Decorating a Living Room

I just finished decorating this living room room for  a wonderful client.  I had a clean slate to begin with, and a client whose taste mirrored my own.

Here is the before photo of the living room.  All of this furniture was going to be sold on Craigslist, so the first order of business was finding new furniture.

The couch and two occasional chairs are from Sprintz.  We had to wait four weeks for them to arrive, so that allowed time to shop for the small furniture items, as well as, having custom drapes made.

I was lucky to find the same fabric from the chairs, and pillows from the couch at a local fabric shop.  This fabric is called “Cerise”.  I purchased a beautiful linen fabric and had my seamstress add this designer fabric to the inside edges of the panels.  This same concept was applied to the custom roman shade made for her back door.

The cool trunk coffee table came from Sam’s club!  This was the last one they had, and it was marked down to $199.  The top slides open for easy access to a perfect storage area that is great for holding DVDs, music, and games. The trunk is a beautiful antiqued slate blue.  It plays off of the small hints of blue in the colorful fabric.

I found the two lamps at Marshalls, and the end tables from World Market. (love those stores)

My client already owned this gorgeous table.  I found the clock at World Market.  It was perfect for the spot!

Decorating a living room can be easy if you follow these simple tips:

1. Start with the most expensive items first.  Furniture and upholstered items will be your most expensive.  I like to choose a neutral couch, and have a colorful design fabric in the occasional chairs.
2. Your next decision should be drapes.  I think there are places to save money, and places to spend money when decorating.  If possible, spend a little more on having drapes custom made.  They make a world of difference.
3. If you are wanting a large area rug, this is your next purchase.
4. Now you are ready for the smaller items, such as tables and lamps.  This is where I like to save money.  I shop discount stores, and even the flea market for unique items.
5. Accessorizing is the last layer of design.  Decorate with items that appeal to you.  Just don’t overdo it with too many small items.

I hope you enjoyed this living room makeover.  I’m lucky to have a job that centers around making people feel happy.

Linkin’ up with:

DIY On The Cheap.com

Savvy Southern Style.net