Are you considering renovating the living room in your home? I say do it! In this post, I will share our living room transformation and tell you the fundamental changes that had a huge impact. My goal is to show you that you may only have to make a few key changes that make a dramatic difference!

This post is all about our living room transformation

I don’t know about you, but windows can make or break it for me. As soon as I walked into the living room of this home and saw the 20-foot ceilings and the massive windows, I was sold. There was no turning back. This 1970s house oozed with potential, and I was determined to tap into it and make it special.

We were able to transform the look of this space by making a few key changes. You can probably do the same! A great way to start is by identifying the aspects of the room you love and those you don’t love. Once you have determined the things you dislike, think about how you can improve them!

Our Living Room Transformation

The Living Room Before

 

 

The Living Room After

Photo by Leslie Brown Photography

 

Photo by Leslie Brown Photography

 

Key Changes

1. Goodbye Popcorn Ceiling

The popcorn on the ceiling was the first thing to go. I would be lying if I told you I didn’t consider leaving them for a moment. With the high ceilings, the thought of what it would take was pretty daunting. Thankfully, I came to my senses, and we removed them. If you also have popcorn ceilings and would like to see them, look at my post, How Do You Remove Popcorn Ceilings? Here’s How!

2. Skim Coat

To improve the look of the walls, we applied a skim coat of drywall mud. Over time and years of paint, the texture of walls can become rough and unattractive. Applying a skim coat (or two) can make walls look brand new. The difference is pretty amazing. It requires some effort and creates a lot of dust, but it is worth it when needed.

3. White Oak Flooring

While we could have resanded the floors for a significant improvement in the floor’s appearance, we wanted to brighten up the room with lighter flooring. We replaced the 2″ plank hardwood flooring with ADM Flooring’s 7.5″ Padua White Oak Engineered Flooring. We used the glue-down method and could not have been more thrilled with how it turned out.

4. Fireplace Insert and Surround

We replaced the fireplace insert with a newer model and installed Absolute Black leathered granite for the surround and hearth. The black granite against the white walls and white oak flooring was the perfect combination of colors. For the surround and hearth, we were able to locate some remnants in the sizes we needed from a local supplier. We got it for a reasonable price because they wanted to get it out of their warehouse, and it provided a statement piece for the living room. It was a big win, in my opinion!

5. Trim

I am always amazed by the difference simply adding chunkier trim (or trim at all, in our case) can make! The windows did not have casing around them, so we added casing and installed new baseboards. We used 1″ x 4″ for the door and window casing and 1″ x 8″ for the baseboards. We also added quarter-round at the baseboards. It gave the room a much more finished and upgraded look.

6. Paint

It was certainly time for new paint. We used Sherwin-Williams Ultra White for the walls and trim. We used flat on the walls and semi-gloss on the paint. If budget is a factor, consider painting! A fresh coat of paint can make a massive difference in how a space looks and feels!

 

Summary

In this post, I shared our living room transformation and the key changes we made to the space. Sometimes, just making a few key changes can completely transform the look of a space! If painting will be a part of your renovation, check out my post, Types of Paint Finishes: Your Guide to Choosing One!