Before and After: 5 Revamped Living Spaces That Feel Like Home
See how designers make these living rooms more stylish, comfortable and welcoming
The common areas of a home are often the most heavily used rooms. Whether household members tend to gather in the living room, family room or sunroom, these spaces frequently benefit from a refresh to make them more inviting.
The following five before-and-afters show how fresh paint, new floors and a thoughtful furniture arrangement can breathe new life into an old space.
The following five before-and-afters show how fresh paint, new floors and a thoughtful furniture arrangement can breathe new life into an old space.
After: Clean white paint and dramatic floor tile refresh the look, while new midcentury-inspired furniture provides ample seating for the family and their guests. The sofa’s placement against the room’s back wall takes advantage of the views out the French doors.
The other side of the sunroom contains a new bar area just beyond new steps that go up to the living room. The bar features two undercounter beverage fridges and a sink, so family members can offer drinks to their guests without having to walk up the stairs, around the pony wall and into the kitchen.
Cabinets surrounding wine fridges: Brookhaven frameless, WoodMode; countertop: White Cliff, Cambria; cabinetry hardware: Europa tab pulls, Top Knobs
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Cabinets surrounding wine fridges: Brookhaven frameless, WoodMode; countertop: White Cliff, Cambria; cabinetry hardware: Europa tab pulls, Top Knobs
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2. Bland to Sophisticated in Houston
Designer: Chase Dowell Interior Design
Before: The shiny cherry-red floors and yellow wall paint lacked the sophistication the client wanted, and the homeowner and designer both felt that the furniture was too big for the space.
Designer: Chase Dowell Interior Design
Before: The shiny cherry-red floors and yellow wall paint lacked the sophistication the client wanted, and the homeowner and designer both felt that the furniture was too big for the space.
After: A darker floor stain and a lighter wall color give the living room a more elegant vibe. To get the deep floor color, they applied ebony stain four times. Keeping the furniture and rug in neutral hues allows the colorful elements — the toss pillows and abstract art above the sofa — to stand out.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray, Sherwin-Williams
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray, Sherwin-Williams
A desk near the window lets the owner work from his Houston home and enjoy downtown views all day.
Desk paint: Tricorn Black, Sherwin-Williams; lamp: Circa Lighting
Read more about this room | Browse desk lamps
Desk paint: Tricorn Black, Sherwin-Williams; lamp: Circa Lighting
Read more about this room | Browse desk lamps
3. Drafty to Bright in Portland, Oregon
Designer: Jenni Leasia Interior Design
Before: This sunroom, which is off the living room, was dark and drafty with cold porcelain tile floors.
Designer: Jenni Leasia Interior Design
Before: This sunroom, which is off the living room, was dark and drafty with cold porcelain tile floors.
After: The homeowners replaced their windows with energy-efficient ones and added radiant heat beneath the new, richly colored terra-cotta floor tiles. Bamboo chairs arranged for conversation create an inviting gathering spot.
Coffee table: Arteriors; tile: Pratt & Larson; chairs: McGuire
Read more about this room | Find accent chairs
Coffee table: Arteriors; tile: Pratt & Larson; chairs: McGuire
Read more about this room | Find accent chairs
4. Old to Updated in Del Mar, California
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters)
Designer: Danielle Perkins of Danielle Interior Design & Decor
Before: The living room had a decade-old carpet and a well-loved sofa.
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters)
Designer: Danielle Perkins of Danielle Interior Design & Decor
Before: The living room had a decade-old carpet and a well-loved sofa.
The designer saw an opportunity to create greater flexibility in the seating arrangement and suggested a new two-piece custom sectional. The section closest to the foreground in this photo can be moved wherever the owners want to use it.
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This photo shows the two-seat section moved to the other side of the sectional, with its back to the French doors. The two-seater can also serve as a freestanding settee.
A smart ottoman-table combination adds even more flexibility. When the homeowners feel like having snack, they can slide the glass-topped table close. When it’s not in use, they can slide the table over the ottoman and out of the way.
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A smart ottoman-table combination adds even more flexibility. When the homeowners feel like having snack, they can slide the glass-topped table close. When it’s not in use, they can slide the table over the ottoman and out of the way.
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5. Mishmash to Cohesion in Dallas
Size: 190 square feet (18 square meters)
Designer: Dona Rosene Interiors
Before: This room, which the homeowners use as their study, had great architectural features but had become a dumping ground. Still, even before hiring a designer, the homeowners had a sense of direction for the space: They installed the fantastic gold chandelier.
Size: 190 square feet (18 square meters)
Designer: Dona Rosene Interiors
Before: This room, which the homeowners use as their study, had great architectural features but had become a dumping ground. Still, even before hiring a designer, the homeowners had a sense of direction for the space: They installed the fantastic gold chandelier.
After: The designer used the light fixture as a jumping-off point, echoing its gold finish throughout the room. The homeowners, who hail from Nigeria, have interesting pieces from all over the continent, and the metallic gold pattern in the wallpaper above the sofa reminded them of African woven cloth. The small carved wood stool in front of the sofa is also African, but they actually found it at a flea market in Canton, Texas.
Wallpaper: Plume, Cole & Son; wall paint: Black Fox, Sherwin-Williams; mirror: Go Home; sofa: Sherrill Furniture
Wallpaper: Plume, Cole & Son; wall paint: Black Fox, Sherwin-Williams; mirror: Go Home; sofa: Sherrill Furniture
The sofa is a sleeper model, which comes in handy since the study doubles as a guest room. The streamlined desk contains subtle gold detailing on its base.
Desk: Thomas, Woodbridge; desk chair: Cross Effect Icon, Sligh
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Desk: Thomas, Woodbridge; desk chair: Cross Effect Icon, Sligh
Read more about this room
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How to Refresh Your Living Room on Any Budget
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Interior Designer?
Size: 288 square feet (27 square meters)
Designers: Erica Weaver and Denise Quade of Denise Quade Design and Cynthia Paggie of Paggie Design Studio
Before: This 1923 lakeside sunroom felt closed off and dark, and it ultimately became a catchall for furniture that didn’t fit in other rooms. The homeowners enjoy entertaining and figured that there had to be a better way to use this space.