Master Sitting Room Makeover
Don’t ya just love to see spaces “before” and “after”? Sometimes progress is really slow-going and very small changes happen along the way, almost imperceptible until you add it all up and suddenly you end up with a result you’re really happy with. Case in point, our sitting room. Not that it’s “done” but it sure has come a long way. One of the bookshelves is still bare, but the other one is styled for the time being. And the shelves under the windows have been given some life with books and plants. Let’s take a look!
BEFORE– pretty much a blank slate. The framed photo over the television was a birthday gift to my husband of a New York bridge, but the dark black didn’t fit in with the look I was going for. Originally, I thought it fit that area perfectly, but later I kept thinking we really needed something round there to break up all the hard lines.
DURING– The addition of the Martha Stewart mirror from Home Depot helped lighten up the space.
NOW– The colorful books added personality and the Made By Girl LOVE print is much more appropriate here than it was in our half bath. The plants are really thriving here. I water them when they start to limp and it seems to be working.
I keep James’ little chair there because he uses it to read or watch t.v.
I picked up some books at Half Price Books and chose them by color and subject matter.
Here’s the view from the master bath. Looking at this view has me wondering if we should add drapes here??
And we’ve definitely changed up the tall bookshelves, beginning with painting the cabinets and lining the backside with fabric.
BEFORE
NOW
I just used things we already had on hand to fill in the shelves. I probably could still use a few more books . . .
My girlfriend got this statue for us when James was born. So sweet.
The woven basket holds our remote controls and keeps them where we can find them, out of James’ hands. I think I found it at Crate & Barrel.
I didn’t have a good place for this large canvas print of James, so I decided to try it in the bookcase and I like it there. He was just two months old in those photos.
I tried to find a few interesting pieces to add to the shelves, including the woven vase from Michael’s and a decorative ball from West Elm.
And, again, more books from Half Price Books, except Bloom, by Kelle Hampton, which I devoured in two nights!
And I’ve decided to keep some magazines in here too since I frequently like to read a little before bed.
Eventually, I think I’d like to change out the big leather chair, and I still need to style the other bookshelf, which currently remains empty. And on my nagging “to do” list is lower the two photos over the leather chair. BUT, isn’t it nice to just enjoy what you’ve accomplished so far, helping turn a blank space into a room that you enjoy being in?
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I love how this room turned out Megan! Such a good idea to buy books from Half Price to decorate. This room seems so calm and peaceful, I love it!
It looks so great!!! Love the transformation, and the bookshelf styling is great. Really like the large canvas(?) photo in the middle 🙂 so precious. I know what you mean about slow goings and then all of a sudden. I just recently did a similar post on our living room (http://roomsforrentblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/living-room-update.html) 🙂 It wasn't until I looked at the before and after photos that I realized how different things looked. Great job! ~Bre
p.s. on the drapes – I think you could totally add drapes OR not sure if the blinds there are permenant, but if you liked this idea, you could switch them out for the lighter colored woven roman blinds. LIke bamboo, or some other texture. I know you see them everywhere on blogland, BUT they do a great job filling in a space without taking up a lot of room? just a thought 🙂 ~Bre
It never stops! How many rooms are in that house anyway!? Love all these reveals.. what a great space!
I love the master suite sitting room! So pretty and it looks comfortable!! Love how you added fabric to the bookshelves!!
beautiful work! such a masterfully styled bookshelf 🙂 thank you for sharing!
It looks so peaceful there. Beautiful. May I ask what color is the paint in that room it seems very calming. And I am currently looking for a new color for my bedroom.
Thanks
Racquel
Both makeovers look fabulous. I like how the mirror breaks up all the hard lines in your master sitting room. It is such a comfortable and inviting space!
P/S: Come by and enter my current giveaway for a chance to win a designer pillow ($65 gift cert) if you like!
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Jessie
http://www.mixandchic.com
It looks great Megan! It definitly has more of your style now. :0)
It looks amazing Megan! I really would love to add some bookcases to our bedroom. Both Mark and I love to read, and I think they would make a nice addition. That canvas of James is precious.
love, love it! you room looks so relaxing and peaceful… i just can't imagine this with a child 🙁 you must be doing a whole lot of hardwork to keep it nice and neat…
Looks so fresh and welcoming! Beautiful!!
I love it! Great idea to go to half price books. I also love that you lined your bookshelves with wallpaper! You're home is beautiful! 🙂
What a perfect space! I love the bookshelves and that you added the pattern to the back of them. James is precious, look at all that hair! Great job!
