Well I guess it is official. I get my love of decorating from my mom. As far back as I can remember my mom and dad were always working on ways to improve our homes both in the way it functioned and the way it looked, so it is no wonder that now that I have my own home and family, I’m always working toward making it our favorite place to be.
My mom has great taste, and so it is absolutely flattering that she mimics a few of my ideas and makes them her own. We recently gave her main living space a bit of a refresh, and it turned out so good with bold pops of pattern and a little shot of hot pink too, (mom’s signature color.) So let’s take a peek at the before and after of her living room and get the deets on how she put it all together.
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The two of us spend a lot of time together (we are BFFs) and I would say that we rarely make a decorating decision without consulting each other first. Although our styles differ, they have a lot in common. We both like bold pattern and aren’t afraid to take a few risks when it comes to decorating. Of course there is always the budget to consider too, so when we were planning this room, we knew that the sofas (which were the biggest expense) had to be a neutral. My mom likes to change things up from time to time, so choosing a neutral sofa color will ensure that no matter what she decides to do next, they will still work. She still got her bold print on the side chair and ottoman.
This is a pretty drastic difference from where it began huh?
Mom’s number one complaint were definitely the drapes. These thick white drapes came with the home when they moved in about 4 years ago. They had to stay up until something new was put up because in the late afternoon the sun comes barreling in those windows. But they were U.G.L.Y. Not quite white, not quite off white, and had a shiny leaf pattern. Bleh!
So she changed them out using my DIY Grommet Top Curtain tutorial. She was able to find the shower curtains in navy and white which paved the way for the fun color scheme that she ended up with. (Yes, you read that right. Those curtains are made from West Elm shower curtains and can be done by anyone who can sew a straight line. Trust me.)
She also added a ton of character to the room by adding shutters to the windows. They not only help to control the sunlight, but they’ve also kept the room much cooler in the afternoon.
Once the sofas were in and the not quite white drapes were gone and replaced with those DIY beauties, we had a definite color palette going and knew we could revamp the ottoman with a new fabric. It took a bit of searching (and patience) but the perfect fabric did come to us and we were able to save a ton of money by reupholstering the ottoman ourselves.
In my mom’s previous home she had a ton of hot pink going on (including a bold pink side chair.) She didn’t want to say goodbye to the color completely, so she used it perfectly as an accent color in just a few spots. This also helped the budget since she was able to incorporate what she already had into the new space. The large scale tulip image is from Z Gallerie a few years back, and the other photos are personal photos from a trip to Italy, and their front yard.
There wasn’t much in the budget for a tall table to go between the sofas so when she scored this one in the outdoor section at Target on clearance she was thrilled. It goes perfectly and is the perfect height and shape.
Then a few grey and white throw pillows from HomeGoods finished it off!
**Update: Many of you have asked about the wall color here. It is “Wood Smoke” by Glidden. If you are on the hunt for a perfect greige paint, you may want to check out this post on how to choose the perfect greige paint.
So, what do you think? Do you have a favorite part of the room?
See more DIY projects I teamed up with my mom for!
DIY UPHOLSTERED HEADBOARD
GRANDKIDS’ BEDROOM REVEAL
Hi, I would love to know the make of the blue fabric on the ottoman, I am helping a friend make her new house fell like home and I showed her your website. She fell in love with the blue fabric with the white flowers on the ottoman and would love to be able to surprise her and redo her old ottoman. Any information would be great.
Thanks
Barbara
Hi Barbara. I found this fabric at a local store called We R Fabric. They don’t have many locations and aren’t online unfortunately. You could check out my favorite online fabric stores for blue and white upholstery fabric for something similar. Best wishes!
Where did u find the shorter rods??
Looks great!
Great makeover…love the shutters! Does anyone know off good quality low cost source for shutters?
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Where are the sofas from?
These are from a warehouse type furniture store that does knock offs and custom size furniture for great prices. This one is called Roomers and is in Vista, CA. But I have found one in a few different cities I’ve lived in.
Love the room makeover-actually reinvented. The colors, the patterns are marvelous. Love the draperies–fresh and wonderful.
Thanks for sharing!
Dear Corey,
Thank you so much for this inspiring design! My 88 year old mom is vision-impaired and has mobility problems. I used your design to redo my mom’s living and dining areas after my dad passed. She loved it so much she cried and sang! She can finally see. I can never thank you enough!
This absolutely made my day Brenda! Would you be willing to send me a photo of the space? I would love to see it!
[…] asked me to help her with the grandkid’s room and then called me back in to help with her bright and bold living room! Now that we’ve made our way into the master bedroom, I’m thinking I’m […]
Wow! It is so modern and sleek. I love it!
