Local writer Leah Hennen is responsible for one of our favorite daily reads, More Ways to Waste Time. She just posted a look at her recently updated living room, and we love the difference a few simple changes have made to the space. Check it out after the jump...
Leah painted the living room in Benjamin Moore's Cloud Gray and added slipcovers to her couch and chair. It lightens things up quite a bit, and the cool tones seem to be a perfect update for the warmer months. You can see lots more photos of the updated space and read about past incarnations of Leah's living room at her most excellent blog, More Ways to Waste Time.
(Images: Leah Hennen for More Ways to Waste Time)
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Comments (23)
The Cloud Gray is such a soothing color!
And the name of Leah's blog has me uncontrollably giggling as I type this. Must. Go. Read.
I.
I love Leah's space and I covet her collectables. That said, I think the placement of those vases on top of the bookcases in picture one, seem to put the room out of scale. Maybe bring them down to eye level somewhere?
I LOVE that standing planter in the top picture... does anyone know where I can find one?
Now that I've gotten that out of my system, it's really a lovely transformation! Subtle, but definitely adds a bit of elegance.
Seshat: You can get those planters directly from Hip Haven or via retailers like DWR or Velocity Art and Design.
Great blog, great room.
Seshat - the planter is a Hip Haven Retro Bullet Planter:
http://www.hiphaven.com/Pages/A_Retro_Bullet_Planter.html
i really dig the side table with the wooden legs and the white top that the peonies are sitting on. I poked around her blog but didn't see any further info. Any ideas on its source/similar items?
I love it both ways. I think I sort of prefer the beige for the room. It was so calming with how homey it was -- really charming.
I LOVE the new wall color. Very fresh and crisp - perfect with the pops of bright turquoise and green, I think!
It looks cozy, but it feels too busy. Maybe that's just me. There are patterns and objects everywhere, and my poor eyes don't know where to look!
Laura
http://www.grafxnerd.net
Very nice. I would just clear the top of the bookcases completely. The white vases are too heavy and tall for that space and anything up there competes with all the pattern and busy-ness going on inside the bookcases.
Great colors.
Like Bluloo, I would like to know where that side table (white plate & wooden legs) is from!
Nice colors, I like it!
I had to scroll back and forth a few times and couldn't find the differences until I read the writeup.
Both look nice.
Another vote for "Before"
I'm also wondering why all the lamps are s o f a r a w a y from the seating? How does she see when she wants to sit and read? What good does that standing lamp do in the corner?
I agree about the vases and globes needing to come down.
Otherwise, the room has such a nice freshness to it and love the color palette.
I do love your blog, you are the best ebay picks finder and finding local artist.
I like the coffee table (actually looks to be side table sized). I think CB2 has a similar dining table. Does anyone have a lead on where to find something small like this? Is it based on a classic design, and if so, what's it called? Thanks.
nice x 2. I'd like to see the redo photographed from the same angle as the original. I'd like to see without the slipcovers too! Great to be able to change things up without upset.
"I like the coffee table.
Does anyone have a lead on where to find something small like this? Is it based on a classic design, and if so, what's it called?"
It's based on Vladimir Kagan and Jean Prouve table designs.
bepsf-" I'm also wondering why all the lamps are s o f a r a w a y from the seating? How does she see when she wants to sit and read? What good does that standing lamp do in the corner?"
That is a pretty bright room with good natural light as it is don't need lots of lamps or to have lamps next to the sofa.
Hi I really like your redone room. It looks very comfortable and lived in. Also I really like your couch pillows and all the turquoise and green accents.
Had to go check out her blog, emailed myself the link. :-) I love her blog's title, too cute.
I like the gray and I can see where it would be less limiting than the camel for if you want to go more cooler colors such as chartreuse and turquoise during the summer months, fine and go for more warmer colors in the winter months w/out having to repaint every time.
It's such a subtle use of color there that I don't think it'd be an issue when the days are gray and dreary like they are in Seattle a lot of the time.
Yesterday's post on her blog I think solved a query I tried to get answered oh, 18 years ago, the lamp itself is made by Mario Tempestini for Lightolier and I think hails from 1956. It was a table/wall mount lamp w/ the black enameled shade on the outside w/ the brass accents. Mine was the tension pole version, but in shiny brass w/ light brown accents on the center section of the pole and was complete w/ bulb shade clips, but needed work to bring back it's former glory as the brass needed buffing, the joints redone so they could hold the shades at whatever angle I decided to put them and be totally rewired w/ fresh wiring but worked well otherwise.
Eventually I got rid of it and would love to find another one some day.
The color is better but the chach-ki arrangement is only a bit better. Too much stuff is piled on top of the bookcase, mantle, and sideboard. It looks out of scale - and speaking of scale, although I like the coffee table, it's a little too small to fill the space.
the old paint color wasn't so bad, but switching to blue makes the room look less busier.