Living Room Decor: Before & After

Continuing on with my Before & After posts our home is the living room. Nic and I truly do live in our living room. You can find us there 95% of the time while we're home. It was a little difficult organizing a design scheme around a 67 in. big screen TV but we were able to make compromises and we love how things turned out.

While redecorating the condo from Nic's bachelor pad to a family home we did not want to spend very much money. We knew we would need some additional pieces of furniture; so we tried to buy things that will still work well in our next home. Redecorating the condo really got me interested in designing on a budget, yet still buying quality pieces.

Here are the Before & After photos of our living room. My favorite part of the room is the matching wingback chairs. What is your favorite piece in your living room? Leave me a comment!

As always, if you see something that you like there are links to where I purchased each piece at the end of the post. If I have not linked to a website just leave me a comment and ask where I purchased it. I would love to help you find pieces that you love.

Before

Please take notice to the half naked guy Karate striking poster over the fire place. (Don't worry he's not actually naked)

After

The Club Chair

My husband is a no frills, comfort seeking, kind of guy. The first time I went to his house I was impressed that it was fairly clean and furnished for a bachelor pad, but I couldn't help but being taken aback by one particular piece of furniture. It is a denim blue colored chair straight from the early 80's. It is so worn that there is absolutely no support in the seat. The material is this velvet-like polyester that really creeps me out. The saddest thing is that the design is so dated it cannot even be reupholstered to make it more up to date.

Basically this chair and I have become enemies. Everytime Nic asks me what we should purchase next for our place I always say, "The blue chair NEEDS TO GO!" The hard part has been finding a chair that I like the style of and that Nic thinks is comfortable enough for his afternoon naps and hours of watching the news (love you honey!). So I would like to introduce you to the club chair. A chair that will quickly become your husbands favorite seat in the house!

The club chair is a an excellent piece for a family room. You can buy one in leather or upholstered in fabric; although I find leather to be the more traditional way to go. It has a lower back than a wingback chair so it is better for smaller spaces... it takes up less room visually. Club chairs always have arms, making it great to really relax in. I prefer a nice oversized club chair with a pillowy back and big padded arms. Have fun with your chair. Maybe buy two in different colors to create an eclectic grouping for conversation. Consider your different options like tufting, nailhead trim, various feet designs and find a chair that blends best with the style personality of your home. Here are some chairs that I really love and are in the running to be our next furniture purchase!

Lenox Club Chair
$429.00
wayfair.com
"Lenox Club Chair" 

 Safavieh Colton Club Chair
$729.99
Kohl's
Safavieh Colton Club Chair 

Manhattan Leather Club Chair
$1,499.00 – $1,955.00
Pottery Barn 

 Click to view different colors 

Tafton Tufted Fabric Club Chair
 $373.99
Overstock

 Click here to purchase 

Nic and I found this great chair at a local store in Utah called Osmond Design. For the chair to be made of good quality leather we thought the price was great! This is a piece that could go in our family room or in the office. When I purchase furniture I like to know that it is flexible and we will be able to grow with it once we move to our new home and start a family.

Leather Club Chair
$599.00
Osmond Design Orem, UT

 

The Wingback Chair

The wingback chair is a classic piece that you will never regret purchasing. It's like the furniture equivalent to a classic black pump for your wardrobe. Whether you want to spice things up with a crazy pattern or if you'd rather stay low key with a neutral solid color; you honestly can't go wrong. I would suggest buying a good quality chair if you are in the market for a chair like this. It will last forever and if you get sick of it simply reupholster the chair for a brand new look!

Finally, beds that I actually like!

I just love this bed! It's not too masculine, not too feminine. It has a tifted headboard like I LOVE, and it has lots of wood for a righ warm feel. Also, notice the saber leg, just another small detail that I this is great!

This bed below, is a close second for me. It's just a little bulky and big for most bedrooms.

MODERN

Okay, so it may seem like my sense of style is all over the place! This may be true, but I think that it is a good thing! I feel that a designer should be able to appreciate many different styles; it's part of acquiring good taste. I wanted to dedicate this post to modern design. This past semester I took a class all about modern design and architecture. I was a little skeptical in the beginning, but now that the semester is about over I have grown to appreciate this style so much more. Here are a few of my favorite images that I have collected over the semester. Enjoy!

Lounging Around: The Chaise

A furniture piece that is making a big statement in many interiors today is the Chaise Lounge (Or longue if you parlez francais). This piece, although so classic and timeless, can update a space with a more sophisticated feel in no time! When selecting a chaise you want to make sure that it will fit correctly in your space. There is nothing more unflattering to a room than disproportionate furniture elements. Chaises can be light and delicate in form or heavy and bulky. What works best for your space is up to you to decide! Here are a few chaise selections to inspire you

Storage Chaise: http://www.target.com/

Fifi Chaise Lounge By Klaussner: http://www.bellacor.com/

And now for my FAVORITES!

The Old Hickory Tannery "Royal Marco" Chaise: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/

Webster Leather Daybed: http://www.potterybarn.com/

Amish Furniture: Handcrafted with Love

As an east coast girl I felt that it was my obligation to share with you a small secret of the area where I am from. Everyone in New Jersey knows that if you want beautiful, handcrafted, heirloom quality furniture you go to Amish Country! Luckily, vendors have began to pick up on the high demand for this furniture and it is now available to the masses! However, I would suggest checking out the manufacturing source when buying this type of furniture so that you don't end up buying so-called Amish furniture that was made in a factory in Mexico. In the Salt Lake area I am most impressed with the furniture from Simply Amish of Salt Lake. It is elegant and stylish; yet durable, functional, and affordable. Pictured above is just one of the beautiful pieces they have to offer, but don't take my word for it; check it out for yourself!

Visit http://simplyamishslc.com/gallery/ to see their full gallery of breathtaking pieces

Simply Amish of Salt Lake
2892 South Highland Dr
Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Phone: (801) 487-6300
Store Hours: Mon - Sat: 10am to 6pm

Other Times By Appointment