company to finally concede and give us another rug and I’m not sure this one will last either. Super annoying.

The only new things I made for the room were the curtains and pillows. I just moved everything else around from the room or other places in the house.




The surround I painted five years ago (over existing tile). It’s held up wonderfully, I’ve never retouched it, though I probably should in places. I was reminded of what it used to be when Amanda posted this. If you have a surround you really don’t like and no money to replace it I highly recommend trying paint!

Now this room I still have to figure out. I want to pull down the pretty glass fronts for the side cabinets and paint those. They have a lot of little panes so I’ve put it off for years and they’re collecting dust in the garage. The table I am still wavering on. I think black would be too dark. I’m glad I didn’t get to this project in the summer because with light coming in I didn’t think about the darkness factor. Now that light is so much less and such a rare site I think I would be sad to see all the reflection from a lighter top go away. But I don’t know if I want it all white. Maybe a black base? I’d like to not have to bother much with the chairs, and that way I could just keep them black. Ideas my friends?

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35 Comments

  1. Love the new room, colorful & fun. How about painting the table a bright fun color? I’ll have to find the photo I found in a magazine this weekend, I thought of you when I saw it!

  2. I love your new room. It is very bright and fun. The pillows that you made are so pretty. I was going to ask where you found them, but discovered that you made them. Such a fun print. Love that fabric. Also, I really like your mirror gallery wall. I have a mirror gallery wall in our dining room but I am not liking it as much as I do yours. I think I need to add more mirrors. And I agree with Julie, love the idea of painting your table a fun color. Since everything else in the room is very neutral, I think it would add a nice pop of color. Maybe the color green that you painted the tile?

  3. i love your house. always such a cozy, fun, creative place to hang out. what about the green from the fireplace for the table? too bold? otherwise i say black legs, white top!

  4. All black except the top (like Sarah said) or all black or you could do something crazy and strip the top like the pitcher on the top right shelve. And I think you need French doors.
    (I added that last part for BJ’s sake.)

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