As you might have seen on Instagram, I’m about to embark on a mini makeover of our living room. So, before I get started on redecorating this coming weekend, I want to share a look at my plans and the soft, minimalist scheme I have in mind.
Here’s a quick peek at what the space looks like at the moment…
As you can see, there’s nothing wrong with the room – it’s actually one of my favourite spaces in the house and it often receives compliments on Instagram. But we rushed into decorating it when we first moved in three years ago, and I’ve always felt it could be… well, better.
For a start, the paint isn’t quite the right shade for the space. It’s a beautiful colour – a pale, silvery grey which I also have in my home office – but this room faces north and the light exacerbates the blue undertones. The plan is to replace it with a slightly warmer grey, and after daubing the wall in a mosaic of testers and pondering over them for almost a month, I’ve finally settled on Farrow & Ball’s ‘Cornforth White’ – a neutral mid-grey which is neither too blue nor too yellow, and which will sit beautifully against the white coving, cornicing and fireplace.
The wall colour has set the tone for the wider scheme, as I’m also planning to introduce some warmer shades in the soft furnishings – the overall look will still be airy and minimalist, but with a few bieges and earthy pinks rather than cold bluish tones. We can’t stretch to new sofas, but we are planning to update our existing pair using Bemz, which produces made-to-measure covers for IKEA models (including discontinued ones such as ours) in a choice of more than 150 fabrics.
The old carpet also has to go. I’ve never been a fan: it’s impossible to keep clean, and it makes the room seem smaller and more cluttered than it actually is. Sadly, the original Victorian boards underneath are beyond repair, so we’re looking at contemporary wooden flooring, possibly pale Nordic oak. A big rug will add texture and cosiness as well as defining the seating area, and it’s the perfect opportunity to replace the existing one, which has never fully recovered from a run-in with a bottle of red wine last year.
Storage is already sorted thanks to the bespoke alcove cupboards and shelving, which were created for us by Durkan Design & Build and which we both love, but one thing I would like is some more space for magazines (the photos above don’t show the huge pile which has accumulated at the side of the sofa!). I also love the idea of adding a touch of marble – perhaps through a side table or a few small accessories – for a bit of added elegance.
Finally, the lighting is going to change, too. I already have a table lamp from new Danish brand Nuura on the way, and I’m on the hunt for something to replace the floor lamp in the corner. It was chosen for the much larger living room in our previous home and it’s a little too big for this space – I’m fed up of hitting my head on it every time I stand up!
Stay tuned for the results once I’ve finished the work. In the meantime, you can see more of my inspiration for the scheme over on Pinterest…
Farrow & Ball, Bemz and Nuura are all kindly gifting products for the makeover, but all words and opinions are my own.
All images by Abi Dare unless otherwise specified. Mood-board photos via Light Locations, @sylvie.lsltth, Elisabeth Heier, Fantastic Frank and Jonas Berg
I like the idea of a warmer greyish colour palette. Our living room faces north too and cold tones would not work here at all. I have tried more than twenty shades on different walls and have not settled on any yet. Looking forward to seeing your makeover that you named mini makeover above but these small additions to the room will make a huge difference. Looking forward to see the new look of your room! Xx
Thanks Sylvie! It’s so hard to find the right grey, but I was so inspired by the soft, airy look in your living room! The colour we have at the moment is far too cold, so I think just painting the walls will make a huge difference, even though I’m just swapping one grey for another!
I am just in love with those colours and the minimal / simple brief ?. Thank you for sharing your experience so far with Bemz, looking forward to seeing the final look. I didn’t know that I could get some covers for my IKEA sofa. We have one which has suffered to some extent because of our cats, so I may be ordering some fabric sample just to see 🙂 Good luck with the project !
THanks Marlene! I’ll let everyone know how I get on with Bemz – our IKEA sofas have been discontinued so it’s great to know we can still get new covers for them.
I have to say I really like the room as it is now, but I also really like the look of the changes you’re planning too. I think a slightly warmer colour palette will make a huge difference to how the room feels. North facing rooms are tough. I’m looking forward to seeing how this makeover turns out.
Thanks Stacey! I’m hoping the colour change will make a huge difference, even though I am essentially just swapping one pale grey for another! 😉
Absolutely love your plans in here Abi, it’s a gorgeous space already but these new elements are going to look perfect. Completely empathise with downsizing a living room, we’ve done the same and also lived with elements that didn’t work for quite a few years! Cornforth will look fabulous, it’s one of my faves ?
Thanks Ruthie! I can’t wait to bring it all together in real life. And yes the colour is beautiful – timeless!
Love your mood board, it looks like it’s going to be a really lovely, calming, warm and inviting space! x
Thanks Cate! I’m so looking forward to having a better wall colour, and getting rid of the old carpet! x
Ooo, looks lovely. Not a complete change but subtle changes that will actually make quite a big difference overall.
Thanks so much! I’m hoping the atmosphere and overall look will be an improvement on what we have already, rather than a total change. It just needs warming up a bit x
Hi Abi, you have just prompted me a reminder we are putting the Marble tables on the website as they are so beautiful. They would look amazing in your lounge too! Love the mood board and cannot wait to see how it evolves!
Thanks Alicia! I might have to head your way for the tables – they really are beautiful!
I know, they are gorgeous so I can see why you want them . You know where we are, I better get busy getting them on at the top of my product list 🙂
I think at first my thought was “why change anything in your living room”? But I get your point about the paint and how it can be unbearable in the wrong light! I look forward to seeing your finished room. Some great brands in this collaboration!
Thanks Jenny! I hope it will just be an improved version of what we have now. There are a few elements we just didn’t get quite right first time round, and I can’t wait to get rid of the carpet we inherited with the house.
It’s all looking lovely. Can’t wait to see the makeover reveal. Although I have to say it looks beautiful as it is ?
Thanks! The overall look won’t change too much, but I do want to make it a little warmer and cosier