It has been quite some time since I last shared our living room here on the blog. There have definitely been some changes since its last feature post in November of 2014 and I decided it was about time for another living room tour!
Just for fun, here’s what the room looked like when we moved in three years ago (after I scraped off the popcorn ceilings):
What a huge difference mainly cosmetic changes made – I redid the ceilings (easier said than done), painted the front door, painted the walls (twice), did a little surgery on the stairway banister and painted it black… And of course, filled the room up with almost entirely thrift store and Craigslist finds!
I hesitate to ever call a room ‘done’, because I’m just a perpetual decorator – new finds spark new ideas, tweaks, and overhauls – but I’m pretty darn happy with the state of this room right now.
It’s not at all what I envisioned when I first started working on it three years ago (sun-soaked white walls), but it feels like it finally came into its own – mainly thanks to a few elements that fell into place after a lot of patience and waiting. (Hello fiddle leaf fig!)
So welcome to my gathered home…
*Today’s post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I may receive a small commission. You can read my full disclosure here. I hope you all know by now that I do only share things I really truly love!
Let’s start at the front door:
Projects:
- Wall Color: Behr “Sage Gray”
- Black & White Front Door
- DIY Black & Copper “Hello” Sign
- DIY Malachite Curtains
Finds:
- Baxter the Boston Terrier Statue: Thrifted
- Vintage Post Office Box: Craigslist
- Vintage Federal Eagle Mirror: Thrifted, similar here
- Brass House Key Hook: Thrifted, similar here
- Leaf Vase: Thrifted
- Vintage Lamp: Thrifted
- Books: Mainly vintage/thrifted
Details:
To your right as you walk in:
Project:
- Banister Makeover
- Framed Fabric (Waverly Spring Bling)
- Vintage Entomology Print Pillows
Finds:
- Yellow lamps: Thrifted
- Glass console table: Craigslist
- Green glass plate: a gift from Cassie
- Black and white geometric pillows: Hobby Lobby
- Sand art: a gift from my mom; similar here
- Faux succulents & moss rocks: Hobby Lobby
Details:
To your left:
Projects:
Finds:
- Stark leopard rug: Craiglist
- Emerald velvet sofa: Thrifted
- Lucite coffee table: Thrifted
- Brass Mid-Century floor lamp: Craigslist
- Needlepoint pillow: Thrifted
- Leopard pillow: West Elm, no longer available
- Vintage French sideboard: Craigslist
- Vintage ceramic zebra: eBay
- Wooden hand: Craigslist; similar here
- Brass antelopes on sideboard: Thrifted, similar here
- Moroccan leather floor pouf: Thrifted, similar here
- Brad Pitt pillow: Society6
- Faux fiddle leaf fig: Craigslist, similar here
Details:
I hope you enjoyed today’s living room tour!
It just makes me so happy to see the way things have fallen into place over the years. Thanks to patience, serendipity, and a lot of treasure hunting, I’ve been able to furnish the room with things I love very affordably.
In fact, as I’ve bought and sold furniture pieces over the years, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve decorated our living room at a profit. I’ve bought vintage pieces, tried them out in the room for a little while (like this coffee table… and this one), and then sold them at a profit to make room for new finds. And being a couch floozy has really paid off, as a few sofa flips covered the entire room and then some!
If I could share one encouragement for gathering a room in this manner, it would be this:
Work with what you find!
For example, I know for a fact that I would never ever have gone looking for a leopard rug. I was looking for a rug, it’s true, but I was open to all sorts of patterns – I spotted this one on Craigslist for a song and decided to try out this radical new styling element… And now it’s one of my absolute favorite things!
I searched and searched for a bargain Mid Century credenza for months. I could picture exactly what I wanted… needed. And yet one never turned up at a price I could afford.
When I spotted my vintage French sideboard on Craigslist (at $250, my most expensive furniture purchase to date), it didn’t fit the bill in any way, yet I found myself drawn to it. I turned it around in my mind, trying it out in the room, and fell even more in love with it than I think I would be with my “dream” rosewood credenza (but don’t test me on that.)
Of course, there are some things I searched for and finally found, like my beloved vintage zebra statue and faux fiddle leaf fig – so persistence can absolutely pay off as well!
But I truly truly value the fact that an extremely tight budget has forced me to be creative in this house, both with DIY projects and gathered finds. The fact is, I simply can’t afford to go out and buy retail most of the time, but I won’t let that keep me from having a home that I love and I am downright thankful that slim funds have helped me discover the joys of gathering!
And that’s what I want to encourage you with today: I absolutely believe that you can create a beautiful space that you love on a tiny budget by finding beauty in gathered things!
you have done so much to that space to add personality and make it just gorgeous! love your mix of finds and colors.
