Paint colors, tile, and light fixtures get a lot of attention in home design, and, don’t get us wrong, they’re extremely important. But furniture is what determines whether a room actually flows, feels, and functions.
There’s a common misconception with our clients that a home renovation means mass furniture donations and all-new everything. But we find a special kind of satisfaction making existing furniture work creatively in a new or different space. On the flip side, we equally enjoy the challenge of upgrading furniture to transform a space without lifting a single sledgehammer.
Furniture is finicky but incredibly powerful, and these before-and-afters prove it.
Fitting In the Furniture
This living room came with client-owned pieces that have followed them from house to house, including a bold abstract painting, a zebra stool, and a glass-and-brass coffee table. So we built around them. We painted the walls and built-ins a soft periwinkle blue, then added two facing sofas, a brass chandelier, Roman shades, and floral drapery to complete the space.
A House to a Home
When our clients just moved into their home, we identified the lamps, art, and tables that needed to be incorporated (and leveled up). We created visual interest with a navy ceiling and matching trim, grasscloth wallpaper, a round dark table, striped upholstered chairs, and a crystal-and-brass chandelier to pull it all together.
Good Bones
The dining area had a wooden farmhouse table, mismatched chairs, and bones that certainly had potential. So we kept the footprint mostly intact, but amped up the space with bird-and-botanical wallpaper, teal walls, and a painted island that pulled some color through the space. Furniture was a necessary upgrade here, so we added a round white dining table and modern upholstered chairs to replace the original set.
A Tranquil Oasis
A massive floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace is one of those things that can convince a homebuyer to make an offer all on its own. But, the colorways and built-ins in this particular living room needed a modern upgrade. We whitewashed the stone, added a chic dark charcoal shiplap following the roofline on either side, and installed open walnut shelving to replace the old white built-ins. A large iron wagon-wheel chandelier modernized the room. Last but obviously not least, we added a sectional, two blue swivel chairs, a leather accent chair, and woven basket wall art to maximize the room’s functionality.
The Case for Custom Upholstery
We upgraded this client’s barstool to make it custom to the look and feel of their new home. The seagrass back, walnut frame, and brass footrest remained, but we incorporated a multicolor confetti print to match the super fun curtains we hung in the adjacent dining room. It pulled the whole project together with one tiny detail.
No Boring Bedrooms
When you look at the bones of a new build, the options are literally endless. But we knew we didn’t want generic builder-grade paint and fixtures, so this primary bedroom went full navy. We incorporated a new rattan bed, white nightstands, and woven bench, adding bold-printed Roman shades and a fringed chandelier overhead.
No Boring Bedrooms, cont.
We transformed this bedroom’s gray walls to one with tons of soothing visual interest, complete with a dark slate-blue accent walls, a botanical wallpaper, a modern upholstered bed and nightstand, custom linen drapes, and simple touches like throw blankets and pillows to pull it all together.
If you just bought a new build or you have furniture that needs figuring out, we’re here to help.