Well here we are and we can all breathe a sigh of relief, right? The time has come for the big reveal of my renovated/completed Living Room as part of the One Room Challenges TM Linking Event. The last six weeks have been interesting. I’ve gone from being super motivated to complete a space that has been sitting in various states of disarray for the last year and a half, to being completely unmotivated and wrapped up in life. I am happy to say, that I have a complete room that I am very thrilled with. Thank you all for your kind words of support and most of all thank you to Linda at Calling it Home for coming up with this amazing concept called the One Room Challenge TM. There have been some super talented people participating this year in both the sponsored group and the linking group! Be sure to check them all out! Feel free to take a peak back at my journey these six weeks.
Week One: The Plan
Week Two: Productivity
Week Three: Procrastination
Week Four: The Freak Out
Week Five: Go Time
Week Six: The Big Reveal
So without further adieu…..
I give you the before….
Keep in mind that the furnishings all belong to the previous owner, so no negative comments please. But this is the view standing in the dining room, looking down into the living room. We had a 7″ step down that had an ugly dated banister dividing the space. So, here we go with the after….
This is for all of you who were on TEAM MAGENTA…. I decided to photograph the space both ways to see how I liked it. Well, it adds interest, but also weight, which being an inside townhome in Alexandria, you crave natural light. So anything that took away from that, regardless of how it really started to grow on me, pushed it to the return category. Don’t worry, I will still be on the search for that perfect lilac/mauve/magenta fabric to make some custom panels. So until then, my STRIPE neutrals will go back up.
Another BEFORE
This is the view standing in the living room, looking back at the dining room. You can really see the whole space and the possibilities here. So down the banister went and opened up the floor plan for multiple options of furniture placement. If you have followed me through this journey you will remember my affinity to symmetry. There are lots of different versions of symmetry, but I am a traditionalist in that sense and crave the balanced symmetry!
So I didn’t officially renovate much of anything in my dining room, I do have plans to replace the table and chairs (inherited in my marriage) as well as replace the light fixture. In the meantime the chairs got a refresh with the fabulous Charcoal Dot’s fabric by Domesticate! LOVE IT and they really tie the two spaces together nicely.
The Details…
My secondary focal wall was important to me. I have a great focal wall with the fireplace but it was really important to me that you have a great view no matter where you are sitting in the space. I changed up my original gallery per say, trading out a large white platter, for the amazing gilded angel wings.
The AMAZING Leopard Lumbar Pillows are from the super awesome Betsy at Little Design Co! My crazy fun throw back to my original Ibis Lamps, the Tallon candlestick, is from Furbish Studio, a wonderful shop in Raleigh, NC. The prints on the focal wall are from the uber talented Charleston artist, Lulie Wallace. The gilded Angel Wings are from Ballard Designs.
A little nod to all of my Meredith College Avenging Angels out there!
So I decided that I liked the original finish on the coffee table I ordered from Ballard Designs. I am still sticking to my words, they need to open a storefront here in the DC Metro Area!!
I got super lucky with the light on photo shoot day! However, I didn’t want to interrupt his nap time! The white and black pillows are made with the fabric Charcoal Dots from one of my favorite textile designers, Andrea and her company Domesticate! You can find all of her fabulous designs on Spoonflower.
Ok, so you’ve asked and here it is….
FULL SOURCE LIST
Living Room Paint Color: Ellie Gray, Sherwin Williams
Dining Room Paint Color: Palladian Blue, Benjamin Moore
Leopard Lumbar Pillows: Little Design Co
Charcoal Dots Throw Pillows: Domesticate via Spoonflower
Pink and Blue Ikat Dot Pillows: Stein Mart
Zebra Linen Pillow: Stein Mart
White & Gold Round Side Table: Target
Mirror & Gold Round Tray: TJ Maxx
Mercury Glass Votives: Anthropologie
Flowers: Safeway
Blue and White Metal Tray: One Kings Lane
Gold Artwork Frames: Michaels
Silver Bamboo Floor Lamp: Pier One Imports
Kids Whicker Chairs: Ikea
Large Tilt Mirror: NC State Flea Market Mirror Man
Black/Cream/Gray Striped Drapery Panels: Fabric G Street Fabrics
Drapery Hardware: Overstock.com
Matchstick Woven Roman Shades: Home Decorators Collection for Home Depot
Sunburst Mirror: Ballard Designs
Driftwood Frames: Michaels
Dining Room
Rectangular Decorative Tiles – Black and White : Sid Dickens
Wedding Portraits: Emily Alane Photography
Wedding Portrait Frames: Michaels
So there you have it. It’s been over a year and a half in the making, collecting, searching, purchasing, re-purchasing, minor demo but it is complete and I’ve got great pretty photos to boot! Thank you all for joining me on this journey. It’s been a blast and I am already scheming on how I can complete my master bathroom next spring! It’s really the last major space renovation that we plan to do in the house and I may be crazy for thinking it can be done in 6 weeks. Be sure to take a peak at everyone who joined me on this crazy journey! I know I look forward to seeing everyone’s results! I am honestly humbled to see how many of you have taken the time to check out what I am doing and provide me feedback. Thank you, each and every one of you. I am still amazed that I have had individuals from far across the globe following little old me. Again THANK YOU! If I have made you laugh and given you any inspiration, then I have fulfilled my goal! I’m still relatively new to this whole blogging thing, so this has gotten me in a routine of posting at least once a week. My personal goal will be to continue that trend. So stick around, give me a follow. I will take you on my journey of life as a commercial designer, mommy of a toddler and wife to a die hard Carolina Panther’s fan and excellent daddy! Until next week!
xoxo,
Emily
PS for now, I’m going to relax and hang with my two favorite people! And seriously, how lucky am I to have a friend like Emily Alane Photography!
you are so talented. But for my vote on the window panels. I like the Magenta. It adds pop of bright color and flows very well.
