A client wanted me to help her redecorate her small living room in her condo. She had a budget of $2000. Not alot to work with, but doable. To stay within her budget, we had to use as many pieces of her existing furniture as we could, and add some new pieces as the budget allowed.
Here’s what we did…
1. Painted all the walls a camel color. (Olympic paint, soft suede).
2. Recovered existing sofa in a textured diamond patterned fabric with black welt.
3. Removed the love seat and replaced it with a black/camel stripe fabric club chair and ottoman.
4. Added a patterned area rug, red,black,camel colors.
5. Kept existing TV cabinet (I suggested it be painted black, but..) also coffee table and end table.
6. She picked out some black and white art, and we matted 4 large pictures in red with black frames to hang as a grouping above her sofa.
7.Added accessories…pillows, tree, floral, lamps, clock, drapes, sconces, candles.
8. Removed the hanging light fixture and replaced it with a low profile white track light to accent art wall, TV wall and fireplace wall.
She was happy with the results and we stayed within her budget. We purchased from sales, closeouts and some work was done by the client and myself. It always amazes me to see what can be done on a limited budget. Sometimes all it takes is reworking old furnishings, add a few new pieces, and some fresh colors to get an updated look.
Before and After
After
(click on pictures to enlarge)
I thought you might like to see a simple story board used for this project. Its a good tool to use to visualize elements that go into the room before you begin. Anyone can do this.
1. How lovely! I wish the client had let you paint the furniture, I think it would have really been fantastic! Can I ask where your color scheme inspiration came from? Was it the rug? I always love looking at your work Cathy! Thank you for sharing it with us.
by charlene — 8/28/07 at 9:43 am #
2. You’re very kind Charlene,
Thank you for your nice comments. The color scheme did come from the area rug. She liked it and the room developed around those colors. An area rug is one of those pieces you can design a room around, because the colors, patterns and style are finite. Whereas the paint, fabrics etc are more easily adapted to fit the design. Yes, I would have liked to changed and painted a few other things but she was happy with what was done. The wall color and sofa are darker than the photo shows, but similiar to the sample board colors. A much warmer ,richer feel in person.
Thanks for visiting Charlene, write back soon.
by Cathy — 8/28/07 at 12:04 pm #
3. Cathy, that is beautiful! I’m so glad you shared the story board as well…it’s difficult to help others see your vision for a room without a few aides! Btw - we just got a black painted media stand in our family room, and it looks great! Maybe one day she’ll decide to paint it!
by Susan Smith — 8/28/07 at 1:09 pm #
4. Hello Susan,
Thanks so much. The hardest part about decorating is trying to convey your vision of the room after hearing all of the clients wants and needs.
Thats why the story board is essential, as well as space plans and elevation drawings etc. The more they can see whats in your head the smoother the process goes.
Enjoy your new media stand. Its always nice to update things when you can.
Thanks for writing in, please join in again.
Cathy
by Cathy — 8/28/07 at 4:59 pm #
5. This room turned out beautiful! I love red/black color scheme. I
agree that I would have painted the furniture black. However,
with all the rest of the changes it still looks very nice.
Thanks for sharing your work with us “online friends”.
I’m in the midst of redoing a bathroom with the same colors is why
what brought me to this sight…
by Brenda — 9/4/07 at 10:17 pm #
6. Hello Brenda,
Thanks so much. Yes, the color scheme is a good one, especially for rooms that have little or no arch. details. The red and black are strong colors and the eye is drawn to those colors and shapes and not to the lack of architecture. In other words, make the statement in the color and furnishings and the neutral uninteresting background will disappear.
Good luck with your bathroom, It will look great.
by Cathy — 9/5/07 at 4:03 pm #
7. Hi Cathy ~
I loved your taste in redecorating. I can’t believe a simple room can turn out to look like a room out of a magazine.
I was wondering if you can recommend someone to redecorate my living room. I live in Massachusetts and I just moved into a new place and I would love it if I could get some decorating help.
I am so busy doing all the unpacking and everything that I haven’t had the time to decorate and get the look that I want.
Please if you can let me know who can help me!!
Patti
by Patti — 9/11/07 at 11:08 am #
8. Hello Patti,
Thanks for you nice comments. I’m sorry I don’t know if anyone in Mass. to refer you to. You might ask some friends if they know someone in the area who they have used. Or go into some decorative fabric stores, like Calico Corners etc. for referrals. Or even a home stager or redesigner might be all you need. Check realtors for who they use. Or get online and look up decorators or redesigners in your area.
Good luck.
by Cathy — 9/12/07 at 6:31 pm #
9. Wow!! I would never believed such a fantastic change could be made with such a budget! You are very talented. Its so refreshing to hear of a decorator that is willing to work within a small budget.
We are building a large home and I am dreading any decorating decisions. When God was giving out that talent I must have been absent. The sample sheet looks like a great idea.
Do you think all the rooms of a home need to flow with the same palette and or style of furnishings?
