Living room before and after

I haven’t posted much about our house over the last few months, mainly because there is always more to do.  We have a few rooms that are finally done (I think, for now, always subject to change) and wanted to share our work.  Friends that are at our house frequently have seen the stages of transformation.

{before}

 

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There are lots of things we like about this living room.  We love that it’s small and cozy and right off the kitchen.  We love the big fireplace and we even love the dark woodwork (Ok, Jason loves the dark woodwork.  It’s growing on me).  Our furniture fits in the space pretty well but needed some adjustments.  Here is what we did in this space:

  • Paint the walls, including the chair rail and wainscoting (I did this several months after we painted the top half of the walls)
  • Take down the mini blinds and valence rods and put up curtain rods and curtains
  • Replace all of the switches and outlets (from almond to white)
  • Painted the black media stand with Miss Mustard Seed milk paint (Curio with white wax)
  • Hung pictures and decorated the mantle
  • Built and painted a sofa table behind the couch
  • Centered the ottoman in front of the fireplace and rearranged the rest of the furniture
  • Bought floor lamps since there weren’t any lights in the room
  • Later bought a ceiling fixture (the lamps weren’t enough light) and then painted the floor lamps and recovered the shades
  • Mounted the TV to the wall
  • Painted the brass on the fireplace black

{after}

 

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I love this room now.  I love the paint color, the mantel decorations, the furniture, and I’m pretty much obsessed with this light fixture.  Now, if only I can talk Jason into letting me get a DSLR so I can take better pictures!