An old farmhouse living room gets a modern traditional style makeover
It seems like months ago that I started planning a living room makeover. But this is a room that is going to be a slow evolution. I've talked a lot lately about my journey to find my style for this house, and I just recently figured it all out. Making my "modern traditional" vision come to life is going to be a lesson in practicing patience as I wait for the right pieces to come along and stop the habit of buying things I don't love just to fill a space. Today I'm sharing the progress in the living room so far.
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You might also love... BEFORE
First let's take a little stroll down memory lane and look at this space before.
When we first moved in, most of our decor sat in a storage unit on the other side of the state for months on end. So it was very boring and naked. But it did give us an opportunity to get some things done without moving all of our clutter around!
We refinished the floors right away. We wanted a light color, but pine has a tendency to make every color look orange, so we ended up going with a medium-dark color with a touch of gray mixed in to tone down the orange.
Then we painted the beige walls a lighter creamy color. We brought in all of the decor from our previous home, and there it sat. For a long time!
We eventually brought in this old secretary desk. But still, the room didn't feel right, and I just couldn't put my finger on the problem (aside from the strange layout). Eventually, I realized that the decor from our old home just didn't complement this house in the same way. So I did a deep dive into finding my style. And here we are.
Living room progress
This is what the living room looks like today. There are still plenty of things I want to do, things I want to replace, and things I am looking for. But this old house has a lot of higher priority projects in its future, so I have to work on a budget and think about our current life stage (two toddlers!) when replacing things. And also be patient for the right pieces!
One of the most transformational changes was also the simplest. We switched the sofa and loveseat positions, and centered the sofa on the closed in chimney between the windows. It changed the whole focal point of the room.
I covered our sofas with these heavyweight duck canvas slipcovers. Although it is hard to tell in photos, our sofas were in pretty bad shape. Eventually (when the kids are older and less messy), we will replace them with one sofa and two chairs. Can't you envision exposing that brick chimney and putting two chairs on either side? 😍
But again, we're still in the toddler phase, so I wanted a temporary solution until it makes sense to buy new furniture. Slipcovers are not my first choice (in fact, I would probably choose a much more modern style sofa), but they brightened up the whole space, and they are washable! 🙌
We didn't have end tables or a coffee table for the longest time because our old tables didn't get along with our toddlers 😉 I bought this very affordable modern end table because it was so cheap that I won't be upset if it gets ruined. It also added the touch of modern I was looking for.
I covered the pillows that came with the sofa with a ticking strip fabric. This allowed me to not have to buy new pillows! And it brought in a little bit of farmhouse charm with a pattern that has stood the test of time.
This antique trestle table came to me for free when I bought something else on Facebook Marketplace. I couldn't say no to a free table with so much character.
The best part about wooden antique furniture is that any damage from kids just blends right in and adds to the charm!
I painted the back of the built ins black. I was so nervous about it, but I am in love with the contrast it added to the space! I am still on the look out for the right pieces to go on the shelves, but it is looking much better for now!
I hung a black and brass clock on the chimney to anchor the black built ins. It has a modern feel with a classic design. I'm debating whether to hang a small piece of vintage art under the clock. I'm loving the minimal look, but if I find the right piece, I will probably try it out!
To add the color scheme that has been running in our home, I used sage green throw pillow covers too. I've been craving a little yellow lately as a complementary color and can also be a twin to the brass accents in places I can't use brass, like a throw blanket 😉 This blanket brings a fun texture into the space too.
Not too long ago, I shared the secretary desk that was given to me for free. It wasn't exactly the style of antique desk I was searching for, but it was free. Once I got it cleaned up, I was thankful for it! The color adds a nice contrast to this neutral room, and the brass hardware really pops with some of the other brass accents.
The big purchase for this room was the rug. But for a rug this large, it was actually very affordable. It's hard to capture the color and pattern in photos, but it is a taupe and white diamond pattern in a cotton woven material. It adds lots of texture and a little fun design without being too bold. (PS- if you're into woven rugs too, you'll want to read this!)
My struggle in this room is what to put above the loveseat!!! I tried a few things and it just looked cluttered with the built in being so close on the right and the display on the left. I really love the vignette on the desk, so I am leaving it as is for now.
Well, that's our budget friendly phase one makeover of the living room! Paint, slipcovers, a new rug, some free antique furniture, and a few affordable accents are all it took to get this room on the path toward modern traditional. I can't wait to see how it continues to evolve. I would love to know what you think so far and if you have any other ideas for me!
Sources
See something you love? I've linked most items below. If it's not listed, just ask! :)
- Wall color- Sherwin Williams Incredible White
- Built-ins color- Sherwin Williams Greenblack
- Sofa covers
- Rug
- Coffee table- vintage
- Black tray/charger
- End table
- Brass floor lamp
- Pillow fabric
- Sage green pillow covers
- Round pillow
- Blanket- Homegoods
- Secretary desk- vintage
- Brass and marble task lamp
- Brass clock
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I love how your house is coming together and how you're waiting to find just the right pieces!
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