When Erin and her husband Ben sent their before-and-after photos, we were excited to share the results. Here’s the note they included:
I read your blog every day and love your style, your thriftiness, and your wit! My husband and I have lived in a 1925 Arts & Crafts bungalow for almost two years, and have been making it our own one room at a time. After three and a half long months with our entire first floor in total disarray, we finally finished our family room project and wanted to share the before and after photos. We are really proud of our handiwork and thrilled to relax in our new space — we’re taking a short break before our next big project. It was long and hard, but we removed the old built-ins and built new ones, stripped the original oak woodwork, and tiled the fireplace with ledgestone veneer over the course of about 70–80 hours (we lost count after a while). Thanks so much for letting us show it off! Sincerely, Erin & Ben
Here’s the room before their makeover:
And here it is now in its beautiful after state:
For readers who asked about finishes and furnishings, here is the source list provided by Erin and Ben: fireplace ledgestone veneer: Dutch Quality Natural Blend Ledgestone from a local dealer; paint: Valspar Martha Stewart Signature Barn Door Red and Valspar Churchill Hotel Wheat; window treatments: Levolor real wood blinds from Lowe’s; curtains: Pier 1; leaning media center: Crate & Barrel; overhead lighting: Two-Tier Round Chandelier from Restoration Hardware; bookshelf lighting: IKEA; sofa: Crate & Barrel; chairs: IKEA; coffee table: Crate & Barrel; red side table: Target; rug: carpet remnant from a local warehouse sale; pillows: Crate & Barrel.
The transformation is seriously impressive, especially considering how much of the work Erin and Ben did themselves. The new built-ins and the stunning stone fireplace give the room warmth and character while the updated paint and furnishings keep the space fresh and livable. Thanks to Erin and Ben for sharing their before-and-after photos — we hope they enjoy relaxing in their updated family room before tackling the next project.