The finished remodel.
Those of you who follow me on social media know that I have been very busy remodeling my living room for the past two months. Let me tell you, it was definitely time! The last time we bought new furniture was in 2005 and it was definitely starting to show in the condition of our couches and our tables. It had gotten to the point, towards the end of Spring that I just couldn’t take it anymore. The living room had gotten so cluttered and run-down that it was starting to make me psychologically ill. What I mean by that is that I would just dread walking into the room at all.
Checking out flooring options…
My first thought was that I was going to have to find someone to come and paint. I realize that many people paint their own homes and I actually painted this room almost seven years ago. The truth is that I hated painting and it was a big job for me to do alone even though Hubby helped me paint the areas I couldn’t reach and finished the edges around the ceiling. Since I had painted the walls yellow, I decided that I would have the room painted white because I wanted a clean look.
Installing the Wood Laminate Flooring…
Believe it or not, social media and word of mouth counts for a lot when it comes to finding affordable painters. A friend of mine from high school, referred me to an old co-worker of hers who is in the Painter’s Union and he agreed to come out and give me an estimate. After he came out to our home, we agreed that he could get the job done in one day and he came on a Saturday morning with his assistant and painted the whole living room.
Working with the interior designer in the furniture store…
After I arranged for the painting to be done, I knew that the next issue to tackle would be getting the floors done. When we moved into the house the living room was carpeted and we had removed that after a few years and replaced them with vinyl sticky tiles. Clearly, that was the cheapest flooring option for us at the time but you get what you pay for so they were starting to come up due to being in such a high traffic area. I knew that going the cheap route would not be an option this time so made an appointment with a flooring company whose commercials I always see on television to have them send someone over for a flooring consultation.
Some of the wall art I chose for the remodel…
Let me be frank, having the floor done by this company was probably not the most affordable option and you could probably have a local flooring store in your area install yours at a much more reasonable rate. However, due to the fact that I have a full-time career and run a business along with raising a family, the fact that they promised to have the entire floor installed in only one day was very appealing and convenient for us.
Unfortunately, I had to pay them extra money to remove the nearly four layers of flooring that was on my floor from over the years but it was definitely worth it. Not only did they install the floor in one day, as promised, but they did a beautiful job and I get compliments regularly about how beautiful the floor is.
The finished floor…
Once the painting and flooring was completed, I set out to buy a new living room set. My husband and I agreed that we wanted a sectional this time and we visited a few stores before we settled on the perfect one. We purchased our set and paid a little extra for insurance that covers each piece for the next five years.
It’s just my humble opinion but I think this is well worth the additional cost of not having to worry every time the kids throw themselves on the couch or the dog jumps up on it. The furniture store we visited even had an interior designer on staff who helped us choose wall art to match our furniture. All in all, the entire process was quick and painless which is exactly how this Working Mom likes it.
My new computer armoire/office closes discreetly and is space efficient.
As you can see, this remodel was a process and it had to be completed in steps. If you are planning a living room remodel in your own home, here are some things that you should consider before you begin the project:
- What is your redecorating budget and what is your absolute limit that you will not spend over?
- When are you available to stay home to supervise the work that is being done by painters and contractors?
- What are the dimensions of your living room and how much furniture can realistically fit in it?
- What kind of furniture will you need to withstand wear and tear if you have children or pets?
- Who do you know that can put you in contact with affordable and professional contractors who are licensed and know what they are doing?
- What is the time limit for your remodel and is it reasonable for you to expect all the work to be done within that time?
An entry bench that the kids can sit on to play video games…
Honestly, we are still not entirely done with our living room. I still have some wall art that I want Hubby to put up and I’m still debating how I want to display picture frames since I don’t want to clutter the walls. However, I consider it to be a beautiful space now and I feel happy and comfortable in it. No longer do I dread walking into the room and seeing all the tattered furniture and the clutter. The kids are happier and more comfortable in the space now too, which is extremely important to me. Now, on to redecorating the kids’ room. Stay tuned…
Candle Lanterns and crocheted doilies to add the finishing touches…
Let’s Discuss: What room in your home would you like to remodel and what is your vision for how you would transform that room?
© 2014, Tough Cookie Mommy. All rights reserved.
I love the new flooring Maria!! It looks so fresh now.
