Before and After: Living Room Goes From Blah to Bright in 4 Days
See how a designer helps her client surprise his wife with a living room transformation for her birthday
Sasha Kuchinski
February 6, 2018
Houzz Contributor. Writer, blogger, runner, and decorator who loves landscaping, fabulous kitchens, and outdoor living. Graduated from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!) with degrees in journalism and political science.
Houzz Contributor. Writer, blogger, runner, and decorator who loves landscaping,... More
Photos by Michael Partenio
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: An active family of six
Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
Designer: Liz Caan, owner of Liz Caan & Co.
The client approached designer Liz Caan with a challenge: Transform the family’s living room as a surprise for his wife’s birthday.
This makeover was part of a larger home remodeling project that was going to take about six months. While the wife knew other rooms were being redone, this one would be a surprise. So while the couple went away for a four-day birthday weekend trip, Caan and her design team got to work.
Goals. The family of six and their pets, including Piggy, seen here, congregate in this room to watch TV and movies. Caan wanted to make it a comfortable and fun hangout space for the whole family.
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: An active family of six
Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
Designer: Liz Caan, owner of Liz Caan & Co.
The client approached designer Liz Caan with a challenge: Transform the family’s living room as a surprise for his wife’s birthday.
This makeover was part of a larger home remodeling project that was going to take about six months. While the wife knew other rooms were being redone, this one would be a surprise. So while the couple went away for a four-day birthday weekend trip, Caan and her design team got to work.
Goals. The family of six and their pets, including Piggy, seen here, congregate in this room to watch TV and movies. Caan wanted to make it a comfortable and fun hangout space for the whole family.
Before. The room was pine, burgundy and hunter green. Caan jokingly refers to this mix as “old Boston colors” that didn’t match the lively large family. “They’re a young, energetic, athletic family,” Caan says. “The house didn’t look like them at all.”
After. With the family’s personality in mind, Caan filled the room with color and energy, and lots of places to sit.
Bold wall paint. Caan says there are usually two reasons she’ll choose to cover an entire room in a bold paint color, one being if the architecture of the room is underwhelming. Painting the walls, crown molding and mantel the same color can conceal instead of accentuate. “It’s a good trick to hide things in a room,” she says.
The other reason is to create a more cohesive look. “When you use a lot of color on projects, it automatically gets a little busy,” Caan says. Both reasons applied to this room.
Wall paint: Coat of Arms, Benjamin Moore; accent chairs: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; sconces: Thomas O’Brien
Bold wall paint. Caan says there are usually two reasons she’ll choose to cover an entire room in a bold paint color, one being if the architecture of the room is underwhelming. Painting the walls, crown molding and mantel the same color can conceal instead of accentuate. “It’s a good trick to hide things in a room,” she says.
The other reason is to create a more cohesive look. “When you use a lot of color on projects, it automatically gets a little busy,” Caan says. Both reasons applied to this room.
Wall paint: Coat of Arms, Benjamin Moore; accent chairs: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; sconces: Thomas O’Brien
Before. Because the bar area was already part of the room and complemented the family’s social nature, Caan and her team wanted to jazz up the space and give it more prominence.
After. The family gets the same function from the bar space, but it feels more connected to the rest of the room thanks to the blue paint.
Pro tip. Caan says a bar area in the den or living room isn’t for everyone. “It’s definitely a personality thing,” she says. “They entertain a lot, so it makes sense for them.” Caan says if a bar area doesn’t match your needs or personality, you could remove it from your design.
Find home bar products
Pro tip. Caan says a bar area in the den or living room isn’t for everyone. “It’s definitely a personality thing,” she says. “They entertain a lot, so it makes sense for them.” Caan says if a bar area doesn’t match your needs or personality, you could remove it from your design.
Find home bar products
Biggest challenge. Working quickly on the four-day timeline was the biggest challenge for Caan and her team.
Knowing that the room would see a lot of traffic, Caan splurged on the dark wool rug. For furniture, the team focused on retail pieces and what they could find in stock.
“It was whatever we could get quickly,” Caan says. “We had to buy floor models and get what was readily available. It forced us to get really creative with some of our resources and how we were able to acquire the things we needed in such a short amount of time and on a budget.”
Sofa: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; gold benches: Liz Caan Interiors Fine Furnishings; needlepoint pillow: Jonathan Adler
Knowing that the room would see a lot of traffic, Caan splurged on the dark wool rug. For furniture, the team focused on retail pieces and what they could find in stock.
“It was whatever we could get quickly,” Caan says. “We had to buy floor models and get what was readily available. It forced us to get really creative with some of our resources and how we were able to acquire the things we needed in such a short amount of time and on a budget.”
Sofa: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; gold benches: Liz Caan Interiors Fine Furnishings; needlepoint pillow: Jonathan Adler
Color picks. Caan’s advice for incorporating multiple colors in a room is to keep proportions in mind. She intentionally kept color off the floor and window treatments to balance out the room.
“That gave me the contrast I needed,” she says. “With another color on the floor or on the curtains I felt that the room was going to get oversaturated.”
Window treatment fabric: Schumacher; lamp: Shades of Light; browse green lamps
“That gave me the contrast I needed,” she says. “With another color on the floor or on the curtains I felt that the room was going to get oversaturated.”
Window treatment fabric: Schumacher; lamp: Shades of Light; browse green lamps
While she’s proud of meeting the tight deadline, it was the family’s response that was especially satisfying. The room quickly became the wife’s favorite part of the entire remodeling project. Caan loves that the space has become a comfy retreat for everyone.
“It’s a happy space, and it feels like the family,” Caan says.
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“It’s a happy space, and it feels like the family,” Caan says.
More
Read more stories about living rooms
Browse living room products
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It's not the blue, but it's the great relationship between the blue and all the rest, and they help and accomplish each other so nicely and feel inseparable. Great job!
love this too! i would try addinga white border around the fireplace and extent the white strips around the top. where the wood is thin. it would pop and accent the two white seats infront of the fireplace, making it pop even more!
Please share the sofa manufacturer. Love it. Thank you