An online lifestyle magazine for Christian women
In the past, I have shared a tour of my living room. I honestly loved the way the room was decorated at the time, and I hoped to keep it that way. But as my daughter became more mobile, I started to realize some issues with the layout. My gorgeous blue buffet table was right up against the couch, so my daughter would climb from the couch onto the table. Anything that I placed on top of the buffet was within her reach to grab.
After realizing that my layout wasn’t going to work, I had to make some changes. It was difficult – I loved my blue buffet table. I didn’t get rid of it, but I did move it to my bedroom as a dresser for the time being. For a period of time, I placed a blue chair and a half in that spot. I didn’t love the way it looked in the space, but we did benefit from having extra seating. This got me thinking about creative solutions to give us an extra chair without it being so bulky.
My daughter had an Ikea Kallax shelf in her closet. One day it occurred to me – this might be a great piece to put in the living room. It would be able to store her toys, and it is tall enough that I wouldn’t worry about her grabbing items off of the top of it. On a trip to Ikea, I also fell in love with a beige wingback chair. It is pretty compact for a chair and ottoman set. The high back allows one to lean back comfortably.
So I sold my chair and a half – it was bittersweet, because this was one of my first big furniture purchases for my first solo apartment. But it no longer fit my style or space. After I made the change, I was so happy. Although I still miss the statement that my blue buffet made, this new layout is practical and made me feel at ease in my living room again.
I managed to still keep my curio cabinet. At first I planned to get rid of it, but after living with it behind the chair, I decided to keep it. I like that there’s still a protected place for me to display all of my fragile home décor finds. The one thing I didn’t like about this curio was the mirror. So I thrifted some very thick, nice wallpaper and covered the mirror with it. I did this using my Gorilla hot glue gun. It has a sturdy enough hold, but I will be able to remove it if I ever change my mind.
Another little area that I had to redo was the black floating shelf under a framed canvas wedding photo. Alexa was able to reach this little shelf, so I could no longer display any fragile items. I ended up crafting a vase from a round cardboard container and some velvet ribbon. I filled it with faux florals. I also placed a small jewelry box and my vintage brass fan. Now, if Lexi decides to grab items from this shelf, nothing is breakable.
Another change from the last time I showcased my living room is that I exchanged a small console table for a secretary desk. This offered me so much more storage than the previous table! Plus, it used to belong to my grandmother, so it holds sentimental value. On top of this table I have a faux orchid, some seasonal bunny décor, and a family heirloom pocketwatch. I also replaced the curtain in the doorway with a pink velvet one.
Still on display in this room are the Turkish pillows I found on Etsy. I recently swapped some of them out for a lighter pink color. I also still have my black and gold framed floral pieces, and a small collection of plates.
As we go through life, our homes have to evolve to meet the needs of that season of life. I hope this tour inspires you to embrace the season you are in. For me right now, that means accepting the toys and protecting my collection of glassware from little hands.
Lauren Magazine is an online lifestyle magazine for Christian women.
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