LIVABLE SPACESat home in the curious city

MONICA

Cindy's Living Room - Initial Survey

Do you remember our friend Cindy who we featured in the last At Home with a Friend post? Well she asked us to help her redesign her living room! She is unhappy with the current layout because it creates some unused spaces and features like the fireplace. I went over to take some measurements and photos and here is my assessment:

The main problem I think is the couch. It not only blocks the fireplace but it also directly faces her bedroom. And it's pretty hideous. The placement of the couch in relation to the TV is also a little awkward because the main circulation path cuts right through the space. Finally the little nook next to the front door is completely ignored in the current configuration. Step one will be to shuffle everything around to solve each of these issues. After a new working plan, then we can move onto the cosmetics like getting new furniture and creating a color scheme. I'm really excited about this project and can't wait to share more soon.

JUNETTE

In late April, I was having a true moment of panic because we had scheduled the housewarming for my in-laws in early May. Though we ended up rescheduling, that really gave me a kick in the pants to finish up with at least the big pieces for our place. First things that had to go were my mismatching Billy bookcases from Ikea. Upon many weeks of deliberation, I replaced them with the Vittsjo shelves from Ikea. I think they look more expensive than they are (so so affordable), and one day when I become bored with them, I can paint them. I like their clean lines and the fact that they are lifted off the ground. I definitely have a lot more arranging to do, but I definitely enjoy having a space to add my random knick knacks. I did tons of research, from vintage to Craig's List to retailers like West Elm, and I'm happy with our purchase.

The next big change was getting rid of the coffee tables. We really, really like the open look it brings to our living room, and the dogs love frolicking on the rug. 

We still need surface space, so I bought this side table from Target, of all places! I was also stalking it for a while, but I finally decided just to buy it. It's relatively affordable for an all-wood piece, and I am definitely still obsessed with hexagonal shapes. The part that BDF likes the best is that the top lifts and there's storage inside. Right now, it's holding the attachments for our vacuum... but wouldn't it be fun to hide some cold beers in there? Kidding of course. I can't even drink Emergen-C without gagging.

I'm focusing on making changes to our places that declutter but yet are livable. There's no use having a perfectly designed place that only looks right once a year.

Some big changes just happened, but he list goes on and on...
-I'm looking for a small, used table to use as a vanity
-Sewing pillows for the sofa
-Sewing covers for the dining chair cushions
-Sewing fridge door handle covers (haha, don't ask)
-Sewing the new dog bed...