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A Bold Pink Makeover and a “Grand Library Wall” Transform This Plain Living Room

published Oct 4, 2024
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There’s nothing worse than living in a space that doesn’t reflect your personality. While gray hues might work for some people in their homes, Brandon Andrew Robinson (@DrKittyGirl) didn’t want the color as the background in their Downtown Los Angeles loft. So they knew they had to go big to turn this space into a home that feels like them.

Brandon worked with interior designer Michelle Fahmy of Haus of Meeshie to bring to life their vision of creating a “warm, invigorating, and inviting” space.

Credit: Aaron Snyder

 Create storage with IKEA furniture.

“It was really important for Brandon to have a place for their ever-growing collection of books,” Michelle says. “The office had a couple of standing shelves, but it was not enough to accommodate their needs.”

Rather than banish all of Brandon’s books to the office, the designer took advantage of the long open wall in the living area to create a library wall.

“Millwork/cabinetry can be very expensive … so in came IKEA!” Michelle says. “BILLY bookcases are such a great product — easy to put together and well-priced. We measured how many we could fit together on the wall to create a grand library wall,” she adds. 

It turns out nine was the magic number. Brandon and their friends assembled all of the BILLY bookcases, which fit perfectly into the available wall space. “I’m not a DIY person,” Brandon admits. But with a bit of help, the bookcases came together in a snap.

Credit: Aaron Snyder

Give the space some personality with a pop of pink.

Once the bookcases were assembled, a professional painter painted them in Sherwin-Williams’ Dishy Coral, the same color as the walls, to give them that built-in, seamless look. “I like to have other people who are experts do what they do best,” Brandon says. 

Once installed, the bookcases look like exactly the library wall they were going for. “Amazing what a coat of paint can do!” Michelle says. “It really anchors the living room space and helps to create ‘open separation’ between the different living zones,” she adds. 

Credit: Aaron Snyder

Keep the colors coming! 

Nothing goes better with color than more color! To play into the bold pink, Michelle and Brandon added more colorful accessories to the room, including an emerald green credenza, a plush orange chair, and a huge yellow table lamp.

While the pink bookshelf might be the star of the makeover, Michelle has some other design aspects she’s also fond of: “The bubble chandelier and Marge, the yellow lamp from Target. She’s a moment,” Michelle says.

What was once a “drab and sad” loft is now what Brandon calls a “deconstructed rainbow” filled with books and accessories that truly feels like them and reflects their personality.