Makeover By Monday | Reclaiming A Living Room After Kids

Before & After, Makeover by Monday

Goodbye Clutter!

This was a fun one! For episode 3 of our show Makeover by Monday (stream on Discovery+), Mr. Yolo and I took on a living room of our dear friends. Like many living rooms, this space was full of kids toys. We wanted to create a beautiful space that also functions better for this family of 5.

After having Little Yolo (p.s. she makes a cameo in the episode!), we have learned some design tricks to conceal all the kid stuff. We used those ideas to create unassuming storage (like the trunk coffee table) in the room. My favorite part of the transformation was the banquette we built in the old, awkward corner. Now this is a place the kids can play with even more storage! We couldn’t be happier with how this one turned out!

There were so many beautiful architecture moments in this home. Above all our goal ultimately was to help highlight them. Scroll for more images and shopping links and tune in next Saturday for another episode!

Shopping Sources

Bistro table
Vintage rug from Cori Elizabeth Vintage
Basket from Home Goods
Peonies Art Prints from Elizabeth Bowman
DIY Pegboard (step-by-step in the episode!)
DIY Block print cushions (step-by-step in the episode!)
Banquette Cushions
Block print stamp
Cedar 2×6 rough sawn beams
Vintage Bistro chairs, trunk, toys
Paint:
Debonair by Valspar – Entry
Swiss Coffee by Behr – Walls
Thai Basil by Behr – Banquette

Shopping Sources

Cognac Leather sofa
Brass swinging arm sconces
Ceiling light
Juniper green tile
Chair from Home Goods
Side table (sold out)
Pillow from Penny & Ivy
Vintage rug from Cori Elizabeth Vintage
Vintage truck, mirror, brass light

Seeking Living Room Inspiration

When I’m designing a space I love to start with a piece of art or textile to inspire the palette for the room. This stunning vintage rug from Cori Elizabeth Vintage was an amazing find! After that, we pulled colors from the rug that helped guide the furniture and paint choices for the living room.

After going back and forth on painting the walls/fireplace a bolder color, we decided to keep it light. I knew a different color would made for a more dramatic makeover, but that’s not what the clients needed. This family needed a room that felt airy and bright. We wanted them to have a place they could take a deep breath and not feel burdened by visual clutter. A coat of fresh white paint (Swiss Coffee) was the right choice, and really allowed all the beautiful futures in the house to shine.

Banquette Corner

This corner is one of my favorite things we did all season! It was an awkward corner that was not getting used, and now it’s an area where the kids can play. The best part? When they’re done they can put away their toys in the bench storage. Our carpenter, Michael, somehow pulled off building this banquette in 2 days. It turned out so amazing!

The pegboard and the printed cushion are both DIY projects. I break down the step-by-step in the episode!

Lastly, since the majority of the walls were painted white I wanted to add a pop of color. This entry way was the perfect spot for an accent wall. The blue we went with is called Debonair by Valspar. I love a good entry space, check out my Barnhouse Mudroom, click here.

Another fun detail from this episode that I wanted to share… The new mantel for the living room was a piece of wood we salvaged from a 100+ year old barn. It looked beautiful with the 2×6 rough sawn cedar beams we added to the tray ceiling.

I think that’s about it! Let me know if you have other questions in the comments!
You can watch Makeover by Monday on the Magnolia Network on Saturdays at 12p/11c or stream on discovery+ and the Magnolia app.