The BIG REVEAL of our Modern Traditional Living Room that went from heavy and over-crowded to bright and fresh!
Anyone else knee-deep in projects right now? If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ve definitely seen my living room up close and personal! This sweet little sitting room finally looks put together, and I am so excited to share the big reveal with you all! First, take a look at what it used to look like –
There was just too much going on here – all the furniture and accessories just made it feel heavy and crowded. I usually like a mix of metals and woods, but there were too many colors and textures happening.
So I got to work with a mission to SIMPLIFY and MINIMIZE this space. I cleared everything out, rearranged the furniture and only brought back in the pieces that made sense. Here is what this space looks like from that same angle now –
So.much.better!!!
Here is what I did –
Modern Traditional Living Room
*All the links to the products I used are at the end of the post.
Once I figured out the layout of the furniture that made the most sense (this took a while!) it was time to address the rug situation. I already knew the jute rug had to go because I wanted something with color, but something that felt light and airy. I think the rug I chose is PERFECTION!
With the rug now anchoring the entire space, I got to work on the other decor!
I painted our white curtain rod black and I love the way it pops against the gray walls! I also cut the tabs off our curtain panels and hung them with curtain hooks. What a difference a better window treatment makes! (Check out my Curtain Tab Trick on my IG Highlights here.)
The LIGHTING in this room got a major upgrade! I added two sconces behind our couch WITHOUT TAPPING INTO OUR ELECTRICAL WIRES (DETAILS HERE). I also swapped out the builder-grade chandelier with a beautiful black ceiling fan, and I got rid of all the decor that was on the piano and replaced it with 1 simple piano lamp.
All the accessories are very simple. I didn’t want to go overboard with this, and I definitely think LESS IS MORE!
A few more updates –
- I swapped out our heavy fiddle-leaf fig with a lighter olive tree.
- The heavy bookshelf was replaced by a simple blanket ladder.
- I swapped out the
boringgray coffee table with a wood-toned table that pulls in the piano better. - I added 2 leather chairs to bring in some texture.
- I took down the gallery wall that once hung over the piano and filled the entire space with one gorgeous mirror!
Let’s take one more peek at the before and after –
AHHHHHHH…… I love it!!!!!
What do you think?
Shop the products (or similar items) used in this post below –
Oh that makes perfect sense about the insulation in our walls etc……my piano may get a move in the future I think…lol
I love a good furniture rearrangement! Good luck! 🙂
It turned out beautiful!
Thank you!
Hi, Just curious. I live in Australia and we have always been told not to put a piano on an outside wall so definitely not a window because of damp getting into your piano. Is this not the case where you are because of a drier climate??
Hi Cathy,
I have actually been asked this so many times! When we inherited this piano 15 years ago from my mother in law, she warned us of this same thing. She lives a couple of miles from the beach in California, so it is a very damp climate – a lot wetter than Arizona! But since we’ve had it, I’ve talked to several people who said that because home construction, as well as piano construction, has improved over the years, it is less of an issue. It used to be that putting a piano under a window exposed it to direct sunlight and moisture, which could damage the finish or make it go out of tune faster. This has been the belief for hundreds of years! But nowadays, most windows are not single-pane, and walls are better insulated, so it is less likely that damage will occur. I was advised to keep our piano from sudden changes in temperature – not too close to air vents, fireplaces, or open windows (we don’t ever open those windows) and to avoid harsh sunlight. This room doesn’t get much sunlight since our covered patio is right outside, so that isn’t an issue here either. I’m not a piano expert (I can’t even play the piano, hahaha!) so take this information for what it is worth! 🙂