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Home Decorating

Living Room re-do

17 years ago

Hello. I'm a lurker on this forum and decided to share a project I just completed.

Background: I had to have a new roof put on my house recently, due to some of the old roof problems, moisture was getting in around my chimney and the paint on my living room celing around where the chimney is was starting to pop off the walls literally. Layers of paint was falling off the ceiling and it looked horrible. After the new roof got put in, I knew I'd have to re-paint the ceiling, so while I was at it why not repaint the entire room? Photos of before, during and after are below.

For my birthday my boyfriend wanted to buy me a new sofa. he thought I'd like leather because I have 2 weiner dogs and they are always on the couch. Easier to keep clean he said. I agreed. So now I have a completely new looking living room. It took me 5 weeks to decide on a color. I really like what I finally chose. I was shooting for the terra cotta family. I also might mention that before I had also had horrible stained unly cream carpet in this room. My house had hardwood floors underneath it all, so I ripped the carpet out and re-did the wood floors myself. They turned out so great. I'm really happy with them.

The new furnitire that was delivered yesterday has an issue. The ottoman is a different color than the sofa. I'm having them fix that problem for sure.

Also I plan to have a lady I know make me some custom pretty throw pillows for the room and sofa. I'm thinking green's maybe.

Thanks for looking.

Mindy

LR before anythng was done

Another view

During

After paint/floors - before new furnniture

Another view

After new furniture

Another view after new furniture

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Comments (12)

karenforroses
17 years ago
Beautiful! The terra cotta paint is awesome. Your floors are so beautiful! Everything is awesome - what a great job. You must be so proud!
ggschmerl
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you Karen. How are you? I visited your rose gardens a couple years ago. Don't know if you remember me or not.

I'm inserting a couple more pictures of the completed room, to see other angles. One is of the fireplace area, which I scrubbed good to get all the soot off the stone. The other is a corner fountain area that leads into the dining room.

Mindy
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Let's see: 1) Really sit around the whole room -- in every chair and seat. Look. Look. and Look Again. How do you want the room to feel? Warmer? Cooler? More Open? More Cozy? b) Really write down any issues with the room at this point ... seating for how many? tables? shelving for storage? Is the room too dark (or have dark corners?) too light? c)HOW do you want the room to work for your current needs? TV? Reading? Conversation? 2)Measure Everything. And write it down. Really. Measure the room, walls, windows and doors. AND hallways -- too many folk have bought a wonderful sofa/armoire/shelves -- only to find that their perfect item won't fit through the front door or down the hallway! :) 3)Start collecting inspiration photos from all kinds of sources. Really examine photos -- and decide WHAT and WHY something takes your eye .... color? shape? texture? arrangement? 4)Find a starting point. Usually start with a larger item -- like a sofa. Then decide on your needs for additional seating options -- chairs? loveseat? 5)Keep an eye on your local stores -- and search your local Craigs List. 6)Find the next item -- usually a rug or additional seating. Choose one -- and then -- look for the other one. 7)Once the main items are in place -- look again. What tables are needed? 8)Lamps. Lamps. Lamps. Table ones. Standing lamps. Always have lighting options! :)
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Hi Carrie. Your friend is right. Get the smaller sofa and go from there -- as you say, the current one's time has passed and it's dragging you and your home down. You don't need to have a plan for every square inch of the room -- and honestly I don't know that you NEED to do much, if anything, else. I think when the new sofa is concrete vs abstract -- when you are looking at its color, shape, and texture in your room -- you'll have a renewed sense of what additional touches you want. I may post a thread on this soon as I'm curious about people's process -- I am often a collector of ideas until I get a catalyst piece, then it's easy to make follow-up edits or choices from there. Alternatively I may have a space that's pretty much done but missing something...and when I find it that "something" fits right in with all (or most!) of what I have. I kind of feel like your TBD sofa is that complete-r piece for you but only time will tell!
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Look for a light soft color in your rug and use that for the chairs. Measure the floor area for the chairs and check the measurements to the chairs so they fit correctly.
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I’m laughing at the thought of my squishy, comfy pillows being called forbidding or them fighting with anyone. I took a couple of more pictures, including the chairs without the pillows and I think you’ll agree that the cushions make them look more inviting, not less. Also rearranged so that people can see that the sofa facing the fireplace, chair at each side will not work in the space. I tried it as the most obvious answer and discarded it. It’s awkward to me, like the sofa is turning it’s back on everyone. Also, due to the placement of the fireplace, the sofa and chairs cannot be centered on the fireplace or the bedroom will be blocked completely. I can’t pull the sofa back much more without blocking the walkway. The fact is, space for the ‘living room” is much smaller than you think. I also pulled the rug away, to demonstrate that the rug and sofa not going together is kind of the least of this room’s problems. I wish I could get a good angle that shows just how off center the couch and chairs are.
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kathypass
17 years ago
I love that color! The floors look great - and kudos for doing it yourself! It looks very warm and inviting.
CaroleOH
17 years ago
What a pretty paint color. I like how you arranged you paintings over the mantle. Also love the area rug, pulls all the colors together so nice.

Looks wonderful! Congrats.
hibiscus53
17 years ago
Beautiful transformation of your room. Lovely colors, it all looks so updated and inviting.
redbazel
17 years ago
Your house is lovely. I hope your doxies like their new leather. Mine like the contrast of their sofa, in a deep olive corderoy. I keep wanting new throw pillows but my dogs just kick them off, so what's the point??

Red
karenforroses
17 years ago
Mindy, I DO remember your visiting my rose garden! Are you still in southern Michigan? I can't get over how lovely your living room re-do is. You really did an awesome job. Do come an visit the garden again next time you're up North. I'd love to see you again. We have a new brick walkway in the middle rose bed now - Kurt put it in when a neighbor boy asked if he and his bride could be married in our garden. Now we get to enjoy it all the time!
yborgal
17 years ago
What an inviting room you've created! Love the wall color!
patricianat
17 years ago
Your room is very pretty and I love the color. It is perfect for your sofa.
bonniee818
17 years ago
Love your redo! Great furniture & paint color......everything is perfect!

bonnie
judithva
17 years ago
Everything came out very nice, I adore your floors (I need new ones, so I love looking at everyone else's for ideas)
sharon_fl
13 years ago
Mindy..love, love, love your room-especially the wall color! I've been looking for a shade of terra cotta for a section of my LR. What is the name of your wall color?

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