One of my goals this year has been to work through the house room by room to make each space more organized and functional. I’ve been planning improvements for rooms like the family room, master closet, office, and a craft closet. One room, though, has been more of a slow puzzle for me and has remained “in process” for about three years.
A couple of years ago I realized our formal living room didn’t work for the way we live. I removed the usual furniture and began reimagining it as a useful gathering area since it opens to the entry. The goal was to make it feel welcoming and practical rather than purely decorative.
I also wanted the space to support the small adjacent dining room. When we host larger groups, it’s helpful to have overflow seating or a place to spread out. As I’ve been brightening and casualizing the dining room, the changes naturally affected the living room. With connected rooms, flow and proportion require thoughtful planning.
At one point I tried moving the dining table into the living room to see how it might work, but the tall ceiling made it feel awkward as a dining space. I also ruled out using the room as a craft room or office because it would likely become cluttered, and no one wants that visible from the entry. Ultimately, we decided to treat the space as a small sitting area between the entry and dining room.
You might remember how this room has evolved since we moved in. When we bought the house it looked very different and needed a lot of work. After painting and other updates, the space gradually began to come together.
A few years ago we took a major step and replaced the worn carpet with natural hickory hardwood. The floors made a huge difference in the way the whole first floor felt. The rooms flow better now, and hardwood is much easier to care for than carpet.
One challenge in this house is the limited closet space on the main floor and the lack of built-ins. While the kitchen and pantry store everyday items well, I wanted additional storage near the entry and living room for serving pieces, pitchers and books. Instead of investing in custom built-ins, I searched for a freestanding cabinet that would be tall and long enough to make a statement under the small windows, yet not so deep that it would overwhelm the narrow room.
I looked everywhere — flea markets, consignment shops, and online retailers — but couldn’t find the right piece that combined size, sturdiness and the style I wanted. Finally, I spotted a cabinet from Restoration Hardware that fit the bill. I photoshopped it into the wall to visualize the scale, and knew it was the one. I rarely buy large new furniture, but this cabinet was exactly what the room needed, so I ordered it and am eager for it to arrive.
Beyond the cabinet, I’m dreaming of adding a white planked feature wall across the three-window wall while keeping the rest of the room in Studio Taupe, refreshing the ceiling with white wood, and installing a new light fixture or possibly a ceiling fan. I love the white-and-wood aesthetic and want the small sitting area to feel bright and cohesive with the rest of the home.
I’m counting down the days until the cabinet is delivered and hope the plank wall will be next on the to-do list. It feels good to slowly transform this awkward, in-between space into a purposeful corner of the house.
Do you repurpose or reimagine spaces in your home?
Don’t forget that my Joss and Main sale is ending soon — there are some great pieces at remarkable prices, so it’s worth taking a look if you’re shopping for updates.