I am so excited to finally reveal our farmhouse living room in all it’s glory. This living room makeover was acccomplished with a lot of patience and DIY ingenuity that I hope is an encouragement to you.
Before, we get started I want to give a heartfelt thank you to Benjamin Moore for their enthusiasm and sponsorship of this post. Their paint continues to hold its place among designers as a high quality product from a highly respected company. It was such an honor to partner with them on this room makeover.
Scroll to the bottom for more sources, as well.
If you have been around awhile you will know that we have been in the process of updating the farmhouse living room in our 1906 vintage home. I have been moving towards a lighter, brighter, simpler version of our house. White space and a quieting in my immediate environment has become more important in the last few years, which I explain in the post What Your Decorating Says About You.
So, I know you want to get to the before and afters, but to really appreciate the transformation we need to go all the way back.
Back to what we started with.
When purchased the house in 2008 it was a run down rental. But, those original hardwoods, that darling window seat, the columns, etc. put stars in our eyes.
You can read more about that story in Finding Our Way Home.
While the house was technically livable when we moved in, we had different design plans. In the living room, we started by removing the plastic molding and popcorn ceiling.
Then, we pulled up the carpet, repaired the floor where an old chimney used to be and some rotten boards.
Next, we had to rewire the whole house, which gave me a chance to move light switches and redesign all the lighting.
Of course, after that, it became all about sheet rocking, new molding, painting and refinishing those wood floors.
We got settled in and that brought us to the blue walls and Tuscany style of living room, which you will see in the before pictures.
When I decided to lighten and brighten the room I created this mood board and talked about my goals in Farmhouse Living Room Plans.
We made over almost everything in this room using what we already had. While this route does take a long time, don’t underestimate the power of paint, fabric, shopping yard sales and sheer tenacity when you want to give a room a full makeover.
As you work on a room, a lot of times the plans take unexpected turns. It’s like the room is telling you what it wants and you become the house whisperer.
I didn’t reference my mood board a whole lot after things took off because design can get so fluid in real time. But, looking at the initial plan now, I am amazed at just how true the final look is to this mood board!
Ok, time for some before and after pictures, because they are so fun!
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
We started by painting the leather couch. Yes, you can do that.
I explain it all in How to Paint Leather Furniture.
Lighting was replaced and the room painted in Benjamin Moore’s Simply White (OC-117), which is my all-time favorite white. We did the ceiling, walls and millwork in Simply White.
My grandparents’ piano was next.
Milk paint did the trick for that, see Painting a Piano with Milk Paint
This sheet music was my grandfather’s.
It makes me so happy.
Recovering all the chairs was quite the ordeal, but I learned so much and share my experiences in Reupholstering an Antique Chair and French Chair Makeover.
More recently, window seat got new pillows and a custom made french mattress.
See the French Mattress Cushion Tutorial for how to make your own.
Finally, lots of painting took place. There was actually wet paint in these pictures on several pieces. Gel stain on the door to make it look like wood, chalk paint on the armoire and book case and second coat of leather paint on the couch.
Oh, AND my husband and I built the DIY Chicken Crate Coffee Table.
Ok, I will stop talking now and let you scroll away. . .
*This post contains some affiliate links to products I know and love.*
So, there you have it.
By just using paint, fabric and some fun details, we were able to update our Farmhouse Living Room to the style we were dreaming of.
Farmhouse Living Room Reveal
Source List
- House Number
- French Mattress (similar to my DIY, also see the post below for more links to french mattresses)
- Throw Blanket
- Coffee Table (similar to my DIY)
- Couch (similar)
- White Chair (similar to my DIY)
- Jute Rug (similar from same store)
- Fern
- Desk Lamp
- Wooden Bistro Table
- Gray Linen Storage
- Cow Poster
- Dog Walking Stick
- Paint-
- Walls, Ceiling, Mill work-Benjamin Moore (Simply White)
- Couch- Reluv (Chestnut)
- Piano–Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint (Marzipan)
- Book Case- Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (French Linen)
- Armoire- Rustoleum Chalk Paint (Linen White)
Related Posts
How to Paint Leather Furniture
Painting a Piano with Milk Paint
Reupholstering an Antique Chair
French Mattress Cushion Tutorial
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