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Organic Modern Living Room Reveal

Organic Modern Living Room Reveal

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While my mental stability may be disintegrating by the day (thanks to the nightmare of virtual schooling my six-year-old), I am proud to say that I now at least have a cohesive space to lose my sh*t in.

It has been a long time in the making, but the day has finally come.

At last…my organic, modern living room makeover is complete, and I am sharing all of the details with you today. At the bottom of this post, I will also be listing decor sources and product links, so be sure to stick around for the entire post.

But before I get to the “after” photos of this makeover, I need to give you a bit of perspective with a “before” shot- just so that you can fully appreciate just how far this space has come…

living room makeover before

In the photo above, you can see what my living room looked like the day my family and I moved into our 1980’s fixer upper (over five years ago now).

One of the first improvements made to the space was the removal of the popcorn ceilings.  We also brightened the room with a fresh coat of paint over the walls (Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace) and dark stained woodwork.

While I would have loved to refinish the wood stain on the original ceiling beams,  such an endeavor was out of our budget at the time and so, painting the beams white proved to be the most economical solution.

Using a few clever DIY hacks, we also transformed our existing outdated brick fireplace (you can read the fireplace tutorials here).

It truly is amazing what some new light fixtures, paint and decor can do for a space….

 

boho farmhouse living room progress

While our DIY improvements did wonders for the space- given what limited means we had to work with- the one design element I was never happy with was the glossy,  red-hued hardwoods.

After resenting my floors for years, I was elated when Shaw Floors reached out to me about collaborating with them on a new product line. Once we installed the new floating Oak hardwoods over the existing wood floors (yes you heard me right, no demo whatsoever!), I was inspired to amp up the modern aspect of my aesthetic- which takes us to the current state of my living room…

My DIY Living Room Transformation:

reveal of neutral modern living room

While I did keep a few furnishings (my grey Ikea couch and my wooden buffet cabinet), I decided to incorporate some white leather pieces into the mix.

neutral boho modern living room decor

Of course white linen furniture would have been my first choice, but I chose to be practical.

modern farmhouse living room ideas with white walls

With a house full of boys (not to mention two dogs), I decided that white leather would be a better fit for my messy life.

modern farmhouse living room

The white color would provide the brightness I was looking for, while the leather material would be easy to wipe clean.

erica van slyke of designing vibes living room tour

I also made the controversial decision to push my grey Ektorp sofa back against the wall, which allows for a more spacious seating arrangement (and better dance parties).

neutral organic living room ideas

To break up the monotony of all of the “square-ness”, I decided to incorporate a round coffee table into the mix.

coffee table styling

Not wanting the modern aspects of the design to overpower the space, I incorporated as much organic texture as I could with my textile selections. The earthy weave of the coffee table was an added bonus.

modern farmhouse living room design

Blending elements of contemporary, farmhouse and boho style, this unique combination is what I am going to label as “Organic Modern”.

(Be sure to keep scrolling down for a list of decor sources!)

All in all, I wanted this space to feel elegant yet relaxed….

earthy modern living room

feminine yet rustic…

designing vibes modern organic living room transformation

and minimal yet welcoming.

neutral modern farmhouse living room makeover

While I still don’t consider this room entirely “finished”, I can appreciate just how far it has come.

modern farmhouse living room decor

The new Oak hardwood floors truly did wonders for this room.

neutral modern living room reveal

(Keep scrolling for the decor links list!)

modern farmhouse living room makeover

Living Room Decor Sources with links:

*For your shopping convenience, I have included affiliate links directly below.*

Wall Paint- Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace in Satin finish

diy living room transformation

Thank you guys so much for stopping by this week! Now let me get back to the sh*t show that is my life…

living room reveal of designing vibes erica van slyke

Yes…self-medicating with cheap beer has been one of my biggest coping mechanisms of 2020.

Now get out there and design some good vibes along with a fabulous life. Hang in there, mamas! We will somehow get thru this.

PS. It would mean the world to this small business of mine if you could share this post with a friend or on social media..

neutral boho modern living room ideas

boho farmhouse living room makeover

 

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Maria

Monday 31st of August 2020

You've come a long way baby!!! Showing the before truly shows how far your space has come and your design choices are gorgeous and functional. I wish you well in the homeschooling department...I for one would fail miserably. Keep on designing;)

Designing Vibes

Monday 31st of August 2020

Thank you so much, Maria. You are the best! xoxo

kimberly costigan

Monday 24th of August 2020

absolutlely love your style. Can you share where the fiddle leaf fig is from. so hard to find one that looks realistic.

Designing Vibes

Monday 24th of August 2020

Thank you so much, Kimberly. The fiddle fig tree in my living room is actually real..I am super proud of how I have grown that thing from a baby to a giant (never thought I had a green thumb). However, If you are looking for a good faux, I recommend reading my post on the faux I used in my dining room. Below is the link to that post.. https://designingvibes.com/best-faux-fiddle-leaf-fig-tree/

Julie S

Sunday 23rd of August 2020

Super pretty and I respect the white leather choice! Removing and bleaching and re-applying slipcovers every week is not my idea of fun and I imagine not yours either. We have some white leather chairs at the dining table that are so easy. The light floors definitely modernized the space and I love the term organic modern- I think that's the best short description of my own style too.

Designing Vibes

Monday 24th of August 2020

Yes girl...I am not disciplined enough to remove and wash slipcovers every stinkin' week. Tried it...and I will never fool with that hassle again. Thank you so much for the kind words, and I hope you are doing ok through all of this craziness, my friend.

Tammy Burkhalter

Saturday 22nd of August 2020

Your living room is beautiful. Love all of your choices and I love your blog. Those floors are to die for !!

Designing Vibes

Sunday 23rd of August 2020

Thank you so much, Tammy! I have been super pleased with the floors so far.

Alyssa L

Friday 21st of August 2020

The before and after shots are DRAMATIC - what a transformation. Your living room looks so beautiful and inviting. I love the Miller lite in hand photo prop.... Cheers!

Designing Vibes

Saturday 22nd of August 2020

Thank you so much, Alyssa. Haha! Cheers, my friend. I hope you have a great weekend.

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