Mood Board Monday: A Transitional Small Space Living Room Under $5000!

After we shared the under $2000 bedroom mood board, including how to tackle it in stages, we got so many requests for more, more more! So I started on a living room one in the same respect, but then I thought--well, maybe I should address a real living room. And I put out a call for your living rooms. Who needs some guidance! Welp, they came pouring in over the 24 hours the instagram story was live. And then I spent a week going through all 3000+ until finally I found one that seemed to summarize a lot living rooms that were flooding my inbox: Smaller with oversized furniture, lots of niches, a weird fireplace and lots of electronics. Ha! Let's dive in!

Here are some photos of our living room in need of a virtual facelift.  Lots of hand me down placeholder furniture and kids’ projects left over from Christmas!  The room is 15’ x 11’.   15’ is along the tv wall.  The room is open to the kitchen table area and kitchen behind the sofa.  

Thank you,
Emily

Picture Frames $22: If you find you have a room that collects lots of photo frames, this is a great opportunity for a grid gallery wall. Hanging them all in the same sized frame will update and declutter the room instantly. I like these because they have large white mats and thin frames so they look clean and modern.

Frame TV $1399: Yes, the under $5000 price tag includes this 65" Frame TV (You may need a smaller size, measure!). The TV that hangs on the wall just like art and looks like art when you aren't actually watching TV. If your television is hung in a prominent place in your home, I'd highly recommend it! We have one in our bedroom and we hung a second one for our A-frame.

Marble Tile $21 sq/ft: For updating the fireplace, more on that in a minute!

Chandelier $176: If you need a fan, by all means keep it! (Although I'd swap it for an all white one like this), but if you have central air, lighting is like the jewelry of the room and adds so much!

Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee: I can tell these photos were taken at night, so it's hard to tell the exact color of the walls, but I'd love to see everything lightened up with this warm white.

Floor Lamp $69: In a tight living room, opt for a floor lamp instead of a table lamp + side table! It allows the space to breathe and flow even more.

Tan Pillow $29. / White Striped Pillow $44.

Sectional $1499: While everything else is neutral to keep the eye moving and to open up the space, I love this sectional with a little bit of color! The chaise allows ample lounging and the fabric is kid friendly!

Curtains $39: If you have two windows close but separated, but an extra panel to hang in the center so they appear as one, large window! Don't forget to hang them nice and high (about 2-3 inches from the ceiling!) to make a room look even taller.

Area Rug $289: Keep the floor tonal and textural, without any busy patterns, to keep the eyes up! I'd recommend a 9x12 for this size of space.

Coffee Table $299: I love the texture and airiness of this ottoman-turned-coffee table.

Accent Chair $372: Having a chair facing the sectional (I imagine it near the corner where the playhouse is!) will create a conversation circle, not to mention some interest and contrast. Best seat in the house!

Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig $98 (+basket): Every room needs a little green. This would make a perfect pairing with the chair.

Storage Baskets $15: With kids and electronics, baskets are your friend. This is how we create a living space that looks great and functions for a family. And it all comes into play with a remodel of that niche-riddled wall.

Instead of niche on top on niche, next to fireplace with a little niche above. I suggest removing the mantle altogether and creating shelving and storage to the left of the fireplace like this: (Inspiration below via DPAGES)

Closed storage on the bottom for electronics and shelves for baskets of toys and pretty decor higher up! Fortunately the niche above the fireplace is not as deep and would be easy to patch with just some drywall to make it level with the adjacent walls. That is the new spot for your television/art (if you go with the Frame).

As for the fireplace, because it isn't centered on the wall, I'd keep it simple! I love the fireplace below from 4men1lady. Michelle shares the how-to here.

Good luck, Emily! And for everyone else, I hope the tips, ideas and mood board were just as valuable and applicable to your own homes! Which room should we do next?