Our $5 Living Room Make-Under

I've been really craving a lightness in our home lately. I pulled up the Persian rug in the kitchen. I purged half the toy room. I tucked away a lot of baskets of throws and magazines. I took down a few pictures that were hanging on walls. I told Chris, "I just feel like I need some blank surfaces, I don't know what it is--I just want to space to breathe a little more." And he nailed it when he responded, "no one wants layers on in the summer." And I think he's right! The warm air is making me want to shed a few of the layers around our home--for who knows how long.

I wanted to share a few simple changes I made this week in the living room that made a large impact.

1. I spray-painted our arc lamp's base black. This CB2 arc lamp is one of the oldest decor items we have! We have had it for 6-7 years and the thing I love about it is it makes our standard 8ft ceilings look taller and feel grander by bringing the eye up. However, the satin nickel base (not my favorite finish) always got lost in our putty-colored walls. I tried a few other lamps in its place, but the shape of this one was best.

So, I purchased one can of Rust-oleum's Universal All Surface Spray Paint in Satin Black (which reads a lot like the popular matte black fixtures trending all over) and sprayed her down. Before doing so, I removed the shade (and vacuumed it really well), extended the arc all the way, and gave the rod a really good wipe down. The spray paint is a paint and primer in one and only took a few coats and not even a full can before it was completely transformed.

It's definitely one of those projects I wish I didn't wait so long to do. I love the way it pops and looks so much cleaner.

2. I removed the large end table that was between our two leather chairs (it was actually used as a coffee table in our last home!) that held a large lamp and so much decor and simplified it to allow the space to breathe.

This move (or remove) was largely inspired by this home featured in Architectural Digest that reminded me of our home in some ways.

I loved the simplicity and the restraint. I don't need or even want a large surface between our two chairs anymore. At one point, it was functional because we didn't have any overhead lighting so we needed to scatter lamps around, but now we have dimmable recessed lights and use lamps to accent that.

I pulled the drum side table from Polly's room, where it was no longer being used as much since I'm no longer nursing her. I don't know if it's THE table for right there, but I wanted to do this mini-make under for nothing--well, the cost of spray paint...so for $5!

3. I removed 5 throw pillows, 3 baskets and two throw blankets from the room. Gah!! It's so freeing! Our leather chairs are oversized and I always struggled with a throw pillow size for them. Do I need a 24"? Should I just layer a few? I've done both. This week, I put one on one of the chairs, (didn't have a matching one) and packed up the rest, including two additional pillows that were in a basket hanging out by the sofa for decoration purposes only. I'm loving the simplicity of one normal sized pillow.

4. I removed a lamp I never loved and put our faux fiddle leaf in a larger, more proportional basket.

That first thing that happened in this corner--removing a lamp I never loved--is such an important step. The lamp that was here had a creamy white base with a zig zag pattern and white shade. It was very non-offensive and fine. But I never loved it. Removing it from the room as an option allowed me to see that this large gray lamp that we had (it used to be on the big coffee/end table in between the leather chairs) and I did love would work great over here!

I also pulled this basket we got last year from Article that has been outside, into the room and put our fiddle leaf in it. I love the scale and the texture and the color--it just works and is a welcomed change. I do need to put some sort of moss or something in the basket because you can pretty clearly see the fake base when you look inside.

To know me is to know our home is ever-evolving. I don't really decorate for various holidays or bring out my "fall decor" or "spring wreaths." To me, seasonal decorating really applies more to our lives. And in this season, I'm craving a little less stuff and a little more breathing room. I also love that changes like these don't have to cost a thing! Shop your house, move things around. Try removing something and live with it for a couple hours. It might feel empty at first, but that's not always a bad thing.

SOURCES

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Hazy Skies
Dark Planked Wall Color
Area Rug
Coffee Table
Sofa (in Rain)
Leather Chairs
Drum side table
Barcelona Vase
Silver Dollar Eucalyptus
Art Ledge
Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig
Tree Basket
Dark Blue Velvet Pillow
Tree Cut Print Art
Art Light
Tripod End Table 
Arc Floor Lamp
Bamboo Blinds
Curtain Rod
White Grommet Curtains
Coffee Table Tray
Black Star Sculpture
Striped Throw Blanket
Faux Pencil Succulent

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