Living Room

When we first looked at our house, the living room was definitely the space that made us want to purchase this particular home. It had a fireplace, which I was crazy about, and two large picture windows that overlooked what would be our pasture and barn, eventually. And that is where the positive features ended. The rest of the space was outdated, dark and dirty. But I saw the potential. So much potential.

A lot of primer and paint went into those 1968 panelled walls. I scrubbed the floors on my hands and knees to get up the years of grime and stains, then we put several fresh layers of poly on them. The fireplace was the same dirty color as the brick on the outside of the home and would receive a fresh coat of dark grey. The result is a room that I am truly proud of:

It is comfortable, warm and inviting. I love curling up on the sofa to drink my coffee, watch tv or read a book.

The size and layout of the room posed a bit of a challenge as far as furniture arrangement went and I have moved things quite a few times, but that is what I do. I am always moving furniture. Maybe the existing layout didn’t really work, or maybe I am just tired of it… It is always a challenge to share the focus of the room between the tv and a fireplace, but placing them across from each other really works in our room. We are able to sit on the sofa or in the recliner and still enjoy both features.

Almost every living room has a television, but it isn’t necessarily the most attractive piece of decor in the space. In my opinion, the best way to address it is to make it look more intentional. Make it seem as though it was placed meaningfully, not as an afterthought. Here, I surrounded the tv with my collection of antique silver serving trays. I say collection like I had them on purpose… Truthfully, I had no idea that I had this many until I started pulling them all out. That being said, I enjoy them much more now on the wall than tucked away in the china cabinet.

The majority of our time as a family is spent together in this room, so it’s comfort and functionality was very important to me. I really feel like I have achieved that and enjoy spending time here.