Living Room Reveal

Living Room ShelfI am seriously grinning ear-to-ear with happiness, the living room is finally finished!! This room has been slowly evolving ever since we moved in. From refinishing the floors, the fireplace demo / rebuild, updating the windows and front door, installing lots of trim, adding lighting, and a ton of paint… this space is hardly recognizable. Click through for the entire tour and a crazy transformation! It’s a long post, but trust me when I say- it’s a good one.

Room for Tuesday Living Room RevealSince there are SO many images and tons of content, I’m going to break the living room posts up. I’ll share alllllll of the resource links and paint colors tomorrow! There will be a post solely devoted to the fireplace and my trip to Georgia to find that amazing marble slab. I’m also working on a shelf styling post for next week, so be sure to check back for all of those!

Ok- so here’s what we were working with… remember this wayyyy back when?

Before ImageThese before images were taken for the real estate listing, so they make it look ever better (and bigger) than it did in person.

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Custom Built-In ShelvingQuite the difference, right? It’s amazing what the updated fireplace and built-in shelving did for the focal wall! I’ll talk more about the fireplace in an individual post, but Emmett worked really hard on building this, and I’m so in love with how it turned out.

Fireplace Details

Custom FireplaceThis entire wall was a dream to style. I absolutely loved adding our treasures, objects, and artwork to the space. I actually sketched and painted most of the artwork in this space myself. You can read all about the art right here!

Figure Drawing on MantleThis room is actually on the small side for a living room. It’s smaller than our old living space, but more functional in terms of the layout. The only real floor planning challenge was the entryway. This is the main entrance into our home, and the one we use every single day. That means we needed a clear traffic path, a place to drop mail / keys, a door mat or durable rug, and hooks. I tried to cram all of that into the space without it feeling forced, and surprisingly- it’s one of my favorite vignettes.

Interior Entryway

Burl Credenza in EntrywayI usually drop my keys and sunglasses in the cool vintage hand, and Emmett drops his in the ceramic dish.

Entrway Vignette

Styled BooksWe also keep an umbrella holder close by the front door. I’m sure we’ll trade things out once the Utah winter arrives… maybe a snow boot tray where the umbrella currently lives?

Umbrella in HolderBelieve it or not, the living room had zero lighting when we moved in. Yes, there is a ginormous window that provides adequate natural light during the day, but at night- it was a real struggle there for awhile. Rather than adding overhead lights or flush mount fixtures, we opted for an oversized wall sconce and a few art / gallery lights. Why? First of all, the ceiling height is standard. There’s not a ton of room for a statement light fixture.

I also think sconces and soft lighting make the room feel cozy- as a living room should. I think it look and feels better balanced this way. This hinged arm wall sconce also swings from side to side, making it ideal and functional for the sectional. It also came with a diffuser that gives it a nice, soft glow in the evenings.

Hinge Arm Wall SconceMoving onto the seating area… people think we’re crazy for having a WHITE sofa with two dogs (who are allowed up), and for getting a sectional (bachelor pad style). Here’s the thing… we love our dogs, they make us happy, and we enjoy cuddling with them. That’s why slipcovers were invented! I wash the sofa once every month or so and it always goes right back to looking brand new. It’s also been tested by our nieces and nephews. I’ve even spilled red wine on the thing- no harm done. We do love using blankets and throws, so when the dogs come up, we usually toss one underneath them to keep it neat.

WFT and Giant Schnauzer

White Slipcovered SofaIn regards to the sectional… I pick my battles. Emmett begged for a sectional and it actually fit the space best anyway. The living room is pretty narrow, and the sectional accommodates the most amount of seating given the floor plan. Marriage is about compromise, right? I actually like the way it looks, but enjoy the size and comfort level even more so!

White Sofa in Living Room

Sarah Gibson Living RoomIn regards to the material, the slipcover fabric is actually denim. I know what you’re thinking… a vision of your favorite bluejeans just popped into your head. Yes, there is white denim, and no… it does not have any sort of lined texture. Denim is incredibly durable and resistant to shrinking, so it was an easy decision. I also like that it looks relaxed and casual. I love the look of linen or cotton, and this has the exact same effect, but with better durability.

Side Table by Sofa

White Sectional

Coffee Table StylingI kept the coffee table styling pretty simple and practical this time around. I always burn candles at night, so I left out one of my favorites- along with some matches I stuck into a pretty votive vase. Solid stacked books occupy most of the coffee table to fill the negative space. I keep books out for visitors to flip through (good conversation starters) and in case Emmett has food out… he knows the books are for piling things like that (they protect the table). Speaking of- coasters are a must. I’ve already had to remove one ring stain from this vintage table. Luckily- readers shared their tricks and remedies, which totally worked.

