Hello Friends!!
Today kicks off Day 2 of the Gift of Home tour series, and I am so excited for you to see what my friends and I are sharing today. If you missed Day 1, you can see it HERE, and remember each blogger who is sharing in this blog hop is also giving away a copy of my NEW book!! You can enter for a chance to win on each blog, so be sure to stop by and visit! I debated on whether I should share something I loved most about our previous home, or if I should share something I love most about our new home. Of course there is much to love about our new home, but I will be honest, none of the rooms feel quite finished yet. But I am a big believer in progress. Small tiny changes that make an impact over time, and new living room is getting so close! So today I’m sharing our living room progress, and the steps I’ve taken along the way.
Come and see ~
If you are new here, welcome! I’m so glad you are here. Just a slight recap – my family and I moved last just about 9 months ago from our beloved home of 10 years. The home that I wrote The Gift of Home in. Although we didn’t go far. We moved right across town, to a home that my husband and I had loved since high school. You can read more about our move HERE, and while we are completely head over heels with our new home, there are still some things design wise that we plan on doing to make it more like us.
When we first moved in I felt a bit stumped with our living room. Similar to how I felt with our dining room in our previous house, but I knew if I just started eventually this would turn into a room that I loved. We started first by sanding down the pine floors. They felt a bit too yellowish / orange, and I knew they would always drive me nuts because they were the foundation in the room.
Before
After Sanding ~
Our new living room is more of a rectangle compared to our last one, and with the addition of my moms piano, a more natural furniture layout would include a sectional in the far corner. There is nothing wrong with our current living room sofa, so we decided to wait and save up towards getting a sectional down the road. Instead of waiting until I have the furniture that I want for the space, I’m focusing on little changes I can make now that will still reflect our personal style in our living room.
I painted the walls white, because I knew I loved having white walls.
Once the floors were done and the walls were painted, I sat with it like this for awhile. While I waited for our new curtains from Wovn Home to arrive, I spent time in our living room, looking at each blank wall, and really thinking through what I envisioned for the space.
We made a console table out of old barn wood to help fill a bare wall that wasn’t quite big enough for more seating, but was too big of a space to leave bare. (see more of that project HERE)
Before
After
Then the curtains arrived, and once they were hung it felt like our living room received one giant hug.
I focused on bringing in colors and accents that reflected my design style. Texture and layers to help the room feel more warm and inviting. One of the things I’ve learned about decorating rooms with white walls, is you have to make sure you have enough warmth and texture to keep the space from feeling cold and bare. I want our living room to feel like a warm embrace when you enter it. Almost like the room is hugging you back – so to speak, so I focused on adding artwork and accessories that helped me achieve that feeling I was after.
Here is our living room today.
I focused on adding layers into our living room with the area rugs, throw pillows, and even the way the accessories are layered on the coffee table and side tables. And of course with the curtains! I can’t say enough about how much curtains can really impact your space. I shared in my post, How to Hang Curtains, but often times I find when people ask me questions about what their space is lacking, they just need to hang their curtains high and wide. When we hug the window frame too closely it can make our room feel smaller. But if you hang your curtains a little higher and a little wider than the window frame, it can make your room feel dramatically bigger.
I focused on bringing in elements that were in my favorite colors. I would put these faux white hydrangea stems in every room of my house. Of course my husband would think we lived in a florist shop, but that’s how I know they are my favorite if I want to use them in every single area of my home. I love fresh flowers, and I love white, and these white faux stems encompass two of the things I truly love.
Over Thanksgiving break we also made a new coffee table. Our previous living room didn’t have the space for a larger coffee table, and as much as I loved our family heirloom trunk, we needed something slightly bigger. Made from the same wood we used for our DIY console table, I drew up how I wanted the coffee table to look, and the hubby got busy building it. That is usually how all of our projects turn out.
Other than white, my favorite color is blue. So I brought in pops of blue that play off of each other in the area rug, throw pillows and accessories.