It's look good! Love the pop of colour that books bring. So simple!
Looks lovely. I love your colors. So relaxing!
This looks fantastic! You did such a great job with this room. Looks lovely, but liveable. I think drapes would be great…maybe something in a light fabric, or even sheer, to soften the room with fabric but not be too heavy?
What a great space Megan! I would be sitting in there every evening with my cup of tea and read magazines! Its perfect!!
Very nice!! You are so good at styling bookcases and built-ins. I think you did a wonderful job. 🙂
You've done a wonderful job! LOVE the pictures of James as a baby…look at that head of hair! So special. 🙂
Awe, we have one of those statues as well! I just love your room. The space is so calming and pretty. And I definitely am envious of the size. One of my favorite things is the way you hung the two frames above the chair {one portrait and one landscape}. They look great.
I think you've done a nice job with the accessories; it looks clean, peaceful and pretty.
I think Roman shades would look nice in here. You can purchase them or make them. If you make them, be sure to line them with white fabric on the back, so they will hang better. I'd probably do a print fabric and you could even purchase another duvet to match the one on your bed, take it apart and use the fabric to make your Roman shade. I do that all the time to make no sew window treatments when I decorate/stage homes. Here is a link to what a Roman Shade looks like. You can also have a different trim color (let's say you do a pattern and then white "vertical" trim). Here's an example of a roman shade:
http://www.modernfurniturewarehouse.com/nevada-oolong-roman-shade-24×72.html?gclid=CP239aPzubACFYbrKgodjBe46A
When you do a roman shade, I like to hang them 2 inches below the crown molding-you want the bulk of the roman shade over the wall so that you don't block out the light. When you hang drapes near the ceilings it makes the windows look taller.
Two minor things: I LOVE the bookshelf looking into the bedroom. The photos of James look amazing. I think I'd paint the back of the bookshelf a solid color so the photos of him pop more. They get lost with the backdrop. Once you have the print in the Roman Shades, the solid backdrop on the bookshelf will be restful.
And finally, this is minor but I'd like to see the plant on the right side of the bookshelf moved to the right with the picture on the left of it so that the staging on each side of the t.v. is identical. I like more traditional, symmetrical design so that's just me, lol. Love the real plants.
Overall, a great job. Looks really homey, personal and elegant.
Looks like the perfect place to curl up with a good book. I love that its an extension of the bedroom and doesn't look totally different.
James looks so wee in the photos. Such a great head of hair!
Ahh! I featured that exact sunburst mirror on my blog today because I LOVED IT!! The price in insane for the amazing look. Room looks fab!
-Katie
Athomewhenimwithyou.blogspot.com
You are on a roll, sissy!!! The room looks great…love the plants and mirror, and of course the gorgeous pic of you and Jimmy and baby James with all that black hair!!! xo
ps — you punch any anons in the face today? 😉
This is beautiful! That little chair of your son's is too cute for words! Love it! I second the request for the paint color – that's a hard shade to get just right and yours is gorgeous!
Thanks so much for your comments! The paint color is A New Gray by Sherwin Williams. It's a true grey, kinda light, without being purple or blue.
I love this extra space in your master and you have finished it of beautifully…as usual! We don't have a true master since our room is tiny without a bath attached so I am drooling a little.
looks great! I've always loved the LOVE print by Made By girl. I keep sending it to BF as a hint to buy it for me.
My what dark hair James had when he was a baby!! :o) so cute
I love the changes! it looks so warm and inviting. And I just bought that Martha Stewart mirror too! I hung it above our bed. I still can't get over the amazing price! 🙂
Such a great blog!!! I love it!
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Wowza! One, I am insanely jealous of your sitting room. (My husband and I have to stand on the end of the bed just to open our dresser drawers. 1940's "master bedrooms" are not so "masterly".) Two, this space is just lovely. The colors and personal family touches make the room.
Your sitting room is shaping up very nicely. I like the addition of the plants.
CAS
I love this! Going to Michaels now to scout for that vase! I'm going to have to try the fabric backed bookcase idea in our home office pronto!
Love the redo! Your style is so clean & serene! I love it!
I love your son's chair! I've been looking for a club chair just like that for my two sons. Is yours black or brown? Would you mind sharing where you got it?
Thanks!
I love your son's chair! I've been looking for a club chair just like that for my two sons. Is yours black or brown? Would you mind sharing where you got it?
Thanks!
The room's transformation is so lovely! It brightened up the room a lot. It also made it look so calm and relaxing. Thanks for sharing this!