In Partnership WithThe Home Depot®

We Gave This Living Room 3 Distinct Makeovers to Show How to Swap Styles. Which Do You Prefer?

published Jul 1, 2024
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Credit: Photo: Sarah Crowley; Stylist: Amanda Wolfson

The details are what make your style come to life. They’re also the easiest way to change things up! Use your larger pieces — like sofas, beds, and dining furniture — to make a more subtle style statement with neutral colors and classic silhouettes. These are items you’ll want to keep over the years, even as your style evolves. Then, you can layer on different looks as the mood strikes.

Even better: layering in different accents over time makes for a richer, more personal look. The Home Depot has furniture and home decor to bring your vision to life. With on-trend, affordable options for pieces large and small, The Home Depot makes it easy to incorporate fresh looks into your aesthetic.

A reader invited us into her home to demonstrate just how impactful these small swaps can be. Charity is a Chicago artist and graduate student who recently moved into a new apartment that has a large living room with gleaming hardwood floors and natural light — perfect for the entertaining she loves to do. The room also has a stunning bay window jutting out from the main wall. It’s big enough to add some substantial floor space to the room, but its unusual shape makes for somewhat of a design challenge. The nook has major style potential.

Credit: Photo: Sarah Crowley; Stylist: Amanda Wolfson

We started by creating a foundation using neutral pieces from The Home Depot, including a spacious cream-colored sectional, area rugs, and versatile coffee and console tables. Together, they made for a clean and contemporary backdrop that was already stylish but could also take some additional accessorizing.

We isolated three little areas within Charity’s makeover to create distinct style moments that demonstrate the big impact small details can have. After chatting with Charity about her preferences, we chose three trending styles we thought would serve her and her home: English cottagemodern Scandi, and boho. See how they each change her space, and let us know which you prefer. We’ll tell you what Charity chose, too!

Throw Pillows

Don’t let anyone tell you off-white is boring. A neutral sofa like this can star in any number of style moments with just a different configuration of throw pillows. Do you want to lean into the apartment’s architectural grandeur with the vintage-inspired romance of English cottage? Garden-inspired green and floral linen embroidery will do the trick. Or perhaps you want to add cool contrast, à la the more minimalist modern Scandi? Try a slimmer combo and a more primary color palette: black and cobalt blue, with a geometric pattern thrown in. Feeling the eclectic playfulness of boho? Amp up the color with a neon patchwork lumbar pillow alongside a fringed pattern in grounding dusty rose.

Armchair and Ottoman

A moment for this stunning spot! Architectural details like this are so fun to play up, and we liked the idea of making it a reading corner that also remains open to the conversational flow of the room. Here, we swapped in a series of armchairs and ottomans, which are less expensive pieces when you want a change. Combining florals and gingham is classic English cottage, and a club chair with nailhead trim is right on theme. To go modern Scandi, swap in slimmer seating in classic black plus a minimalist metallic ottoman with soft upholstery. The open designs create space and make a chic contrast to the apartment’s existing period design. For a boho moment, play up natural textures and colors with a curved rattan seat and warm leather stitched pouf.

Curtains and Wall Art

Once your window hardware is installed, curtains are such a quick way to make a new style statement — especially when you have large, beautiful windows like Charity does. Likewise, wall art can lend a whole different vibe, whether you’re incorporating new pieces or rearranging what you already own. Achieve English cottage bliss with gauzy gingham curtains and a quartet of serene floral prints. Max out the modern Scandi vibes with strong-lined abstract art in classic black-and-white, complemented by simple white sheers. For a boho moment, lean into softer lines and desert-inspired hues: These dusty pink curtains have a crushed linen texture for a lived-in feel. Touchable macrame and warm-hued graphic prints make for an eclectic gallery wall.

Which Style Did Charity Choose?

Charity told us that she loved elements from all three stylings! She’s going to make it her own by playing around with the different pieces to create an eclectic Scandi aesthetic that feels right for her. Which would you go with?

Credit: Photo: Sarah Crowley; Stylist: Amanda Wolfson
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The full room in an English cottage style