Extreme Makeover: Living Room Edition

About three weeks ago, Rob and I decided to redesign the living room to a more feng shui environment; a room where we could congregate with friends, relax, and actually live. At least that's what I wanted, so fast forward to tonight and the room is pretty much complete, except for a few odds and ends (ie. art to hang and more collectibles to showcase on our new twin bookcases). 

BEFORE

Firstly, here are some "before" photos of the living room. Notice how the living room and dining room are one conjoined room, but it was originally designed with the sofa dividing these two spaces. The gigantic entertainment center drew your eye immediately. It was much too large for the small space provided for a living room, but a great, solid wood piece that we eventually moved upstairs into the man cave. Originally, the soaring walls were an unpainted, bland white, but I didn't have photos before we started painting the fireplace. Everything else was pretty unremarkable: a couch that ate you when you sat down, a tan and red rug you couldn't vacuum (or the threads would pull), a brown leather recliner, some decorative red pillows, and a walnut colored coffee table and end table.

I'm standing in the dining room looking into the living room. The front door is to the left of the entertainment center.

View of the fireplace, the sofa, and the decorative red accents

The gi-normous entertainment center, a view of the front door, and the entryway table

The gas fireplace and hanging art

AFTER

Firstly, we painted the walls "Toasted Cashew" from Home Depot. This created more of a difference than I ever could have imagined. Second, no one even knew we had a huge window behind the gargantuan entertainment set!! This lets in a huge amount of light, which is much-needed in a middle condo unit. We also mounted the 50" Samsung flat screen TV above the fireplace to better utilize the space. Then, we bought a new taupe colored sofa and love seat (courtesy of American Signature) along with two matching espresso colored bookcases. I purchased a snazzy area rug (courtesy of Overstock.com), and decorative pillows and curtains (courtesy of Walmart). Rob purchased an espresso colored coffee table with two end tables, and a beautiful mantle to mount above the fireplace. And the end result....VIOLA!!!!

The gorgeous new living room!

Sofa/love seat, and a view of the front door.

Mounted TV and twin bookcases flanking the fireplace. We still need to register for some canvases to hang.

Aerial view of the room up to the edge of the dining room

Brown/Blue curtain panels

The brown leather recliner, bookshelf, and collectibles

My beautiful area rug :)

The view!

I decided to go with a neutral earth tone palate utilizing the browns and blues and every shade in between. I really love everything about the room now, and spend so much more time in it. The carpet is also being replaced throughout the entire condo in a couple weeks. More changes, more to love :) So, what do you think? Feel free to share!