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Laura’s Living Room (Before + After!)

Home Decor, Home Tour: Laura, Living Room
By Laura Gummerman

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Today we are going to forge ahead on the Gummerman home tour and give you a look into the space where we definitely spend the most time—the living room! Even though I love dressing up and going out on the town, we are pretty big homebodies for the most part. Most nights are spent on the couch watching old Cary Grant movies or whatever TV series we are obsessed with at the moment (Mad Men, True Detective, Freaks and Geeks, the list goes on… ). We love the space that we've created, but it took more than a bit of work for us to get it to this point!

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! This room felt a little confused when we saw the house. The existing furniture felt too oversized for the space, and they had mounted the TV in a high corner of the room so it felt a little bit like the waiting room of an office. We had the popcorn ceilings scraped, and I painted the ceiling, trim, and doors white and walls the same color as the dining room and kitchen (Sprinkle by Valspar) so it would be one cohesive space. We also continued the dark walnut flooring into the living room and entryway—I love that floor! Even though we switched the flooring for a darker option, adding all that mint and white really brightened up the space and gave it a much more cheerful atmosphere.

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! One of my favorite additions to the room is this amazing Normann Copenhagen pendant light. It's a light that you have to fold and put together (like a giant plastic origami project), but it was actually kind of fun to build it myself. I had been drooling over this midcentury couch and chair for a while, and I finally convinced Todd to pull the trigger when we moved in. I like having a mix of trendy and classic pieces, and these guys have been cool for a long time, so I think they are here to stay. 

I probably got the biggest reaction from people when I told them that I was going to paint the stone fireplace white. I know, I know; there are diehard people that are really not into painting natural stone or wood, but I am not that person. And it's my house. So there. The white fireplace actually ended up being my favorite change in the space. It looks so much more clean and modern painted white, and I'm so glad that I decided to do it.

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! I wasn't sure if I would like having a mantel over the fireplace (I almost had it removed), but I found that I really did like having that space to display plants and photos, so I'm glad that I kept it.

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! We spend 99% percent of our time sitting right in front of the fireplace in the winter, and for two people that hate being cold, it's a lifesaver. I actually made the drum floor pouf just for that purpose! I also love the black egg chair I added this past year (similar one here), and it's a favorite spot for napping kitties. Also, that photo pillow I made of our cat Charlie always freaks people out when they first come in—she looks so real!

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference!Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Decor-wise, it can be tough to work around a TV in a living room. You don't want to ignore that it's there, but you don't want it to be the highlight of the wall either. I decided to use art above and on either side of the TV to balance out the space. The two matching art pieces were actually a leather wrapped canvas project, and they are still one of my favorite wall decor projects to date.

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Plants are a must (the more the better!), and I find that it takes me a while to kill a cactus, so cacti growing it is!

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! We scored this midcentury bar cart at a local vintage shop and gave it a fresh coat of gray paint before stocking it with our favorite bar supplies (we are big on gin and tonics and White Russians around here). I found that glass bottles on a metal cart rattle like crazy every time you walk by it, so I added grey felt to the bottom of each tray, and now it's as quiet as an inanimate bar cart should be. I bought some vintage marquee letters and attached some gold glitter paper to the back of them to add a bit of sparkle above the cart. 

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! I love that Todd keeps his little Wurlitzer piano out in the living room so he can randomly break into song or play along with the Mad Men or Bob's Burger theme songs. He's very good.

Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! Laura's living room (before + after) Such a big difference! In case you're wondering, that camel teapot's name is Bruce. He just looks like such a "Bruce" to me…

Thanks for coming into our living room for a bit. I hope you enjoyed the tour as much as I enjoyed sharing our space! Now if you'll excuse me, there's a Law and Order: SVU marathon about to start, and I need to get snuggled into the couch and wrangle up a kitty to snuggle with… xo. Laura

Credits // Author: Laura Gummerman, Photography: Sarah Rhodes. Photos edited with Stella from the Signature Collection.

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