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I come from some pretty talented genes! 😉
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Beautiful. The magenta drapes bring the room to life.
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Thank you! They really have grown on me!!
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You managed to bring this room to life! Love the magenta color so much:) I know you have to be so pleased with the outcome and thanks to the ORC you got it done!
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Yes! So happy to have it done! Well for now anyways, next comes layering in the holidays! 😀
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Wow~ An absolutely stunning space! I love the color and the wings and leopard pillow are just fabulous. As a fellow 6 week participant the six weeks was indeed a challenge and you rose up. Well done!
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Thank you very much!! I cannot wait to dive into everyone reveals later today!
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Wow, Emily, it’s just stunning! I love your collected look, and am on Team Magenta, too! So pretty!
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Fantastic! I love the magenta! This is a very striking before and after. Well done!
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Yes to the magenta! It adds so much life to the space!
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This looks incredible! That bright pop of magenta on the windows if fabulous, and you can’t go wrong with a little leopard! Cheers to a great ORC!
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Love those gray chairs with the sheepskins!
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Beautiful job, Emily!!! I love all the details especially the Lulie Wallace art and all of the pillows! Great job! (And as someone from team magenta, thanks for those shots too!) 😉
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I am secretly rethinking their return, they may be a new seasonal change out after the holidays!
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Yay, Emily. Congratulations on seeing the ORC thru to the end! Now you have a finished space to show for it!!! I am officially on Team Magenta – visually they brighten and expand the height of the room and add a zing to the room that ties beautifully with your leopard and ikat pillows!!! Keep em, keep em, keep em. Dontcha love how I spend your money, and use ‘our’ name repeatedly, all in one. Yep, I’m that good. And so are you! Cheers.
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Thank you Emily! Don’t worry, I am def. keeping the panels, it’s not worth the drive back to Ikea and I will put them back up right after the holiday! I am a traditional red and green gal, and after pushing my luck a couple times with the hubs, don’t want to have to buy all new Christmas décor to go with my new drapes! 🙂 Your space looks YUMMY!
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Team magenta. No contest.
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I love the pops of color and those leopard pillows! Great job with this room!
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Emily I absolutely LOVE how your two spaces turned out!! The starburst mirror is my favorite next to the pop of color you’ve added to this living room! I’ve enjoyed following your ORC progress and you made huge strides just removing that banister! I spy a few furry friends that my daughter’s have along with a 4 legged one that got in some of my ORC shoots this around & last. 🙂 Relax & enjoy all your hard work my ORC friend! BTW, I lived in DC for 3 years a while ago and miss it!
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Add me to Team Magenta. I think they’re just they’re perfect in there. Also adore the wall with the gold angel wings!
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WOW!!! This room is gorgeous and never in a million years would I have thought I would be team magenta BUT they look Fab!! Great makeover!
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beautiful!! I love the drapes and leopard pillows. The whole room looks so beautiful. Congratulations!
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What a beautiful space. I love all the details and accessories you added to the room. Great job.
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magenta! hands down! I love the room but that pop of magenta takes it to the gorgeousness that it is
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Flawless!!! Thanks for the shout out. I too am on team magenta!
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I love this space, and I am 100% on Team Magenta! I had to scroll back up to confirm that everything else in the space was the same when I saw it with the neutral drapes. It is amazing how different the entire room looks with that bright pop of color. So much brighter and more alive! I love all of the other details of the room! Great work1
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Beautiful room! I love all the details. All your pillows are fabulous!
Amazing transformation – congrats!
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I love the pop of magenta. You are lucky to have a friend in photography. Your room looks like a warm place to welcome friends. Great job.
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Thank you Linda, I am lucky indeed!
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Team magenta! The room has been transformed – what a difference to see it without the banister! I love this space – great, great job!
Shelia
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Emily, this looks amazing! I love how you completely transformed the room! I am team magenta all the way! Great Job 🙂
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Thank you very much for your kind words!
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lovely! what a difference..and i like the neutral drapes myself 😉 I too have that same ugly banister from my kitchen into the family room….blah…would love to remove it. looks like a very comfortable space for your family to enjoy. well done!
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It is really easy! You should totally take yours out!
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Love the magenta draperies and those lamps!!! I love the fact that you did a secondary gallery wall… so pretty love it all.
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First, sorry I’m just now getting over here! I hit publish on my room and ran out the door on vacation. Secondly…Emily!!!! This room is stunning! I love all the different textures and colors you have weaved throughout this space! And your Lulie Wallace looks fabulous!!! 🙂 Love it all! Well done!
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