Saturday, July 16, 2011

Switcherrrrrroom!


I have been meaning to share this living room switcheroo with you all for the past week or so, but I mistakenly erased all the photos on my camera!!
Don't you hate when that happens?!?
Thanks goodness most of the photos had previously been saved to my computer!  However the photos I took of my living room right before the transformation were lost forever......insert sad face here!  I knew I had taken one several months back and have been searching all my files to find this one image so you all could get a better idea of the changes made!


Part of my living room redo plan has been to find, buy or DIY a TV stand or media unit.  I wasn't really sure what I wanted but did find one or two on Overstock.com that may have worked.  So my original plan was to purchase a white one that would go with the look and feel of the rest of the room.   However, the more I thought about that I wasn't really sold on the idea.  Our place is so small and the area I wanted to place the tv would seem a bit choppy to me if I added another piece of furniture!  Even if it was white and blended well with the rest of the room!
Watching tv one night it just hit me!  The Ikea Expedite Bookcases I had flanking my patio doors was going to be my solution, and I wouldn't even need to purchase another piece of furniture!
So here is a little idea of the room's layout!


Actually this is basically our apartment layout!
I told you it was tiny!
I made a few changes in the pink.  Originally when we moved in, the sofa and tv were set up this way, but  have been switched to opposite sides of the room since...also our very tiny kitchen has an open bar area into the living room.    Because of the shape and size of the room,  it is rather difficult to layout the furniture in any sort of way to add depth and character to the room!  I hate just having furniture along the walls!  That was one reason adding my DIY Sofa Table to the room was essential!  Even though the Table is still along the wall, it allowed me to pull the sofa out a bit and also allowed me to layer other more interesting features into the room,  like my Glam Lamp Redo!   Let me tell you even though I have yet to paint that baby, I'm in LOVE!!  I can't believe I went so long without it!

Anyway, let me show you a how the room looked before I started moving things around!




As you can see I had two Ikea Expedite Bookcase sitting on either side of my patio doors.  Like I was saying early on,  my original intention was to leave them like that and add a white media unit I found on Overstock.com, but the more I thought about it I felt it would make the room feel  too choppy!




 Our nice flat screen has been sitting on this sad little table left over from our college days.  Ugh just soooo sad!
You can see in this picture I've already started turning the Expedite bookcase to create our media unit!
The next step was to take the other bookcase, which was sitting next to Karl the Sofa, turn it on its side, and bring it over to this side of the room!
( And in case your wondering, I have NO IDEA what I'm watching on tv! I've been trying to think about it since I found this picture, and I still have NO clue!! haha , usually it's something on HGTV, but who those ladies are I have no idea! )

Anywhoooo....I have yet to style the bookcases, but I'm loving the look of the two bookcases used together for our media unit!
It just makes sense in our tiny space!!














Looks like some TLC is on this time!








Cost for this living room makeover = $0!
Gotta love when you get an idea, and you already have all the pieces!
Now to get them all organized and styled!!
signature

62 comments:

  1. Looks so great! That was really smart. Free is about all I can afford right now so I like a free makeover!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such a great idea!! I've been looking for media storage and thinking of using this vintage mini buffet table for it instead of this 80's gold handled thing that I got for free lol.

    ReplyDelete
  3. i think it looks great too!! it looks so cohesive! plus with the left hand shelf being taller, the tv doesn't stick out so much! so great! as far as your shelves go, i think that they look great! i even pinned one of the pics on my pinterest!

    am your newest follower too.

    i have a link party on tuesdays at my blog. i would love it if you linked this up!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i think it looks great too!! it looks so cohesive! plus with the left hand shelf being taller, the tv doesn't stick out so much! so great! as far as your shelves go, i think that they look great! i even pinned one of the pics on my pinterest!

    am your newest follower too.

    i have a link party on tuesdays at my blog. i would love it if you linked this up!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brilliant! I think it looks fabulous and there's nothing better than free!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love it! All those colors are fun :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a fabulous idea to turn one of the shelves on its side. It look like they were meant to be used in that way and your tv look so much better in the space. I need to update and makeover my kids room as it is a hodge podge of old pieces but I have been shying away from Ikea furniture, but might just rethink things. :) Have a great week. Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks beautiful. You did a wonderful job and for $0. Wow! Thanks for sharing, Karie

    ReplyDelete
  9. You have done a great job turning the shelf over. I have seen this before and looks great. Your apartment looks super cute, fresh and clean.
    Love it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love this room...especially the cubbies for storage and holding the tv. The colors are so fresh mixed with all the white. Thanks for linking up!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love it that you took two bookcases and turned them into a media center....it looks so modern.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wickedly awesome transformation! My hat is off to you!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your room looks so nice!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is so pretty and modern! I really love the bookcase on its side! That makes such a sleek media area.

    ~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage
    www.shabbyfrenchcottage.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ashley,
    I throughly enjoyed this post. You have a real eye and it is so fun to see what you are doing with your small space. We have all been there. Some of us still are and some of us long for smaller spaces again... that would be me. Bigger is not necessarily better. You have a real eye for pulling things together and accessorizing. I would love to feature your post on next week's Motivated Monday. Thanks so much for linking up.
    Pam

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Ashley,
    What a lovely redo! I love your use of color and accessories!
    Hugs, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  17. What an absolutely adorable DIY! Well done.

