My latest venture took place around 4 pm today. I couldn't stop myself- I redid the media room downstairs. I've fully hated it ever since we moved in, because I could never find furniture that fit the scale of the room (it's enormous) or the scale of the seating we have in there (also enormous). I think the solution I came up with is scathingly brilliant. I went shopping... at home.
That's right- I redid the room with furniture that I already had in other parts of the house. Behold the majesty of the newly scaled Media Room in all it's Vintage Cinema glory...
BEFORE:
This is the only picture I have of the room because I hate the sea of black that Ikea vomited all over the place. Black leather couches, black HUMONGOUS Parson-style coffee table, and equally HUMONGOUS black table for media equipment, topped off with a black tv, and black side tables. I feel like I'm drowning in homogeneous, mass-produced good taste.
Behold the AFTER:
It's really just a couple of simple changes that for me make a huge impact. First off, I ditched the Parson twins in my crawl space and replaced them with actual wood furniture. The new coffee table was the shoe bench that previously lived by the back door which was really only used for dumping parcels on as I came in. The new media console is an old dresser that I had from way back when I was a newlywed. It's actually my first spray-paint refinishing project. I know it's kind of weird to have a dresser in your living room but I love it for many reasons: a) it's the correct height, width, and depth for the space b) it has TONS of storage to get those unsightly x-box controllers out of sight finally c) it's a classic vintage style that goes well with the "Early Cinema" feel I'm shooting for in the room, and d) it has the overall visual appeal of a much classier console for the low-low price of FREE! I also added in some cool throw pillows that I made a while back, moved the art around to balance out with the tv better, and threw in some wicked awesome glassware that I had lying around. Doesn't that peacock blue vase just make your eyes happy? I think it looks like the lamp from "I Dream of Jeanie"
So there you go... a living room makeover for nothing. It's crazy, but the room feels bigger and lighter without all of that bulky furniture. Mad props to my baby bro Brendan for doing all the heavy lifting (I really super love having an 18 year-old living with me for just this reason).
Now if I could just find a decent area rug for less than an arm and a leg... Ideally I'd go for something with a cool graphic Art Deco feel to it, a la' 1940's movie theater. Hey! a girl can dream, can't she? And while I'm at it, I really gotta work on those dumpy looking drapes.
Clearly I'm not jumping on the "paint every single thing in your house white/ivory and swap out all color for muted linens" trend that's blowing up the blogosphere, but I'm cool with that. I kind of get the feeling that all the white furniture is going to get grubby and old really soon and this whole trend is going to be a flash in the pan. I'd rather stick with something a little less dated.
What do you think? Whitewash or no?
2 comments:
Just those few little changes really altered the room. I really like the finished result. Way to go!
PS-Word verification= "mereigh" I'm assuming that's some funky new way of spelling merry. As in, Mereigh Christmas!
I like antique white - but not on everything! Too much and it just looks old and dirty instead of vintage or antique. I love the dresser in there! It really is just the right size for that spot. Good luck on the carpet!
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