MY EXPERIENCE
When we bought this house, we loved the spacious living room that extends to the dining area and overlooks the garden. The walls had been painted in neutral tones of creams and greys, which I was grateful for because it was a nice blank canvas for me to work with.
Before we even picked up a paintbrush, I spent a long time planning the room, looking at furniture styles and colour schemes for at least a month. Once we decided on the look, Christian and I gave the walls a fresh coat of paint before getting started. Deciding where the TV would go was one of the major changes to the layout. Originally, it was near the window, which didn’t work because of the sun’s glare. It looks so much better placed behind the door, and with the empty wall, it’s the perfect place for the sideboard too.
It’s the little details that have made the biggest impact for me, like changing the curtain poles to a track system and placing them higher up to make the space look bigger. Adding a fire surround, which I got for free on Facebook Marketplace, and hanging my papercut artwork above gave the room a central focal point, which has made a huge difference.
Having a place that looks and feels restful was so valuable to us, especially during lockdown. Being able to plan and do tweaks to the space has helped keep me busy during the months we could only stay at home. Now my living room feels like it reflects my personality and interests. The space is filled with my favourite pastel colours, pieces collected from my travels, as well as family photos. Transforming this plain white box into such a joyful room has given me so much enjoyment.