LIVING ROOM Archives - Everyday Edits

LIVING ROOM LIBRARY ENVY

January 28, 2021

sharing a few ideas on how to create a living room library in a brownstone in the suburbs home

For someone who used the library for social hour and weekend (party) planning in high school, it is ironic that I want to transition our living room to a library. Except instead of big tables and plastic chairs it would have a wall of built-ins, a fireplace (think Gilmore Girls and Chilton Prep) and cozy seating to read.

My wheels started turning when Leslie shared her ORC (One Room Challenge) makeover from office to library. I messaged Leslie a few weeks ago that my husband was sharing her photos with our contractor.

I love to do these envy posts because it helps me figure out my favorite elements and provide a little inspiration to you! These posts also are a reminder to step outside our comfort zones if only just a smidge.

We have not finalized our plans for our 2 story living room wall, but we are close. I started to clear out the room after Christmas so the wall is completely bare and this hutch that was against this wall is currently in my office. She is awaiting relocation paperwork.

Here’s a view from the top-level looking down into the living room. Sorry grainy photo.

The original plan was to knock out the center wall and build a two-story double fireplace. When our general contractor reviewed our architect’s plans there were some issues with our living room being on the second floor and something about joists, plumbing and structural integrity.

We pivoted and decided a living room library would accomplish the same feels without the fear of the roof settling onto our fireplace.

Like any pending project, I looked to Pinterest for inspiration.

The following rooms provided plenty of living room library envy and inspiration. You ready to take a look at what you can do with that room that often sits untouched until the holidays.

LIVING ROOM LIBRARY ENVY

This is Brooke Shields’s living room in her Manhattan home, not to be confused with her home in the Hamptons.

I love the contrast of the navy wall and white fireplace, windows and trim.

I have a thing for blue painted bookcases.

Source: Pinterest

BROWNSTONE ENVY

On my Insta, I add the hashtag brownstoneinthesuburbs because of our home’s multiple levels. For this reason, I had to include a Brooklyn brownstone in my search for a living room library.

. Our layout is similar in that the length is longer than the width of the room. Okay, did you just read that sentence? OMG! Wait, that’s right. The width of our room is narrower than the length from the windows to the hallway.

And, just like this brownstone, we have a chaise in front of our window too. Our stairs are adjacent to the living room too.

BUILT-IN SHELVES

Love the paint color, built-ins and the placement of the chair and side table. This makes sense because this photo is an advertisement for a furniture store. #wink

Source Pinterest Furniture Advertisement

Love the fireplace wood built-in. Love it! Even if we have a gas fireplace, I like to pretend we have wood-burning fireplaces.

Source: Pinterest AdLook at this room featured in New England Home. I love the crown molding and that fireplace insert is gorgeous. My husband is searching for fireplace inserts. I like a mirror (this one is too ornate for our home), but it would add height against our two-story wall.

I think my signature paint color is navy.

Source: New England Magazine

Many of you likely recognize Cassie from Hi Sugarplum.

I remembered this room when she posted it and even though there is a little bit more going on in the room than I think I can carry off, I love the pops of color and the built-ins. Maybe I need a chandelier in my living room library?

I must end with where my envy began- in Leslie’s library from her previous home. You can catch the details here.

Sidenote: I met Leslie at a Haven conference. She was in the process of rebranding her blog. A year later she shared her rebranding guy with me when I made the decision to rebrand my blog.

Do you have a favorite room from this envy list?

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Here’s my oven envy post.

The Living Room Needs Professional Help

November 12, 2019

Do you have a room in your house that is in a constant state of dazed and confused? Alright, alright, alright. And, despite my favorite rug addition and hutch makeover-neither addressed the scale of the room and the two-story wall. I knew it was time for the living room to get professional help.

I love this shot because it is a totally different view of a room. We have an upper level that looks down making it possible to get an entirely different view of a room that is not living up to its potential.

This 2 story wall is adjacent to the family room wall. Both rooms share a common, blank wall from floor to ceiling.

Up close, it looks like a hutch holding pumpkins and garland and the perfect autumn display, right? That’s all smoke and mirrors with the camera lens.

But then as the camera zooms out, the wall gets all the attention. It is massive. This is one of my tricks when I share tiny details. It is often because the room is in a state of disarray.

Can any of you relate to this optical illusion?

the-living-room-to-get-professional-help

In our #brownstoneinthesuburbs home the living room is located on the “main” level. It is an open room that sits below two additional levels.

