Living Room Updates: What’s Changed

Because it only took me seven months to complete it…

I’m so happy to finally show off the completed living room makeover. Now, you may be having a bit of deja-vu. As I already did a living room makeover way back in 2018. It was the first room we wanted to do up when we first moved into this house. Quite simply, as soon as we did it, I wanted to change it.

The conversation did not go down well. And with a refusal from my husband that he was not going to do any more painting, I have to get going with the paint brushes. So why did I change the colour of the walls? I did like the dark green but the more we lived in it the more I realised that it wasn’t me. I had also been reading Kate Watson-Smyth’s latest interiors book and I really connected to the part about colour. One of the best places you can look for inspiration is in your wardrobe. It’s a huge source of what colours you like and would work in your home. It turns out, I have nothing green in my wardrobe at all. So no wonder I wasn’t liking the colour on the wall.

 

   

THE SWITCH UP…

So along with painting the walls white, I also had a change around in furniture around in the room. In particular the sofa, which now sits away from the back wall and creates a channel from the front door to the stairs/ kitchen. That wall was also home to the gallery wall, which as you can see is now gone. I purchased these prints from Desenio and changed up the silver frames to some natural wooden ones from Ikea.

NEW FURNITURE.

Two new pieces of furniture were purchased as part of this makeover. The first was a TV unit, as our old one was too big to go in the alcove next to the fireplace. Luckily, this chest of drawers from Ikea fitted perfectly. It also hides our ugly Sky box and PS4 and I’ve got storage for all our essential bits and bobs. This organisation I will be showing in a post coming soon. Now with any Ikea furniture, there’s also an urge to hack it in some way, just so it doesn’t look the same as everyone else’s. With chest of drawers, it’s easy, new handles. I found these gorgeous brass bamboo styled ones from Etsy and I’m obsessed with them. It gives the chest of drawers a vintage feel whilst also looking chic.

The next piece of furniture was the coffee table. Our old one was falling apart and too big for the room. I had my eye on going for a glass one that I was going to do a hack on, but at the last minute, I changed my mind. I’m so glad I did, as this plain white one works perfectly for the area. It’s not our forever coffee table, but it will work for the next couple of years until we buy a house.

 

A NEW INTERIOR VIBE.

Over the last year, my interior style has changed. I’ve started embraced natural woods back into my rooms, starting with the photo frames and this gorgeous wooden tray on the coffee table (similar one here), which was an absolute steal from Zara Home. This natural texture is also coming in with the baskets that I have dotted around and some more plants have been introduced to the room as part of the living room makeover. It’s becoming more of a Southern Californian vibe, very light, relaxed and chilled. Lots of natural textures, tones- I really like it. My living room feels so much more open and welcoming.

Some other new things that I’ve introduced to the home is this gorgeous throw from Christy. We keep it over the side of the sofa, it hides our remotes (see below) but it also is handy for when I get chilly. It’s so soft!

 

 

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

There are a few other things that I want to do as part of our living room makeover. With buying new things, I want to get an armchair chair, something rattan to go with the theme of the room. I’d also like to get a cabinet or a drinks trolly to go behind the sofa. I’m not sure what we would use this space for, but I feel it looks a little bare without it.

I’d love to buy a new sofa, but that is something that might have to wait for another day. Or quite possibly for when we buy a house. Though our sofa is old and I’ve moved away from the grey, the sofa will do for now. I can always jazz it up with new cushions. I’m also always on the lookout for new decor items, a mirror for above the fireplace, items to decorate the glass unit and perhaps a new rug. I also want to get a new natural light shade for the ceiling light. I love Goose but she hides a lot of the light in the evening so the room can seem a lot darker.

Another DIY project that I want to do in the living room is to give the glass unit a makeover. I’m planning on spray-painting it white to coordinate with the rest of the furniture. I also think it will open up that dark corner more and allow the brass accents to shine.

So, that’s the living room makeover for now. As with most decor, it’s a constant, evolving makeover that will continue throughout the year. I have some plans for some new bits which I’d love to purchase, but I’ve got to be patient and wait. Which part of the living room makeover do you like the most?

 

SHOP THE POST.

The throw was gifted to me by Christy as part of a collaboration that I’m doing with them separate from this post. Some Desenio prints were gifted me on a previous collaboration we did together. All thoughts & opinions are still my own.