This also helped me decide on artwork for our living room. Since the windows are off centered, it left one corner of our living room with a lot of wall space. I stared at these blank walls for quite a few months contemplating what I wanted to do with them. I took my time, so that I could really contemplate exactly what I would want to hang on them.
Incorporating artwork in your favorite color is another great way to reflect your style throughout your home.
A mix of landscape paintings in different shades of blue and greens where just the subtle pop of color these walls needed. All of the artwork in this grouping is from Collections Prints, and I will be sharing the tutorial for how I hand picked and hung each one.
Creating a space you love shouldn’t feel tricky. I think what makes it difficult is when we rush the process, thinking it can be accomplished in the same amount of time as our favorite 30-minute home improvement show. Allowing yourself the time to really think through each part of your space. The colors and patterns and even wood finish you are drawn to, are all necessary steps that are part of the process to creating a space that you love.
When I feel stuck with a space I begin to ask myself these questions. How do I want the space to feel? What are some of my favorite colors, and are they currently present in this space? Is there an area where I can add layers or texture to help the space feel more alive? Once I begin to take inventory of my current spaces needs, and remove the pressure of having to fit into a design category, I can freely explore my options and choosing pieces I love, without worrying if I mess up.
For Living Room Sources, click HERE.
Here is a quick look at how our living room has progressed over the past 9 months ~
Click HERE for a full list of sources from our Living Room.
Next up on the tour is Beth from Home Stories A-Z, and I just know you will love Beth’s home. She’s sharing all about Making Your Home Your Own. I love how she shares some practical tips, especially when the budget doesn’t allow for a full gut remodel. Something I think we can all relate too! You can enter the giveaway on Beth’s blog as well, and be sure to stop by the others who are also sharing today. A full list is below ~
Win a Copy of my NEW Book!!
a Rafflecopter giveawayBe sure to stop by each blog who is sharing ~
Friday 1/21
- Bre from – www.roomsforrentblog.com
- Beth from – www.homestoriesatoz.com
- Courtney from – https://athoughtfulplaceblog.com/
- Lucy from – https://www.craftberrybush.com/
- Andrea from – https://www.pineandprospecthome.com/
Wednesday 1/19
- Melissa Michaels – http://theinspiredroom.net
- KariAnne Wood – www.thistlewoodfarms.com
- Claire Berard – https://clairelynnhome.com
- Sarah Wagner – https://dreamingofhomemaking.com/
What a beautiful and inviting room. I love everything you have done!! I would like to know if you have a source for your blue rug, we are remodeling and have so many decisions to make, but I am so feeling the white walls, thank you for your inspiration.
Thank you so much Cynde 🙂 The blue rug is from Target. I’ve had it for a few years now, and still love it 🙂 Here is the link – https://rstyle.me/+dem5OBuKEL34SSljL8ncwA
So beautiful and serene i love it
Love your floors. After sanding did you use a stain? Your living room turned out so pretty and welcoming.
Love your coffee and console tables!! Wish we could find that old marvelous wood!! Well done♥
The living room is beautiful! My favorite part is the floor. I also love the sofa! I have been looking for one like that. I would not be in a hurry to replace it.
Ohh Thank you Charlene 🙂 I do love our sofa. When you are in our living room, the layout just seems to fit a sectional better. I know it’s not always easy to tell in photos. We would definitely be holding on to our sofa for another spot in our house 😉 It’s so comfy!
Where did you buy your current sofa?
What will you do with the L part of the living room?
I love the double layered rugs, drapes and handcrafted furniture.
Hi Sonya, Our current sofa is from Wayfair, you can find the sources for our living room in this post – https://roomsforrentblog.com/2022/01/sources-from-our-new-living-room/. The L part of our living room is mostly just a pass though space, not quite large enough for more seating. I am on the hunt for a cool vintage cabinet or hutch, that would fit in the space and act as a focal point 🙂
Beautiful living room! Love how you showed the transition – the before & after. Thanks for sharing!
Sanding the floors made such a difference in the room…love how the space is coming together!
Love the barn wood table and how you layered your rugs! Very peaceful room
What a beautiful transformation! I love watching the changes you’re making to make this house a home for you and your family.