Sidenote: Yes, that is a bag of dog food in the dining room (kitchen renovation off to the side).

living-room-gets-professional-help-everydayedtsblog

Several years ago we replaced our white, wood spindles with the wrought iron. It was one of our favorite DIY projects. I share several cost-saving tips.

So with an ongoing kitchen renovation, my time and eyes focused on the living room. I stumbled (or maybe a bot directed me) to the online design company, Modsy.

I had heard about Modsy on Carson Kressly’s show and was intrigued. With online promotion, it sounded like a low-risk purchase.

The hardest part of this online design project was taking the floor to ceiling photos.

It took multiple uploads before I received the photo approval notification. Now, I just wait for the team of designers behind the scenes to make recommendations for this 17’x 11′ room with an awkward niche and that two-story blank wall.

Stay tuned!

I have no idea what to expect.

I know Modsy makes suggestions that can be purchased via their site, but I am so excited to read the recommendations for a room we use to get away from the noise of the television.

The Painted Hutch

September 30, 2019

If you have been a follower of Everyday Edits you know I am passionate about my furniture. I got a lot love when I published the story behind our dining room table. And, this is hands down our most popular piece of furniture. But, today is about the painted hutch in our living room. The painted hutch is a story about redemption and finding one’s place in a space. It was a lesson in patience and process.

Yes, I am talking about the painted hutch that found its way in a brownstone-ish home in the suburbs of Denver.

What did you think I was talking about?

Today is about the ongoing transformation of the painted hutch in our living room. There is a collective eye roll from my family right about now. Honestly, I do not think anyone in my family noticed the living room hutch had gone from the original finish (black), to a creamy white and settled on a half creamy white and Kendall Charcoal gray combo.

I loved the Kendall Charcoal grey on the exterior and kept the inside a creamy white. But when it came to the fun part of staging the hutch, the accessories got lost.

I don’t have the photo of the combo paint job because that was when my Nikon had a complete camera breakdown. But the light gray walls and the white interior gives you an idea at the bland hutch.

So with a 1/2 gallon of paint in the hall closet and a new camera on order, I finished my vision for the painted hutch 3.0. In about an hour I painted the glass shelves and the interior of the hutch to match the Kendall Charcoal on the exterior. I grabbed a stack of white dishes to give me an idea of the potential in my newly painted hutch.

It was love a first stack.

Here is a quick look at the before an after:

I love this color! I painted my front door the same color too. It gives the hutch warmth against the expansive wall behind it.

Living Room Chaise With a View

June 24, 2019

We knew we made the right furniture choice when the dog claimed the living room chaise mid-day before the family rolled in after work, school and tennis practice. My husband claims it after work- it is his recharging station. In our house, the living room chaise wins the popular vote.

The unwritten rule is whoever lands on the chaise first, gets the chaise!

It reminds me of when my four siblings and I called shotgun as we ran down the stairs to fight for the front passenger seat in Mom’s Suburban.

The fact that there is no television in our living room, speaks to the chaise’s popularity. With wide cushions and just-enough length, it is perfect for an end of day nap as the rains roll in over the mountains.

We found our chaise at Crate & Barrel. You can find the dimensions and details here. We passed right by this chaise when we did an initial loop around the showroom floor.

We wanted a couch or club chairs to fit the awkward, rounded wall and tiny nook in the living room. The living room is complicated.

Living Room Chaise

Never underestimate the power of pillows

The secret to the chaise’s popularity is with the pillows. My husband and I did not see the vision. But, thank goodness the sales associate pointed out the power of bolster pillows. The pillows make the chaise’s role in our living room flexible. It can be shoved against a wall or “free float” in front of our living room window.

And, the best part of this purchase was it took place during Crate & Barrel’s annual Labor Day sale.

The chaise is comfortable, stylish, flexible and the perfect spot to catch a nap or sneak in a chapter in my latest pick from this site.

The chaise was our Aussie’s favorite place to relax. I used to shoo Tanner off, but as his hips failed, I whispered in his ear, “You earned this Tanner.” We have visions of Tanner on security detail on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

The chaise was such a classy-casual addition to the living room I had to upgrade the rug. All of a sudden my indoor/outdoor rug felt like it belonged outside. I upgraded to this rug for a comfier feel our feet (or paws).

living room chaise for the win

And, with these views, the chaise is the perfect spot to watch the weather roll in over the mountains.

LIVING ROOM LIBRARY ENVY

BROWNSTONE ENVY

BUILT-IN SHELVES

Living Room Chaise

Never underestimate the power of pillows

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