Apr 12

Our Living Room: The Before

Somehow we are already in week two of the One Room Challenge, and while things are moving along over here, I have a feeling that week six will be here well before I’m totally ready. Next week I’m going to be sharing all of our plans (complete with legitimate floor plans), but I thought that it might be helpful to show you where we began.

Admittedly, our living room isn’t the worst by any stretch of the imagination. We have furniture that’s more or less the proper scale, cute toss cushions, and pretty art. But the reality is that I have design ADD. With the exception of our living room rug (which we picked up at Elte for a steal shortly after we moved in), everything else has lived with us since our condo dwelling days (you can see that home tour here, if interested). It worked perfectly in our old space, but it feels lackluster and frumpy in our new home, and I’m simply ready for a change.

The clunky sofa and arm chair are both pieces that have paid their dues. The couch was actually a craigslist find when I moved into my first condo in my early twenties. It has done me well, and while I’ll be sad to see it go (I’m a bit of a sentimental nut), it has seen better days. Plus, we’re a lounging family and while sectionals aren’t always the cutest, I’m making it my mission to find one that still feels elegant and pulled together.

The coffee table is another piece that I feel torn about. It was such a unique find back in the day, and I love that Justin and his dad painstakingly refinished it themselves. It was actually the first piece that we purchased together after deciding to “shack up” (my 95 year old grandfather’s exact words.) which gives it some sentimental value. Unfortunately, I may have a cold black heart because it’s just not enough to convince me it should stay. I’ve grown tired of the rustic vibe – it looked great in our condo, but feels out of place in our Victorian home. I’ve selected the most beautiful new coffee table that perfectly bridges that gap between modern and traditional. I’m secretly excited for the change.

If you follow me on instagram, you may remember when I hung some art (here). I knew, even then, that this wasn’t going to be its forever home, but am still amazed at how quickly it warmed up our space. I actually adore each one of these prints, but they’re just not quite right for the vibe we’re after. Not to worry though I’ve already found them a new home – they’re currently sitting pretty in our main floor hallway, and have transformed that space just like they did here. This is essentially the first view you see when you walk into our living room, and I have big plans for this very spot so that it really and truly shines.

With all that in mind, I thought it’d be fun to put together a little graphic so you can see what’s staying (um, basically nothing), and what’s to come.