Horn Coasters

Finished Living Room

Coffee Table BookSo, to wrap things up, I actually have a confession. The living room isn’t totally finished. Short term, we still have to paint the ceiling and do a little bit more electrical. When the kitchen renovation happens at the end of the year, we’re also going to widen the door way- it’s going to be a beautiful arched entry into the kitchen from the living room. After the doorway is cut out and opened up, we can finished adding trim and panel moulding. Panel moulding has tremendously helped our master bedroom and guest room, so it sort of killed me to post the living room reveal before it was installed. It just didn’t make sense to wait because everything else is pretty much done, but look for the updates later on!

I suppose it’s also worth noting, we’d like to upgrade our dinosaur TV eventually. That thing has been around for over a decade and we enjoyed it’s top of the line technology back in college. Sadly, it’s pretty outdated and heavy, but all in good time!

Living Room ShelfI’ll be sharing all of the sources tomorrow, and remember- the fireplace and shelf styling are getting their own posts as well! I’m happy to answer any non-product related questions in the comments below. As always, I love hearing your feedback!

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with some of my favorite companies: Metrie, House of Troy, Alice Lane, Coveted Home, Polycor, and Ellis Stone. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that allow us to create unique content while featuring products we truly use and enjoy!

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57 Comments

  1. Absolutely killed it again Sarah! I always look to your style esthetic for inspiration in my own home.

    1. Thank you so much!! That absolutely means the world to me. xo

  2. Kim @ Yellow Brick Home says:

    This is beautiful. Can’t wait for more info on the sources! That coffee table finish might be my favorite – or maybe the green wall – or maybe the marble? It’s ALL GOOD.

    1. Thank you SO much, Kim! Such a giant compliment coming from you. xox

  3. Love it! you did a beautiful job! Could you tell me about the black trim around the windows? I’d love to paint mine, but not sure if the “material” of the window is paintable…. thanks for any advice.

    1. Thanks so much, Jen! The windows are actually new, and we purchased black framed windows (rather than painting). Painting is totally doable if your windows are wood. I painted the windows in our previous home. Hope this helps! xo

  4. Leah Prevost says:

    AMAZING!!!!!! I saved just about every picture haha! You and Emmett seriously kick ass.

    1. Ha :) You made my day!!! … let’s get real- probably my week. Thanks so much, Leah! xox

  5. Elizabeth says:

    So gorgeous!! Love the before and after!

    1. Thanks so much, Elizabeth! xox

  6. This is so beautiful, Sarah! I especially love that focal wall. The green paint is an unexpected color and I think it pairs so nicely with the marble. And thanks for being honest about your seating options. We also love to have our pup and cat on the couches (really didn’t have much of a choice with the kitty). I’ve been looking around for options for slipcovers for a possible future change, and I wouldn’t have dreamed that denim would be an option. What a great idea!

    1. Thank you, Robyn! We definitely wanted the living room to be comfortable and functional- above all else. Even if that meant a slipcovered sectional. This is where we spend the majority of our time! Definitely look into a denim slipcover- it’s a great alternative. xo

  7. Love what you’ve done with the space. You’ve given me some great ideas for ours. Seriously wanting to do some redecorating to update the look, especially in the living room. I can’t believe Finn hasn’t knocked over the pedestal at the end of the sectional. That would have been Thor’s first goal.

    1. Ha! I HAD to make sure it was dog proof. That thing seriously weighs about 500 pounds. He bumped it and it didn’t even budget. I was shocked! haha

  8. Beautiful!

    I saw that hand sculpture on IG somewhere and noticed you liked the post, too. What a cool piece! So is that horse painting! Looking forward to seeing the sources.

    1. Thank you! That’s the only one I’ve ever seen… I found it at a local thrift shop a couple years back. The horse painting was from one of my high school friends for photographing her wedding. It’s a portrait of Emmett’s childhood horse (who is still living) named Derby!

  9. Sarah, I just love every room reveal you post! I love your simplicity, how you have carried a bit of that green you love in every room I remember seeing. I love the rug and look forward to your posts with sources of all you used. As a matter of fact, I am forwarding this post to my daughter who is looking to update a similarly laid out living room, and I think she will love it too!

    1. Thank you so much, Linda! I hope your daughter can also find some inspiration. Good luck to her with her own living room update. Thanks again! xo

  10. That olive color is fabulous.

    1. Thank you! Sherwin Williams Olive Grove.

  11. Marti | Project Palermo says:

    This is beautiful! Super impressed you knocked out this room AND your yard in one summer. Beast mode!

