#42...mom's living room

before

For the past few months, I have been helping my parents update a few rooms in their house. Pictured above is their formal living room, a room that as kids we were not allowed to step foot into. Because the room rarely got used, all of the furniture was in great shape, despite that it was bought decades ago. In redecorating/updating the room, the layout actually stayed much the same, and many of the furniture pieces are the same, but overall it looks really different.

after

To begin this redecorating process I clipped magazine and web pictures of inspiration rooms, colors and upholstered furniture pieces that I thought would work for the room. I presented several options of fabrics and wall colors to my parents, and they chose what they liked. It was helpful to them to have the choices narrowed down, and the inspiration clips made it easier for them to envision the finished product, and make the leap to change decor.

The love seat got a new navy and cream stripped fabric, and we chose not to put a skirt on it. It features some contrast solid cream colored piping on the pillows, which is the same fabric that was used on the wing chairs in the room. The wing chairs got some nail head detailing to give them some personality.

My Dad and I built two lighted corner cabinets to flank the piano and to provide some pretty shelving for their collectibles. The round glass coffee table was a thrift store find, which I painted. The rug is from Overstock.com, and is much bigger than the rug they previously had in the room. It makes the room feel so much more spacious than the smaller rug did.

Dad and I also built the cornice boxes for the windows to match the crown molding in the room and on our corner cabinets. I made the drapes from a pair of textured shower curtains and added a metallic aqua and silver circle upholstery print as a big stripe at the bottom of the drape for drama. (unfortunately, you can't really see the bottom of the drape in these pics).

The velvet flower painting hanging between the windows was done by my great uncle in the 1960's. It is still in its original frame, but I decided to paint the frame to match the coffee table. The frame was originally gold, and the paint was wearing off and looked dirty, so it warranted a paint job. I think it still has its vintage charm though.

In total, this makeover cost less than $2000, for all of the fabrics, upholstery, new furniture, rug, accessories, and supplies that Dad and I used for painting and the wood working projects. They love how it turned out, and although it is still a formal living room, my Mom has been inviting friends and family to sit in there for a visit.....even us kids!

On a side note......the original brown wood coffee table that you see in the "before" shot found a new home as an ironing board table base in my studio. You can see the after here.