Thank you so much 🙂
Love your living room especially the curtains and gallery wall. They make the room wrap around you
Like a warm hug.
Aww thank you Jane 🙂
Very nice transition from before to after! Definitely love the after! Beautiful!
I love the slow process. And the result!
Beautiful! Curtains and paint make such a difference!
I love your style! I’ll have to copy a few ideas of yours! Lol
Thank you so much Sharon 🙂 Copy away !! XO
Beautiful finish! I would love to win the book. Thank you for the chance to own one.
I definitely felt the hug! Please share the patterned rug source- I also love blue in the ways you’ve used it here. Thanks.
Aww thank you so much Phyllis. The patterned rug is from Target, I’ve had it for a few years now, and it’s still a favorite! And has held up very well 🙂 I have the 5×7 size, in Indigo. Here is the link – https://rstyle.me/+dem5OBuKEL34SSljL8ncwA .
I absolutely love everything you do! You’re new home is beautiful. Love following along with all your projects. Can’t wait to see more!
Ohhh thank you Connie 🙂
Love this space, you did a great job, looks beautiful, cozy, and perfect for family gatherings. You have a beautiful view when it gets too cold to go outside.
I am so in love with your new/old home…I guess I missed how you did your floors…did you stain them? I have 16 inch pine board floors, and they do become yellow/orange, but I don’t mind! I just worked around it…
Hi Deb, thank you so much!! We did sand them down and stain them. To be honest it was such a process. I never got around to sharing what we did, but I did document it all in case I drum up the courage to share lol 🙂 Still makes me cringe thinking about it ha!
Love, love, love how your living room space has evolved!
Aww thank you so much Linda 🙂
The room is GORGEOUS!! Very well done! The floors turned out beautiful as well!
Awww thank you so much Erin 🙂 It finally is starting to feel like home 😉
Looks great!
Loved hearing the process. We get in a rut and think somehow we can’t change something like the color of the wood floor.
You did a beautiful job!
Thank you Diana!! I honestly didn’t expect to love this room as much as I do now when I started working on it 🙂 Just goes to show one tiny improvement at a time can really make a difference 🙂
I love the layers of the room. It gives it those finishing touches that make it look perfect. Can you please tell where your furniture is from?
Hi Cyndy, thank you so much!! I am actually working on a blog post that will have all the sources for everything in our living room, including the furniture, as we speak 🙂 Should have it published by the end of today 🙂
What a lovely home, very warm and inviting.. It feels like home to me. It is the exact color palette I was looking for to create in out next home. I love the coffee table that your husband built for you. Would you be willing to share the plans?
Thank you so much Veronica!! I am putting together a post with the plans, and will be sharing very soon 🙂 Thanks again!!
I, too, love hydrangeas! Can you share where you bought the beautiful faux blooms in your living room?
Thank you so much Mary. I got them from Afloral last year, and unfortunately they no longer have this style listed. They do however have these ones – https://rstyle.me/+AfiY5nA9qGk0XU8pfZX3XA , which would be my next best choice 🙂
I love how everything is coming together, Bre!! You’ve created such a cozy space. Stay warm this weekend!
Thank you so much Jennifer 😉 Hope you stay warm as well!! It’s a wicked cold one out there 🙂 lol
Love seeing the progress. When I first saw the “before”, I thought “well there’s nothing wrong with that”. But then seeing the “after”, I realized how much better the original could be. Your design is always so comforting — like literally feeling yourself relax looking at the pictures. Congratulations on your new book!!
Oh Megan thank you so much!! That makes me so happy to hear that seeing the progression was helpful. Sometimes I feel the same way, and wonder will it really make that much of a difference? And then I’m so much happier with the outcome. Thank you so much for the kind words!! Have a wonderful day!! ~Bre
Your living room looks beautiful! It is so helpful to see the process and what a difference layers make in pulling a room together! So pretty and cozy, Bre!
Ohhh thank you Anne 🙂 I am so so glad that sharing the process is helpful 🙂
Love watching the progress in your home.
Such a pretty space. I like it is neutral but has so much personality and color.