Here is a before picture, to remind you of exactly where we started a few years back now, when we first moved in:
Now, back then, the couch went in front of the living room window that faces the road. I wasn’t really convinced we had many options for the arrangement of furniture. The TV, because of the cable, had only one spot to go but it simplified the awkward corner where the flue goes through the room. But eventually I begun to think that with some other re-arranging, that there might be other possibilities. I know, I know, I am a decorator and all, but you know how it is when it comes to your own stuff, you can’t always see the forest for the trees.
The couch is cozy for one person or four. The fights usually break out when there are just two girls on it, funny thing about that. I’m not sure what I was thinking when I picked out a light beige sofa when we had small children, but considering it was an inexpensive sofa from The Brick 8 years ago, I’d say its done well for us. We keep it covered most times. It’s a pain but a cleaner couch is worth it. We also don’t let the kids eat on it….that certainly helps, too.
I decided that this past Christmas, I wanted the tree in the front window which meant I had to figure out a new arrangement that involved moving the couch in front of the other window. And once I get something in my head, there’s usually no going back…even if it means struggling to rearrange furniture with only small children to help out.
If you’ve been hanging out in these parts for any length of time, you know I have a few chairs. As in, I hoard chairs – for just the occasion as this! I tried to make the living room work for me without having to move the couch, and the cabinets that would also need to be shuffled if we figured it out. I took a few options in from the studio and tried this but the green chair was too big there beside the TV…
And this but the blue chair was too little…
And this but the rocking chair wasn’t right, either….
So I threw a blanket over it….but that didn’t work either. I feel like there’s a story about the wrong chairs… #goldilocks
So, then I figured if I wanted a change, I had to be all in. So I moved what I could myself with the help of Lena and her friend Gabby, and then I called my brother since Michael wasn’t home. Poor Steve always gets the call when I’m in the middle of something and need a hand when Michael isn’t home. Because, like I said, when I have it in my head….
When the dust settled and the furniture was roughly placed, I ended up with this:
And then I had to find a coffee table that worked for me….again, I went to my stash. But apparently I didn’t photograph my various options. You know, the old $5 coffee table, the bench from the veranda and then the cut down table shown in the above picture. I settled on the cut down table, it’s wider than I want but the scale is better and it’s a good height to rest your feet on, which is important, too!
The rearranged living room feels much larger and open than it had before and we only took out one chair. It feels like a much better use of space and the couch seems to be much cozier along that wall. When the tree come down after Christmas, we had no desire to put it back the way it was before.
I especially love the two chairs in front of the window. The chair on the right seems to be my chair. If I’m not snuggled on the couch, that’s where I’ll land. Sometimes, there’ll be a little body jammed on there with me, but I’ll take those snuggles as long as I can. Those chairs are very comfy to sit in, the chrome may be pitted in spots and the leather worn, but I love the character and vibe they bring to the room.
All in all, I’m liking where the living room has ended up. For now. You know it’ll look different in three week’s time when I find some other treasure that needs to be in here. I’m enjoying the bright pop of colour from the collection of flowers in the milk glass vases on the big cabinet. It’s fun to switch that display up from time to time. I’m currently struggling with what to put on the coffee table, we need foot room and sometimes a kid or two will have a snack there, too. I’m not loving the runner for this time of year but I know I’ll settle on something that will make me happy. I’m thinking beach glass collection in a dough bowl….keep an eye out on Instagram 😉
To be continued,
Lori
