Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Living Room Progress!



So to help remind myself of  just how far I've come in the living room, I wanted to share with you all some pictures of how my living room looked before I started it's makeover!  I only started transforming the room about six months ago,so I need to keep telling myself it hasn't been that long!   I really didn't start the transformation until mid-February of this year!  It's only been about six months since I've had my new sofa!  About six months ago, I wrote this little post introducing you all to my new love, Karl!


Now these pictures were not taken to be on the blog,  but they are the only photos I can find of the old living room furniture and layout!  I really did NOT like anything about the furniture, so I never  took any photos of the space!  So ignore all the obvious reasons for taking the photos and just look at the plain old ugliness of the before pictures!

Hehe, this one was taken around Halloween a few years ago,  Josh likes to take my nephew trick-or-treating, so of course I had to make him a costume!  He is some sort of Star Wars something!



Everything looks so plain!!



Clearly I was wrapping presents! Look at all the ribbon!



I call this sofa Country Chic!  Not my tastes at all!
But it was a free hand me down!  So whatcha gonna do!?!


Clearly Josh knew I was taking his picture.....I'm not even sure what I was trying to take a picture of!




This was one of my first attempts to redo the look of the room!
I was tired of that country blue, so I taught myself how to make a fitted slipcover!  It even had a hidden zipper in the back so it had a nice tight fit!  It came out pretty well too, but it's still was not my taste!  Still too country!





While not the best photo ( clearly I was working on something else)  you can see how the love seat looks semi-finished!  If you can over look the boxes and pillows that are piled on top!  Oh and the half- finished sunburst mirror in my hand!


So really the first transformation of many for this room was the introduction of Karl the Sofa to the room!
Let me just say it has been a bit of a love affair ever since!


When Karl came to live with us, we also added two of these Ikea bookcases to the room, to me they are a perfect bookcase; with there very generous depth and crisp modern lines!






Oh Karl!  You are so lovely to sit on!
Do you see this little sheep skin rug?!?  That was a Christmas present from Josh, and it's a perfectly lovely addition to the room!  





This little nail head trimmed ottoman also came home with us when Karl did!  He was a fabulous deal at a Homegoods near our Ikea!





So that was the first MAJOR transformation to the room!  Next I decided I needed to work  on bringing a little art and color into the room!
So I added My Gallery Wall!
All of which was my artwork, the paintings were all done this year, while all the black and white photographs were taken several years ago and developed in a dark room!  Very old school, not many people have ever used all that photography equipment!




After adding Karl to the room I was on the hunt for some extra seating.   I knew I didn't have room for anything too large, AND really I had been dying to get my hands on some faux bamboo chairs!  So when I found a set on craigslist, in MY price range I just knew they would be a perfect addition to the room!
But first they needed a bit of a makeover, you can read all about that here!



I've got one more little addition to their makeover that has yet to be finished!!  
It involves this gorgeous fabric by Dwell!





The next part of the the living room evolution kinda happened because I found some lamps on super clearance at Target and I needed a place to put them!

So I DIY'ed my own sofa table!
Yup! from lumber to furniture I made this little baby!






It's fits beautifully behind the sofa, and has since received a little crisp white paint, you may remember reading about the little accident I had with caulking gun.....well have no fear all turned out well!  I was just to exhausted from that experience that I have yet to add the creative little finishing touches to the piece!  I promise I'm working that all out right now, and will have this little beauty completely completed soon!

Now those little lamps I found for such a fabulous price at Target had a home and really look quite glamorous behind the sofa!  Well after a little DIY gold leaf application!


Hmm, I just realized I never did show you all how BOTH of these gorgeous lamps look on the sofa table!!
Bad blogger!   I will take pictures of that tonight!

Next I did a little furniture rearranging in the living and turned our media center from this.....





to this......



So there you have it!  Those are the changes I've made to the living room in the last six months.  I love how it's all coming together and can't wait till I finish a few more things!  I think the space actually motivates me to be more creative.  Something about the space before was kinda depressing and a little un-motivating!
Does that make sense?!  Or am I the only one that gets motivated to be creative ONLY if the space around them is!?   I can't believe I lived with that drab little sofa for a few years, but I'm working on paying off all those student loans....so whatcha gonna do!
So there you have it, I'm a real person on a REAL decorating budget....which is almost non-existent...so it's just going to take some time to get it all to come together!

18 comments:

  1. i just read every single word of this and took a long look at each picture--so impressed with what you did and i got excited bc my husband and i want to purchase karl from ikea for our living room :) so happy to hear you just love it! also, id love to know how you built those tables for behind the sofa bc that is something adam and i were just discussing! maybe there was a link for it..i can look back :) overall so impressed and so inspired, thank you!!!

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  2. Well, Ashley... I already enjoyed you & your blog, but after reading this post I like ya' even more :) Your living room looks wonderful, and I especially love reading about it's evolution. This is real-life decorating and you are doing a beautiful job!

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  3. I am in awe of the changes you've done in your living room over the past few months. I'm not going to lie, I've been depressed about the state of my living room for several years, mainly due to a similar reason as you - a darn ugly, not-my-taste hand-me-down couch! My hubby and I have since found out that we're to be getting his parent's black modern leather couch (yes, another hand-me-down but practically new and totally our taste)... anyway, I came across your blog and DIY sofa table post around the time we found out about the couch and I too have been totally inspired!!! I can only hope the end result of my living room looks as awesome as yours! :)

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  4. What a great transformation! Everything is lovely =) Xoxoxo 1942charm.blogspot.com

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  5. LOVE the transformation!! I'm working on three rooms right now (living room, bedroom and craft/multipurpose room) and they're coming together just very slowly. I love what you did with the lamps and little sofa table!

    -Amber

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  6. You should be so proud of yourself! You've made an amazing transformation! Your room looks pretty and fresh and comfortable.

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  7. Love all the changes you made. Looks very comfortable.

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  8. Nice work! I love that you have lightened up the room and added so many little bright touches. A great improvement :)

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  9. Wow! Looks anything but "boring"! Very bold choices in decor - it totally paid off!

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  10. Wow!!!! Everything is just amazing! You have a definite knack for knowing what to do. Very unique and shows your spirit! I love it!

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  11. It looks great! I love the part where you said "I taught myself to make a slipcover" :) Amazing!
    I'm your newest follower!

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  12. I just spent 5 minutes reading and analyzing each and every pic. Love what I see! I can't wait to see the final product. I would love for you to guest post on my Makeover Monday series when it's complete. I have the second Monday in Oct open. Let me know if that will work for you.
    alivedinhome@gmail.com

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  13. Oooh! Very nice job! I'd love to know what your final spending was on everything! I'm nosy like that, you know. ;)

    Much Love,
    Trissta
    www.livingonthechic.com

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  14. I'm dating myself by knowing that your husband was dressed as Hans Solo in his halloween costume! Thank you for linking to Wicked Awesome Wednesday!

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  15. Thanks so much for linking up!
    We are going to keep this going every Tuesday...
    Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun, so invite your friends.
    :0) Heather & Rose

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  16. love the gallery wall & your coffee table!

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  17. Thank you for the tip about the West Elm, pillows!! I am redoing my bedroom in Blue and Gold to go with some artwork I have. These will tie it together!! Just what I've been looking for. If you have any other tips on blue and yellow/gold, let me know.

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

~xoxo a blonde ~

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