    1. Thanks so much, Marti! Ha! I thought I would be fit by now with all of these physically demanding projects. lol! xo

  12. Maren Buck says:

    I really love this room! It feels unique, interesting and curated! I sometimes feel like the internet gets bombarded with really similar-feeling fireplaces and yours feels unique and original!! Mind blown, as usual :)

    1. Thank you so much, Maren! I think this is the best compliment ever. I definitely agree- there’s a lot of super similar fireplaces floating around the internet these days. xox

  13. Nicole Varga says:

    Wow, this room looks amazing! I love your style and every detail here just works so well together. My favorite is the entire focal wall plus that hand tray!

    1. Thanks so much, Nicole!! That hand is still one of my favorite vintage finds. xox

  14. Steve Schrenk says:

    Such a cozy space, and so many soothing design elements to lay my eyes on. It flows so nicely, much like the veins in that stylish built-in fireplace surround and hearth! Love following your work :)

    1. Thanks so much, Steve! I’m excited to share more about the fireplace and that amazing marble slab tomorrow :)

  15. This is a beautiful mix of minimal and cozy! That fireplace – amazing.

    1. Thank you so much!! xox

  16. Every bit of this is fabulous! Where did you find the wooden hand? I love it!!

    1. Thanks, Anna! The hand is actually vintage but I’m in the process of commissioning an artist to make some for me! Look for them in my shop soon :) xo

  17. Rosemary Corning says:

    Where is the sectional from? Thanks – luv it All!

  18. I am currently trying to design a built in entertainment center around our tv and would like to hide the speakers! I see where your subwoofer probably is. Where/how did you hide the other speakers?!! Thanks!

    1. Hi Jaime! Yes- the sub is located underneath in the closed storage portion of the built-in with the mesh door. You can see more about surround sound in this post: https://roomfortuesday.com/a-big-design-battle-surround-sound/ Emmett is actually installing the speakers in the back of our finished living room this week. Stay tuned! I think he’s going to do a post about it.

  19. Kellie Reynolds says:

    This is such a beautiful room! I really love it!

    I would love to know where you found the rug in here! I am the worst at finding rugs and the glimpse I see if this one is gorgeous 😍

  20. Striking & Beautiful room. What is the paint color of your light gray walls & white trim? Love them!

  21. Love, love, love your living room. Ours is very similar in size and style with a fireplace and large window. I was thinking about getting a sectional and was afraid it wouldn’t work but now I th think it will. We just lost our beloved standard schnauzer. What breed are your dogs? Giant Schnauzer and schnoodle?

    1. Thanks so much, Patty! I’m so sorry to hear about your precious schnauzer. Sending positive thoughts your way… that’s so tough. Finn (the big guy) is our giant schnauzer and Johnny Cash (the little guy) is a wire fox terrier. We’re dog lovers for sure!! xo

  22. Peg Shields says:

    Thanks especially for the wall paint colors. Having a fit with this, your information settles me😌

    1. So happy you found the paint swatches helpful, Peg!

  23. Just found your blog. We’re building a house. What did you use for the doors of the builtins? I want to put speakers there.

    1. We found the mesh metal at our local Lowes, but you can also order different patterns online! Congrats on your new build, Barbara! xo

  24. Where can I find this round coffee table? I really like it.

  25. Payal Sedani says:

    Hi,

    Where is this sofa from? <3

  26. I love the window treatments!! Makes such a difference by replacing the blinds. Do you have a link you could share? Or were those custom? Thank you!! Love your style!

  27. What a fabulous job! So much detail to take in! I realize that I’m new to your site (and late to your furniture choices) but I have 2 questions about your sofa. The PB one you have looks like it has bench seats? Is this just the way it was photographed as I don’t see that as an option on their site now. Secondly you mention that it’s covered in white denim. They also don’t seem to have that option. Or not any longer. Is yours actually called “white denim”? Thanks so much! I’m a new subscriber!

  28. I’m late to this site and this post but what a fab room! I love the gutsy green paint! This is 2022 and I have had that same West Elm wall lamp in a box for years! I just haven’t been able to find the right place to hang it so it doesn’t get in the way. Do you have any other photos of that wall that are full on? I can’t quite tell how it looks from the side view. Many thanks!

    1. Thank you so much, Patti! I really appreciate it. It’s a beautiful light fixture. I loved having that (we’ve since moved). On the lamp wall, we installed two pieces of artwork. It was a pretty small space. I hope that helps!

  29. So beautiful! This was exactly what I needed to see for our small living room being built soon. Could you give me the dimensions of your living room? It would be so helpful for our planning!

    1. Thank you, Ana! I’m so glad to hear that! I wish I had the dimensions, but this was our previous home (we moved a few years ago) and I can’t remember off the top of my head. I’m sorry!