Living & Dining Room Update

Even though the living room isn’t completely done [at least in my mind, Tim thinks it’s done] I’ve decided to show some “in progress” photos, along with photos of the house when Tim bought it last spring. It hasn’t changed dramatically since we’ve moved in…added furniture, some art and painted one wall. Tim had the wood floors in the entire house refinished before he moved in, so that made a big difference as well. It’s coming together and is almost there, but it still needs a few touches here and there. And someday down the road, the fireplace will be refaced in a pretty stacked stone with a wood mantel. The best feature of the living/dining room area is the huge windows! I love it. So much natural light comes through the two huge windows in the front and back of the house.

Here’s a couple things I would still love to do with this area

  • More decorative pillows for the couch
  • A clock. Currently, you have to walk into the kitchen if you want to see the time [and aren’t wearing a watch or have your phone on you]
  • If a big clock doesn’t work, some other type of artwork/photo collage
  • Possibly extend the accent wall’s paint color to another wall
  • Window treatments
  • Reface the fireplace like I mentioned here, but that will be down the road.

So here’s before…(these photos came from the online real-estate listing)

Front door is just to the left…you can see part of the old landing.

Here on the opposite side of the room, next to the fireplace. On the other side of those walls is the kitchen, and the stairs to the basement is on the other side of the half wall. Unfortunately the wall with the door on the right [into the kitchen] is a load bearing wall. I’m okay with it not being able to move though because I’m not huge on open floor plans, so this gives me that separation of rooms I like.

A view of the living room from where those two chairs were in the previous picture.

The front door [on the right] and the entry closet door [left.] Oh yeah, the landing was also removed.

And currently…

So here’s the first glimpse of the living room when standing next to the front door. I painted that wall a blue as a nice compliment to all of the warm colors being brought in with the floors and furniture. As you can see in the mirror, the other walls got left the neutral color.

And a better view into the dining area. Tim knows I don’t care for his choice in entertainment centers, but it’s moving to the basement once that’s finished and a new chair will go there.

View from next to the fireplace. I’m still deciding if I should carry the blue paint onto another wall [perhaps the back one with the big window and the door the backyard], but I’m not quite sold on it yet. That back wall carries into the kitchen, so we would have to keep that in mind when we finally get around to doing something with the kitchen.

Blue tape you might ask? Well, Tim’s dad is building us a small entry table to go there and I was measuring the space for a clock. I’ve always wanted a big clock, so I was seeing if one would A) fit there and B) look good. Tim says no, I say maybe…

Another view from the dining room. We don’t have a lot of seating [or room for seating] so the short-term solution is the black chair in the corner. It sticks out like a sore thumb and will be gone in the future…hopefully. I’ve also thought about putting the blue on the wall behind the couch [as opposed to the one behind me.]

A little close-up action of a couple prints I made and framed hanging in the dining room area. The one on the left is composed of streets here in Saint Louis that all have a significant meaning to Tim and myself, except Tim pointed out the fact that I forgot to put the current street we live on. Oops…

So there’s still a small amount of loving to give to this area, but everything takes time [not to mention money]. But! I got the office painted, a chair ordered, and Tim found a map. The basement has also been getting a little bit of lovin’ this weekend too! Tim tore down the last of the paneling and got the dry-lock on the cement walls. Next weekend is moving of gas and electric lines…oh dear. Let’s hope the house doesn’t blow up!

—m.