My daughter loves contemporary and wants her room done with a modern Mediterranean theme. The general style of the home is Medeterian.
Thanks
Tina
by Tina — 9/16/07 at 2:15 am #
10. Thank you so much Tina,
Yes , I work on all budgets. The best rooms I’ve done have been on limited budgets. Why, because you have to really use your CREATIVITY to come up with innovative and exciting, but inexpensive, solutions to decorating dilemmas. They come out the best because you are forced to design, instead of buying someone elses design. A challenge at times but so rewarding.
No, I don’t think every room has to have the same style or color palette especially if they are completely seperated. If rooms run together, they should have some commonalities…flooring, coordinating colors, trim, etc.
Your daughters Med. home would be very nice in a contemporary Italian style. She could add in a few “Old World ” pieces to add interest to the contemporary furnishings… like… a large Baroque carved mirror, or a heavily carved console, or ironwork wall art or candlesticks, a blending of old and new, but fresh and exciting.
Its been nice talking to you. Write again.
by Cathy — 9/19/07 at 8:23 pm #
11. Hi Cathy, I enjoyed seeing what you did with the exsisting room and furnishings that your client already had. I am leaving in 2 weeks for my house in Florida andcan’t wait to get back there..of course, being newly retired and owning two houses puts me on a budget that is not excessive…2 quick questions for you..I want to get a sleeper sofa for my den (I like the slipcovered apartment size sofa at crate and Barrel) my room is not that big so I fear a queen sized sofa might be too big…I have read it is better to go with a solid material on big pieces like a sofa verses patterns..do you agree? I like the color willow at Crate&Barrel..but wonder if I should go with a neutral color so I won’t tire of it and pick up color with rugs, pillows, artwork in the room…I thought a burst of color on the sofa might be nice because I have alot of sand,beige colors, everywhere in my house. Whayt do you think? Also, if you were working on an almost empty house (we did The great room area ) what would you do next? THe bedrooms, the entry (foyer), or the den? I need the extra sleeping space in the den for my family to use when they visit…let me know what you think…also what are your favorite mail order catalogs…keep decorating I love all your work…Margie
by margie [...] — 10/1/07 at 10:01 am #
12. Hello Margie,
Good to hear from you. A few weeks and you’ll be in Florida! Sounds like you have a lot of great plans for your home. How exciting!
To address your questions…
I do like a sofa (sleeper) in a solid color. Also a neutral. Neutrals can be in a wide range of color, not just beigh. I like neutrals on “anchor” pieces of furniture because that makes them” timeless”. They can be used for many years by simply changing accessories to update and not have to reupholster the sofa every few years. The Willow color you like would be fine. You can pull in an accent colors and pattern in some accessories… pillows, area rug, drapery, art etc. as you stated.
You wanted to know what room to decorate after the great room. If you’re having company right away, do the den (guest room), Then your company will feel comfortable. I do like to work on the public areas first, then the private areas. More people will see and live in the public areas (living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, entry).
As for catalogs I like, there are many… are you ready… Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, Horchow, Wisteria, Room and Board, Bombay, Home Decorators, Brocade Home, Target Furniture, Ikea, Ethan Allen, Restoration Hardware, Z Gallerie, West Elm, Calico Corners, Pier1, Plummers, Pierre Deux, Spiegal, Smith and Noble…the list goes on and on.
Have a great time in Florida. Looking forward to hearing from you down there. Enjoy all the decorating.
All my best, Cathy
by Cathy — 10/1/07 at 10:31 pm #
13. hicathy i’m cathy too,i need help choosing a wall color in my livingroom that doesn’t get a alot of light,my sofa is the color of a paperbag and i have two camel and black zebra striped chairs in the room,i need s color with attitude for an accent and a primary wall color for the other three walls, oh, by the way the floors are a dark maple color, please help
by cathy — 1/6/09 at 8:41 pm #
14. Hi Cathy…great name!
You have some great furnishings to work with in your living room. But, yes, take it to the next level. An accent wall would look great as well as other wall color.
You wanted a little “attitude”. Here’s a few ideas…
Paint the accent wall an acid green (it’s kind of a lime green with some depth). the other walls paint a lighter shade of your sofa color. A nice neutral to balance the acid green. Then add a few accents of the green to the interior of the room…pillows, art, vase, etc. Not alot, just to repeat the color within eyeshot.
Another. Paint that accent wall in at least, 5 large horizontal stripes. Do this in the black and camel colors of your chairs. This enlarges the scale of that graphic pattern from your chairs onto the wall. Then paint the rest of the walls the same solid camel color. Throw in an accent color of citrus yellow, acid green, or magenta on some accessories.
One more. Paint that accent wall a shiny metallic color. SIlver, bronze, or copper. The rest of the walls a warm light beige. Accent the room in the metallic color you choose and black.
Any one of those should give you a bit of “attitude” and jazz up your space.
Let me know what you think.
by Cathy — 1/7/09 at 7:28 pm #