Cozy, with chic style and an inviting feel. That’s all I want in a room! A little interior design inspo coming your way (and living room furniture ideas) as we recently updated our living room—and I can’t get enough.
By: Lisa Fennessy
IN THIS POST:
- Ideas for living room furniture makeover
- Furniture pieces from my living room
- Other living room furniture touches
We moved into our Atlanta house just in time because literally two months later, COVID hit. Before that, we were living in a 1,600 sq ft apartment in Buckhead, which was fine, but the boys were growing and I wanted them to be able to go outside on a whim.
We scooped up a super cute, ivy-covered English cottage that’s tucked into a little residential area of Buckhead. You would never know by looking at it, but just two blocks away is the bustling city with a plethora of grocery stores, coffee shops, chic restaurants and retail shops ready to quell any whim.
Anyway. Moving from a small apartment to a house meant I needed to pick up a few things. Up to this point, my home furnishing experience has been a hodgepodge of Craigslist finds, hand-me-downs, slipcovers, IKEA grabs and gifted items. This has served us well, but I was so excited to really make this house OURS. (And by “ours” I mean, MINE, lol.)
I quickly realized that I was in over my head. Don’t get me wrong—I know a cute throw pillow when I see one, but starting from scratch was so overwhelming. To get some help, I headed down to Room + Board where they offer design services to assist with the layout and furniture selection. I went by myself, I took the family, I circled back with measurements and fabric selections…And I ordered a crap ton of furniture from this one store.
Then I got home and buyer’s remorse immediately set in. Everything I selected was NOT ME and I could see into my future and it looked like I was living in a Room + Board catalog. (Red leather club chairs?! Get atta here! NO!) So I called and canceled it all. 😭
I NEVER thought working with a designer was an option for me. I didn’t even know “regular people” did that, but my friend mentioned it and I ended up getting connected with Tara Fust Design, who guided me through the entire process and I absolutely love how it’s turning out. Can’t say enough about my great experience—if you are in the Atlanta area, be sure to check her out.
This is our living room before and after but if you want to see more, leave a comment, we can also share our kitchen, powder room, sitting room and bedroom makeovers too.
Ideas for living room furniture makeover
My goal was to create a space that was comfortable, functional and cute. I live with three boys, so our furniture choices and the layout has to withstand the daily rough and tumble—but also has to look good. Here’s what the room looks like all put together—and then we’ll break down the deets.
Crate&Barrel Gather Two Piece Sectional | $3,198
Performance Fabric in Winward Sand
Tara made all my white couch dreams come true and I still can’t believe it. Living with three boys, I thought I was resigned to brown couches for the rest of my life but I was WRONG. The performance fabric I ordered is a material called Inside Out. It’s an indoor / outdoor fabric that’s durable, stain resistant, sustainable, contributing to ocean cleanup, made in the USA and PFAs free. I was really surprised to find such a responsible option at Crate&Barrel. More here.
Over the past year it’s held up well. Chocolate ice cream, red wine and the occasional spill comes right up with water or a bit of dish soap and a toothbrush. No joke.
My only complaint is that it’s pilled a bit. It also just gets dingy from regular use so I bought this upholstery cleaner which has helped keep it bright but I’m also resolved to unzipping the cushion covers and getting them dry cleaned annually. (A small price to pay IMO for my white couch dreams realized.)
Burke Decor Diana Chair | $1799
Sonoma Butterscotch Leather
Love the idea of a buttery leather chair to cozy up a space and this low-profile one was way chic-er than the red club chair I bought and then canceled. Love the natural, exposed wood frame and the back cushion that fastens in place via velcro.
Burke Decor Hewn Occasional Table | $1,029
Black
We have Burke’s Bent Coffee Table, which is no longer available, but the Hewn Occasional Table is similar in price and has the same vibe. Made of solid plantation hardwood, turned, hand-hewn and finished in dark charcoal or weathered gray. I usually keep nothing on this table (like you can see here in the pics) so its practical to gather around and use it for games or snacks….or PS4 controllers. 🙄
William Sonoma Hour Glass Stool | $795
Wood
Again the stool shown here is no longer available, but this Hour Glass Stool by Williams Sonoma is a very similar option. It’s handcrafted from kiln-dried acacia wood. Love this chunky side table look.
Hide Rug via Etsy | $105+
Love this layered look of a hide rug, don’t you? This hand cut, cowhide one was a great option for just over $100.
SAFAVIEH Handmade Cape Cod Ermine Coastal Jute Rug on Overstock | $25+
Under the cow hide is this handwoven jute rug—also a great price with different sizes starting at under $30.
Paint color for built-ins: Narragansett Green HC-157 | $90
Love this green / blue / gray shade that brings the entire room from 1990 to 2022 in a hot second. We had a team of painters come and they took all the doors off and sprayed them outside, which created a finish that looks like it came this way. Of course when it comes to paint, you can always choose a low VOC option like Benjamin Moore’s Eco Spec® line. Most brands have some version of this.
Upgraded hardware for built-ins: 10” Bar Pulls | $32 and Beckett Finger Pulls | $22
Then for the built-ins we swapped out the round boring knobs on the top deck for these 10” Bar Pulls in brushed brass and the bottom deck got these Beckett Finger Pulls in Brandy from Rejuvenation to compliment.
Other living room furniture touches
William Pharmacy Floor Lamp in brass | $819
Charlton Large Triple Arm Chandelier in black | $1299
Kathy Kuo throw pillows | $49+
This Must Be The Place neon sign | $195
Guitar hangers | $14
Michelle Obama and RBG bookend set | $46
I still need a couple of side tables and maybe some more art, but what do you think? Could you cozy up here?
TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.