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Before & After: Micaela’s Revamped Living Room

Carrie McBride
Carrie McBride
Carrie is a former Apartment Therapy editor and the original editor of Apartment Therapy Media's first site for kids: Ohdeedoh. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two kids..
published Aug 19, 2014
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(Image credit: Micaela)

Micaela went out on a limb and bought a blue couch and then became “confused about color” as she tried to make this new purchase work in her living room. She wrote in to Apartment Therapy for help and readers were not shy about sharing their suggestions. Flash forward a year and Micaela is ready to share her revamped space:

→ First, one more “before” shot:

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(Image credit: Micaela)

Here’s Micaela:

I did SO MUCH in a year! I used my Good Question to kickstart a long-term makeover of my space. I read my comments carefully and really took so many of the suggestions that people gave me. It took a while, but I finally decided to replace my Murphy bed, which was originally from the 80s— and it seriously feels like I moved apartments. I’m in love with the new layout. I can actually work in front of the window now, and have a real live dinner party (I didn’t have room for a dining table before). I kept one of the bookshelves from the bed to make into a narrow bookshelf (although I’m saving up for custom shelves).

My new Murphy Bed (from Old Creek Wall Beds in Bend, Oregon— they are truly amazing) is in the office/alcove area, which makes MUCH more sense for the layout of the space. (You can see it, folded up, behind a curtain in the last After picture below.)

Here are things I did that were originally suggested in the post’s comments:
  • changed the Murphy bed (after 10 years!)
  • replaced artwork with a hanging
  • ditched my couch’s side cushions
  • replaced glass shelves in Murphy bed bookshelf with wood
  • painted the walls a warm wheat color— it made a huge difference
  • hung an expandable gallery wall, in the new location for that artwork, using tips from a commenter
  • corralled all my little decorative things and arranged them on my credenza thing (I made the credenza with Ikea Besta and Waddell screw-on midcentury legs— super easy)
  • added purple and other colors
Thank you so much to everyone in the AT community!

And, the result of Micaela’s hard work:

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(Image credit: Micaela)
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(Image credit: Micaela)
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(Image credit: Micaela)

Thanks Micaela! And thank you, readers, for being part of our vibrant community!

  • See Micaela’s original Good Question → New, Fearless Colors to Complement a Blue Couch?
  • Did you ask a Good Question and are ready to share the outcome? → Good Question Follow Up Submission
Filed in:
Before & After
DIY
Furniture