The Living Room is the first room you walk into when you enter the house so I wanted it to be bright, light and inviting. We spent our 2010 Christmas holidays tackling this room and it's probably the biggest job we've done yet with the amount of sweat, beer and wine that was consumed in those weeks!
This is how it looked when we moved in with a purple suede feature wall and the rest of the walls beige. Ironically we had purple couches so it kind of went together for the first year but it was time for a new look, new colour scheme and to put my decorative stamp on the room.
The room was emptied and we turned the dining room into a makeshift living room, and sold the furniture and gave away 2 fish tanks and a stand (we kept 1 fish tank and the fish) and were ready to roll and renovate.
First we removed the old air conditioner from the wall and bricked in the hole, you can read all about the hole in the wall saga here.
The ceiling was sagging in some places so we lifted it using some props we made and then got up inside the ceiling and rebanded the beams. Left it a few days to set and then removed the pillars and it worked. This was a hot, sweaty, dirty job and you can see all the details here.
The fun job of putting filler the gaps in the floorboards for oh about 11 hours (yes I counted!) then sanding them back ready to be sealed. Sealing is the last thing that is done after the painting so they don't get scratched.
Painting a media wall behind the tv alcove a super dark grey to make it a feature behind the tv and cabinet
Then we painted everything else - walls, ceiling, skirting
The attractive reno newspaper blinds were swapped for timber blinds
Now for the fun part, adding furniture and decorating. I hunted high and low for the right shade of green rug but sadly couldn't find the exact shade I wanted so I compromised on a pistachio green coloured shaggy rug and truthfully the lighter green really lifts the dark floorboards and leather couches so it was the right decision in the end. I think the rug is the hero of the room.
This is how it looked when we moved in with a purple suede feature wall and the rest of the walls beige. Ironically we had purple couches so it kind of went together for the first year but it was time for a new look, new colour scheme and to put my decorative stamp on the room.
Before
The room was emptied and we turned the dining room into a makeshift living room, and sold the furniture and gave away 2 fish tanks and a stand (we kept 1 fish tank and the fish) and were ready to roll and renovate.
Bye purple furniture
Bye Fish Tanks and Stand
First we removed the old air conditioner from the wall and bricked in the hole, you can read all about the hole in the wall saga here.
Removing the air conditioner
Bricking in the hole
The ceiling was sagging in some places so we lifted it using some props we made and then got up inside the ceiling and rebanded the beams. Left it a few days to set and then removed the pillars and it worked. This was a hot, sweaty, dirty job and you can see all the details here.
Lifting the ceiling with our hand made pillars
Old banding that had fallen off the beams and we replaced
The fun job of putting filler the gaps in the floorboards for oh about 11 hours (yes I counted!) then sanding them back ready to be sealed. Sealing is the last thing that is done after the painting so they don't get scratched.
Filling the gap in the floorboards
Being sanded back
Painting a media wall behind the tv alcove a super dark grey to make it a feature behind the tv and cabinet
Trying to pick a feature colour
Painting on a few coats
Media wall freshly painted
After
Then we painted everything else - walls, ceiling, skirting
Sanding and filling the old suede effect paint
We had to seal with a base coat before the colour went on
The walls were painted Mountain Peak, a pale grey colour and the ceiling white
The attractive reno newspaper blinds were swapped for timber blinds
Before newspaper blinds
After timber blinds hung and floorboards sealed
After all painted and finished
Now for the fun part, adding furniture and decorating. I hunted high and low for the right shade of green rug but sadly couldn't find the exact shade I wanted so I compromised on a pistachio green coloured shaggy rug and truthfully the lighter green really lifts the dark floorboards and leather couches so it was the right decision in the end. I think the rug is the hero of the room.
New pistachio shaggy rug
Next we found some sexy leather couches - a 2 seater and 3 seater with modular in chocolate brown leather, they almost look black they are very dark but the chocolate does lighten them a bit. They are super soft and comfortable and a true investment purchase they'll last us for another 10 years at least.
New couches
A glass topped coffee table with a green glass top and white base with drawers for my books and magazines was a fantastic find - I'm always happy with extra storage.
New coffee table
I'm still adding coushins and other decorations to the mix, I find in Winter I add greys and warm colours and in Summer I bring out the whites and brights.
After with decorating touches and artwork
After much searching for the right light this pendant was installed but I'm really disappointed at the height it has been put in, it should hanging lower instead of against the ceiling but that was my mistake for worrying about us hitting our heads instead of standing back to see the effect it had.
We put up block out curtains over the timber blinds to make the room feel more cosy private and secure.
I've been adding pops of yellow and green including this funky yellow and grey artwork from Target and other funky decor items from Target too (all on sale of course!) and DIYed myself some gold framed artworks from papers my friend bought back from overseas.
I really love how this room has turned out, it is the first room and first impression when you walk in the front door and it is bright and inviting just as I imagined it to be.
Living Room Cost Breakdown:
Couches Bay Leather Republic Osborne Park $4598
Rug RugMart Osborne Park $450
Coffee Table Housewares $299
Various Coushins from Freedom Spotlight and Target approx $20 each
Black Floor Lamp Target $34
Silver Lamp Target $55
Green Bottle Freedom $15
Yellow Hourglass Target $18 (x2) I smashed the first one!
White Leather Cube Target $15
Artworks Copper $70 x 2 Thingz Living $140
Artwork Yellow Grey Target $45
DIY Gold Framed Paper Art $0
[All images my own]
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The dark feature wall really removes the contrast between the tv and the wall. Great styling!
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