Neutral Living Room Inspiration. How I updated my early 2000s living room on a budget
I am so excited to write this post.
Why?
Because I needed to give our family room a much needed glow up.
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When we first moved into our house, the majority of our walls were painted dark brown.
With glitter.
Yes, there was glitter in the paint.
Don’t ask
This picture was taken the week we moved in
Here we are today.
I just love a good before and after.
But there was an in between phase from the the dark glitter brown and the two toned family room I have now.
I immediately painted the family room as quickly as I could when we moved in. At the time, I painted the walls Silver Drop by Behr. I left the bookshelves and trim white, as most normal people do.
Over time, the bookshelves and mantel started to take a beating and needed a good coat of paint on them
I knew it was now or never if I wanted to add some color to my bookshelves.
And while I did love Silver Drop on my walls, I was ready for a change on the walls too.
And when I am ready for a change, there is no stopping me.
I wasted no time
I like to say my family room is all grown up now.
I cannot tell you what a good coat of paint can do to a space.
I went out of my comfort zone and painted my trim an accent color. I just knew it was something I wanted to try and I am so glad I did.
It took a few days for me to adjust but I love it.
Paint is such a powerful tool
And it’s paint….if you screw up, just paint it again!
Let’s address some frequently asked questions
Just kidding, no one asked these questions but let’s pretend you did
What Color Is Your Trim and Walls?
Great question, thank you for asking…
My walls are Greek Villa by Sherwin Williams, I actually wrote a whole blog post about Greek Villa if you care to read it.
The bookshelves, mantel and window trim is color matched to Kensington Taupe from Jean Stoffer’s cabinetry line.
Here is the formula for anyone interested
It is similar in color to Behr Wheat Bread if you are scared of color matching. Behr Wheat Bread is a tad bit darker. Accessible Beige is another great option
I’m actually considering painting a few interior doors Wheat Bread just to see the difference.
Is that weird?
But with any paint color, please get a sample and test it out in your space. You can buy a sample of Kensingston Taupe from Jean Stoffer’s website.
Beige and taupe colors are very tricky and have crazy undertones so always test your paint color
What other updates did you make?
Another great question.
Let’s just make a list, shall we
Peel and Stick Fireplace Surround
One of the first DIY projects I did in this room was adding peel and stick tile to my fireplace surround. I will have to say that after 5 years, I think it’s about time to maybe address this situation.
This project is on the do list in the near future but for now, these stickers are still holding on.
Actually, just as I was typing this an idea just popped into my head
Stay tuned
Faux Marble
I couldn’t put the peel and stick tile on my floor tiles so I just painted my old floor tiles to look like marble
And it worked pretty darn well
Molding above fireplace
A newer little project I did was adding box molding to the wall above my fireplace
Mirror//Coffee Table//Rug//Bamboo Blinds
This is such an easy DIY project.
I know DIY projects that involve tools can intimidate some but please don’t let it.
I’ll eventually write a blog post about how I did this box molding. Until then, I used the same technique as I did in my dining room when I added box molding in there.
New Faux Sconces
I always say lighting is so important in every room and I really mean it.
Even when the lighting is fake.
Back in the day, us bloggers had to make our own fake sconces with puck lights
Times have changed and you can find rechargeable sconces these days now. I almost ordered a pair
But I really liked the shape of these sconces and decided to just add my own rechargeable bulb to it. Easy Peasy
I used these rechargeable lights and so far they are holding their charge pretty well.
Hung new drapes (that are so flipping affordable)
Adding window treatments and blinds to any window instantly adds a layer of texture and coziness,
You’ll rarely find a bare window in my house.
I used my favorite curtains for this room and they are so affordable. I did the lined version of my favorite curtains for this space. Since the curtains were heavier I was able to get away with one panel on each side of the window.
I usually suggest two panels are larger windows but feel free to cheat this time.
I have these bamboo blinds on my smaller windows.
Added hardware to my bookshelves
Sometimes it’s the littlest of things and for me, my favorite transformation are these bookshelves
Yes, I painted them but adding knobs and pulls to them just really made them look all grown up.
I’m in the process of writing a whole blog post on how to decorate bookshelves because I know how intimidating it can be. But for now, here is a picture of my bookshelves currently.
You can see my favorite bookshelf decor here.
That’s a wrap. The biggest take away here is that paint is a wonderful thing and it doesn’t take much to update your home on a budget.
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook if you want to see more of my DIY projects and affordable finds.
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