    I hope that you will stop by and enter my giveaway.

    Happy Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Looks fantastic!! Thanks for linking up at Decorating Insanity. Hope to see you next week : )
    xo,
    mONICa

    ReplyDelete
  19. Looks great! Honestly, I liked the before and after! Your "before" looks nicer than my living room right now. :0)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love it! Your use of color is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  21. wow, looks great and you are so right, can't beat $0! makes the makeover even sweeter!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love it! I've been trying to figure out ways to reorganize the tiny space in my apartment and this is the perfect idea at the perfect price. I also love the colors in this room. They really lighten up the whole area!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Love your style of decorating! Great idea with the Ikea bookcase looks wonderful! I'm your newest follower BTW!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Gorgeous make-over Ashley! I can't believe it cost you nothing! You have a great sense of style :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. it looks so fresh and lovely, ashley! and you know how i feel about that white bamboo chair.... love!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Fantastic! I love a good make over story, and one that didn't cost anything is even better!!
    ~Michelle
    www.falafelandthebee.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Isn't it great when you can use a piece of furniture in a different way to create a different look. Your room looks wonderful; and yes, I too love that elephant.

    ReplyDelete
  28. That really looks great. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Brilliant idea to put the bookcase on it's side. I love your room - the colors, the wonderful chair, and that adorable elephant! What a beautiful space you have here!
    Stopping by from Shabby Creek Cottage. Thanks so much for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  30. Gorgeous! I'm actually going to attempt to build my own media center out of ikea bookshelves this weekend, great minds think alike!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Cute room! Love it!
    Hugs,
    Olivia

    ReplyDelete
  32. This is a super idea. I will have to try this. The bookcases look great that way.

    Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  33. Fabulous! Everything looks so neat , clea, coordinated.

    ReplyDelete
  34. What a fantastic idea Ashley!! So simple and yet I probably would never have thought of it. LOL! And that is hilarious about the 2 ladies on the tv! :-) Thanks so much for sharing your creativity with us at Inspiration Friday!
    Vanessa

    ReplyDelete
  35. fantastic idea...
    I'm inviting you to add this to our linking party at
    http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/2011/07/american-pickers-with-linking-party.html
    Have a great weekend,
    Maggie

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi, Ashley! You've got so much creativity here and I'm admiring them all. Can you please share your creative posts at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop? Hope to see you there :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Love the way the room looks; an inspired idea!

    Sue
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  38. What an adorable DIY project! Thank you so much for sharing.

    Happy Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  39. You have done such a wonderful job with those book shelves. It looks like an actual media center!!

    -Tanya
    http://tanyaanurag.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  40. Brilliant! Don't you just love when inspiration falls into your lap like that!

    Oh - I'm a new follower - from a hop, but can't recall which one.

    Best,
    Emily from Nap Time Is My Time

    ReplyDelete
  41. I featured your media center today at Mod Vintage Life.

    ReplyDelete
  42. It looks great now! Love when that happens. :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. This looks great!
    http://sweetteaserendipity.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  44. I love the expedit system from IKEA! I have it in my office. Nice makeover and cute white elephant!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I have those exact bookcases from IKEA and our tv is on one of them on it's side. I've never considered putting them together like this! I'm totally on it now. Thanks for linking this up to my party!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I've always liked those bookshelves from ikea. That's such a creative use for them.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Pure genius! Ilove it and it fred up other spacein the roomand you got rid of your favorite colege table. :) It looks fresh and very pretty with all of your colorful embellishments.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Love the transformation! And nothing beats FREE!

    2027

    ReplyDelete
  49. Looks great - love say yes to the dress over here

    ReplyDelete
  50. Oh, this is so much better than what you had before! Fabulous idea!

    ReplyDelete
  51. This looks fabulous! I love all of your colors and you have a great eye for decorating the shelves. Amazing job!
    Jenn :)

    ReplyDelete
  52. like like like :)
    http://do-vina.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  53. Looks fabulous!! And that chair, oh my goodness, I want it! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  54. I love how it all turned out. What a makeover. I'd love for you link up at my Friday Link up on Blissfulanddomestic.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  55. Fantastic and so smart!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  56. Hi! I’m following your blog. Please stop by and say hi when you get a chance. Hope you are having a Sweet Weekend.

    A Mommy’s Blog Design Studio
    Join us every Friday for our Blog Hop!

    Review and Giveaway Blog Directory
    If you feature Reviews and Giveaways come add your blog here!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Love your redo. brings everything together and looks like a substantial piece of furniture. good job! -JS

    ReplyDelete
  58. I love how you did this!! I'm your newest follower after your feature on "Young & Crafty". It changed the whole look of the room!! You went from "your average living room" to "high end!!". Wow looks so different & GREAT!!
    Hope you can stop by my blog if you get a chance! Thanks for the posting- loved it!

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to know what you think! Thanks for reading!

~xoxo a blonde ~

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...