Thank you Cassie! This whole reincarnation of the room started with your Fall in Love challenge… So basically it’s all thanks to you! 😀
Looks so good. I can’t believe you found that fiddle leaf fig on Craigslist! Genius! I think I have a new saved search to make. Your house is beautiful!
Aw, thank you Jessica! I was so surprised to find that fiddle leaf fig too – I’ve tried looking before with no luck but typed it in on a whim a few weeks ago and just couldn’t respond to the posting quickly enough! 🙂 I kill EVERY plant ever, so I’m thrilled I can never kill this one!
looks gorgeous & I am so envious of your zebra. Here’s hoping I find one in the U.K.
Thank you Alison! I searched eBay daily for several months – here’s wishing you great luck finding one of your own!
It looks great! What an awesome transformation.
Thank you so much Erin! I blog from the couch (my “office”, haha) and I’m so happy with the way this room turned out – I love spending so much time in here now!
LOVE this room! I’d seen little vignettes before but not the whole thing, and it is so so good. Don’t even know where to start with it! The greens, the chair, the lucite table, the BRAD PITT. Splendid!
That lets you know what a lazy blogger I am – it’s easy to snap little vignette shots and shove the mess over to the other side of the room just out of the frame. I actually had to do a 360-degree clean up of the space for this post, haha, so it took a while!
I think you hit on my favorite elements in the room too… I really do think that Brad Pitt pillow was the finishing touch.
P.S. The way he’s looking in that chair, it’s like he’s always watching tv with us. And when I’m home alone, he watches Gilmore Girls with me. Don’t be too jealous 😉
Absolutely amazing! Love every detail!
Thank you so much Alice! It’s so fun for me to see all my beloved finds finally come together!
So good Brynne! Being an avid thrifter I find I have become a picky retail shopper. Half the time I don’t even want retail. The gathered home is so much more personal and definitely more original. This space is the perfect example of that. Well done!
Thank you Maggie! I’m so in agreement with you there, fellow kindred spirit gatherer.
We went to an enormous recently opened interiors store and I just couldn’t believe the prices for the quality – I’ve found such wonderfully made pieces at such great prices that I don’t know that I’d change much even if I could afford to! And the hipster in me always LOVES the unique aspect of vintage finds 😉
Sigh. I love your living room so much! Have I seen the boston terrier before?! LOVE him!!
Thank you Gretchen! Baxter hails all the way back to our second week ever of Thrift Score Thursday and may have made an appearance or two since then… But yeah, he’s a fun little (or not so little) find, isn’t he? No regrets on that Goodwill purchase 😀
Brynne, this is so gorgeous!! I have pined for a mirror like that for ages but they are all SO EXPENSIVE around here.
Thank you so much, Jennifer! I looked for one for ages too – I came very close to spending a decent amount on one on Craigslist but just couldn’t pull the trigger. And then one day I just walked into Goodwill literally as they were placing this on the shelf! It’s actually some sort of plastic/composite, not gilded wood or anything like the more sought-after versions, but I’m pretty happy with it! 🙂
I love the final outcome of your living room and that lamp by the door is GORGEOUS!
Thank you Jessica! It’s been a long time coming and for a while I knew there were pieces missing but I couldn’t quite figure it out… I’m so happy now! That lamp by the door was a very early thrift store find for me – funny enough, before I had developed such a love affair with the color green – and my first time trying anything electrical as I rewired it!
I am in love with your living room — and probably the rest of the house if I saw it. It proves my point that the best style does not involve gobs of money , but it does take patience in waiting until you find what you’re looking for — at the right price point. AND THAT IS TOUGH !
I had nearly given up on Craigslist in my area but you have renewed my hope.
As a side note, Brynne, you must be the coolest cat in your neighborhood. Between , the Fight Club references and the foyer copper, you had me at ” H E L L O “.
Aw, thank you so much Diane! I so agree – patience is the most important part and probably the most valuable “find” I’ve acquired on this journey!
I know Craigslist can be hit or miss in many areas, but I’m wishing you lots of luck on yours!
And anyone who shares my love of Fight Club and copper is an instant friend! 😀
Absolutely LOVE this space – it just oozes with personality and it’s just so wonderfully eclectic! I adore your rug and I really REALLY might come all the way over the pond to swoop in and steal your zebra. You’ve been warned. xxx
Thank you sweet girl! It is so nice to finally be satisfied with the room! I know I’ll want to change out certain accents/pillows/details, but I’m very happy with the overall space for once! 😀
I’m dying over the zebra and Brad Pitt. Love all your details. Your room looks great!
Thank you Kristen! Xanthippe the zebra and Brad Pillow just might be my two favorite additions to the room! 😉