Stage 1: Getting Started
With spartan white walls, bare windows, and mismatched furnishings, this small living room lacks personality and coziness. Pushing the furniture against one wall -- opposite the entertainment center -- is a no-brainer floor plan, but it leaves a runway down the middle, blocks the tall windows, and squeezes access to the adjacent stairs.
With spartan white walls, bare windows, and mismatched furnishings, this small living room lacks personality and coziness. Pushing the furniture against one wall -- opposite the entertainment center -- is a no-brainer floor plan, but it leaves a runway down the middle, blocks the tall windows, and squeezes access to the adjacent stairs.
Stage 2: Color and a Floor Plan
Begin the living room's transformation with lush green paint, plucking the hues from a fabric you want to add later. Light celery washes the walls and ceiling; a darker shade in a durable lacquer-like gloss makes the simple woodwork pop. The door is no longer in use, so we pulled the seating to the room's center, using a sisal rug to define the area. The new arrangement guides you through the room, making it feel more spacious than its 200 square feet.
Begin the living room's transformation with lush green paint, plucking the hues from a fabric you want to add later. Light celery washes the walls and ceiling; a darker shade in a durable lacquer-like gloss makes the simple woodwork pop. The door is no longer in use, so we pulled the seating to the room's center, using a sisal rug to define the area. The new arrangement guides you through the room, making it feel more spacious than its 200 square feet.
Stage 2 Room Elements
Existing Furniture: Dress up the slipcovered sofa and chairs with two-sided fabric pillows and new upholstery.
New Furniture: Multitaskers that fill in the holes and adapt for entertaining are key -- the elegant black tray table folds away when there's a crowd, and the space-saving green demilune table doubles as a mini bar.
Windows: Wood blinds with wide fabric tape give windows a finished look.
Artwork: Banish blank walls with a simple grid of framed vintage prints from old books. Green mats coordinate with the trim color.
Lighting: A pair of celadon lamps draws the eye to the room's focal point, the sofa.
New Furniture: Multitaskers that fill in the holes and adapt for entertaining are key -- the elegant black tray table folds away when there's a crowd, and the space-saving green demilune table doubles as a mini bar.
Windows: Wood blinds with wide fabric tape give windows a finished look.
Artwork: Banish blank walls with a simple grid of framed vintage prints from old books. Green mats coordinate with the trim color.
Lighting: A pair of celadon lamps draws the eye to the room's focal point, the sofa.
Stage 3: Pile on Pattern
In the final stage, the details make the difference. Take the room from livable to lovable with the addition of a few new pieces, layers of pattern, and a mix of accessories.
In the final stage, the details make the difference. Take the room from livable to lovable with the addition of a few new pieces, layers of pattern, and a mix of accessories.