Thanks Rebecca!
love this amazing DIY effort! How did you get shower curtains that long? I love the ottoman upholstery fabric best, and the pops of pink. Im fascinated at how you used a beige-gray paint color on the walls and pulled together a navy and white color pallate. I would never have tried it but it works beautifully!
Hi Michelle! I’m so glad you love the room. I made the curtains from shower curtains using this tutorial. I have the same curtains in my home in a different color. Let me know if you have any more questions!
[…] also helped my mom a bit with her living room revamp and it looks stunning! I’ve got to get over there to take some pics so I can show you. […]
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This is so beautiful,.would you mind telling me the paint color ?
Thanks
Hello. It is “wood smoke” by glidden. It goes with practically anything and is warm and still modern.
Hello. The paint color is Glidden “Wood Smoke.”
I love the new room, Would you be able to share where the sofas are from.?
Hi Rose. The sofas are from a local place here in San Diego called Roomers. They are a furniture shop that specializes in knockoff pieces and they contract directly with furniture manufacturers so that you can order the exact size you need for way less than you would pay at the name brand stores. They are typically found in warehouse locations. I’ve been able to find one in the last 3 cities I’ve lived in but it is usually word of mouth. Sorry I can’t tell you exactly where to go for them 🙁
Where are the couches from?
The sofas are from a local place here in San Diego called Roomers. They are a furniture shop that specializes in knockoff pieces and they contract directly with furniture manufacturers so that you can order the exact size you need for way less than you would pay at the name brand stores. They are typically found in warehouse locations. I’ve been able to find one in the last 3 cities I’ve lived in but it is usually word of mouth. Sorry I can’t tell you exactly where to go for them 🙁
Absolutely stunning!!! Can you come to Texas and do mine? 🙂
Hahaha! So wish I could!
What is the color of paint on the wall? 🙂
The color of the walls at my mom’s house is “Wood Smoke” by Glidden. I’ll have to update the post to include that cause a lot of people have been asking. If you are thinking of finding a good greige paint, you may want to check out my post on how to choose the perfect greige paint. Hope it helps!
Loved your after room. You have inspired me to make some changes in my own living (den) room. Thank you for sharing. I need some “color” in my life!!!
Thanks so much Pat! I love that you were inspired and would love to see some before and after pictures once you’ve made some changes.
What a makeover! I love the chevron pattern and I think you’ve done a great job incorporating it into the interior without it being too overwhelming! I am in love with the tulip photo! Thank you for sharing.
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WOW! The shutters make a huge difference! We are about ready to place an order for plantation shutters for our french door wall and two side windows in the family room…not cheap but will make a world of difference! Love this make over…the room looks so much bigger too!
I absolutely LOVE the new look Corey!!!
I’m loving how all of the patterns work so well together, your mom has great taste!! This totally inspires me to refresh my own living room for the spring. Thanks for sharing, Corey! 🙂
Loving this update! I’m a sucker for stripes so those curtains drew me in immediately and I love that you used shower curtains! And the mix of patterns are perfect.:)
THIS IS AWESOME! The before and after is amazing and that ottoman is perfect!!
cheers, xo!
amanda
http://SunkissedSophisticate.com
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You used a delicate balance of navy and pink–I like it! I think the shutters and new curtains really help beautify the room too. Great job!
Absolutely LOVE this makeover. The curtains are fabulous and the color pallet and the prints are just gorgeous.
Love the room but those custom shutters must have cost a fortune!! But they really do make the room!
Looks AMAZING!!!!!! Well Done! She must be thrilled.
Thanks so much Janel! She does love it! Hope you guys are doing well.
Absolutely beautiful! My favorite thing is the ottoman..love the fabric!
Thanks Jamie! I love that print too. It is such a perfect mix of graphic and natural. Thanks for stopping by!
I was so eager to see the rest of the room and the wait was worth it. I love what you have done!
Thanks so much Sam! It is such a great space to relax in and my mom is thrilled!
I love the new curtains!
Fantastic Corey!! What an amazing transformation – such a beautiful updated space now!!
Thanks Krista! It was a fun space to help with.
WOW! I love the after! You rocked it! xo
Thanks Jamie! I love the navy…so much bold fun!
Wow! That is a dramatic change! The before was good, but the after looks like something from a magazine! How gorgeous!!
Absolutely brilliant!!! Love it ! You and your mom have done a terrific job and have inspired me to relook at our living room
That is what I love to hear! Let me know what you come up with!
Her living room looks gorgeous! I love how she mixed patterns. I’m never quite sure how to do that, but they look great together!
Looks amazing Corey!! Awesome 🙂
Wow your mom’s living room looks so pretty and stylish now, and I kinda wanna snuggle with that throw blanket, haha. You two are a duo not to be reckoned with 🙂
I love that you called us a duo. We definitely are!