When we moved into our house, I wanted wood look floors in my Hubs Den. He opted for carpeting and is now sorry he did. One day, we will probably remove it and go for the Pergo flooring, but not right now.
I would love to re-do my dining room. I need some brighter furniture and maybe a nice area rug.
I love how your living room turned and your tips are perfect. i am have been wanting to replace my sofa and paint for a long time. I have to do it in steps because as much as I would love to replace the wood floors that is major expense and because I live in an apartment I would have to stay in a hotel to so they do it all at once. Enjoy your new digs.
What a wonderful remodel, I was one who followed along and love how you transformed your space. Personally, I would like to re-do the master bedroom and master bath, but we had the house built in 1992, so I am ready to downsize and move. I want something smaller and less expensive to maintain. Have a great weekend.
I love what you did – I am obsessed with metal wall art.
It looks great, I love the colors that you used. I can not wait until we get our new home so I can start decorating.
The new living room looks great. It must have been nice to get it all done so quickly.
It’s looking fantastic! And I am dying laughing over here because I have that lantern and a smaller one just like it in MY living room!!! LOL
I would love to remodel my attic. Right now it’s just being used as storage space but I see so much potential. A home office & playroom on one side and then the other side still for storage. Luckily for me, my s/o can see it too!
The flooring is gorgeous! I bet you are truly enjoying your new space now, looks lovely! Our whole house could use a good sprucing up, but I would most like to remodel the kitchen.
Every thing is so pretty and I really like the rug and the metal wall art. I have something like that in an arch form in my living room. I also LOVE the floors.
The flooring looks fabulous! Remodeling takes patience, due diligence and a budget. My sister and I did recently completed remodeling work to our rental property. Thank you for sharing your experience and excellent tips!
Your room looks so good. I live in a fixer-upper so I want to re-do…everything. It’s not my idea of fun at all!
Your living room looks so modern. I love it! We are buying a new house in spring, so these tips will come in handy.
I just redid my office myself but I wish I could redo our bedroom or at least buy new beddings.
I need to remodel EVERY room in my house! The kitchen would be my first pick, but I’d love to do the living room too.
Love that striped rug too. I would love to get organized like you. My living room needs help.
I would love to remodel my whole house…starting with the kitchen. It’s a rental though, so that’s not going to happen! lol Your living room looks lovely!
Your living room looks clean, fresh and inviting. I love the personal touches like the iron wall art and lantern. I really like your choice of color on your floors. Great job!
Looks great. I am trying to figure out a way to organize my bonus room up above the garage.
I’m considering pulling up all the carpet in my house and laying wood floor.
It looks amazing! Love those floors. Hmmm…I think I need to first get my own place before thinking of remodeling.
Beautiful! Great questions to ask before starting. Your floor looks gorgeous.
I actually love my living room how it is. My bedroom, on the other hand, is a disaster and needs all the help it can get!
The floors look great! hardwood always add such a richness to a room.
You did a great job and I love your choices. I love the color of the floor that you chose. We just finished our family room a year ago and did a major kitchen remodel and living room this past spring. Next up is our bedroom and bathroom but will probably wait until next spring.
Those were awesome tips and ideas – you did great!
I’d love to get wood flooring instead of carpet. Everything here looks really great!
Your remodel looks great! I’d love to start with our living room/dining room area since that’s where we spend a lot of time. Next would be the master bedroom.
I love it, the room looks great. awesome job
I like what you have done with it. I feel like I’m living in the 90s in my living room 🙂
You actually did a great job on your own. I would really love to redo my living room as well. My furniture is 3 years old but with kids and pets I think its time for a do-over. I also want to replace my carpet which has gotten so many spills but have to shop around like you said.
You’re living room looks great! I love the little finishing touches you added too, like the candle lantern. I’d love to have those in my home as well as a sectional sofa.
Thanks for sharing. I am moving into a new house next week and in the process of deciding what to do decor wise,
I’d like to remodel our bathroom at some point. I want a beachy theme for sure 🙂
I’d love to remodel my home, but we live in an apartment, so we can’t do much. Hopefully in the future we can get a house! Whar I don’t like right now, it’s the floor, or should I say the carpet. I prefer hardwook floor or tile.
I just redid my bedroom and love it. It’s always nice to update even if it is a few throw pillows and candles. Love the new look! You made some great picks!