Decorating with Flexibility in Mind

Ah, the joy of a blank slate – a room just waiting to be transformed into something truly special. But as any seasoned decorator knows, the journey from drab to fab is never a one-and-done affair. Our living spaces, much like our personal styles, are ever-evolving creatures. What may have felt perfectly in tune with our tastes yesterday could feel downright dreary tomorrow.

That’s where custom slipcovers come into play, my friends. These versatile wonders allow us to effortlessly change up the look and feel of a room, without the hassle (and wallet-emptying price tag) of a full-blown renovation. As someone who’s made a career out of decorating on a dime, I can assure you – these fabric chameleons are an absolute game-changer.

Over the years, I’ve watched my own living room evolve to perfectly suit the ever-changing landscape of my life. From bold and vibrant to calming and serene, this space has seen it all. And you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, isn’t that the true beauty of a home – the ability to mold it into a reflection of your current self?

Embracing the Ever-Evolving Nature of Home Decor

When I think back to how the room used to look, I realize just how much it has evolved to make it fit the setting of the house and my personal style of decorating. I liked everything I did in the room over the years and don’t regret a single thing. The longer we lived in the house, the more I could see just what the room needed. The decor became more in tune with what is most important in the room – the view out the sliding glass doors to the lake.

If you’ve been a long-time reader, you may remember how the living room looked when we first saw the house with our real estate agent. Once we moved in, I started removing and updating right away. The process has been ongoing ever since – one that I enjoy and will never be done doing, as life changes so must the spaces we live in.

The Power of Adaptable Decor

The first big change was removing the wall with a pocket door between the kitchen and living room. It took some time, but was worth the effort. With the wall removed, the view to the lake was doubled from both the kitchen and living room. After this, everything else we have done in the room we have done ourselves to save money.

On the opposite side of the room, we covered up the brick wall with white vertical paneling. We also built a stone fireplace using a product called AirStone. The mantel is from the top of a dining room hutch that was in our previous house – we no longer had a place for it, and nobody wanted it, so we had to break it apart but saved the top to use as a mantel.

I wasn’t sure yet what style of furniture I wanted for the room, so we brought the outdoor furniture into the room until we bought new furniture a piece at a time. On the long wall is the only place for the sofa. I’ve always had a slipcovered sofa – this one was a tie-on slipcover over a navy blue sofa from our previous house. I bought a new console table and placed it behind the sofa, giving me a surface for a much-needed lamp and decorative accessories.

The Beauty of a Slipcovered Sofa

Eventually, I bought a new Rolled Arm Slipcovered Sofa from Pottery Barn, made an oversized Fixer Upper-inspired wall clock, and began to change the decorative accessories out every season. Blue pillows mean it’s summer, while warmer hues signal the arrival of fall.

When the hardwood floor was refinished, that’s when I really began to like the room. Up until this point, I always felt that no matter what I added to the room, the orange floor always stuck out. The only time the floor looked okay was in the fall when I added fall colors to the room. The new grey floor stain made a huge difference – I finally felt I could do what I really wanted decor-wise and not have to deal with the orange wood-tone anymore.

Curating a Cohesive, Cozy Aesthetic

My house is on a point lot with the lake on 3 sides and tall pines all over our property. With nature all around us, I wanted the living room to reflect that, so the two felt seamless. About a year ago, I came up with a name for the decorating style of my living room – I call it “White and Woodsy.” It’s a little bit traditional, not quite rustic, but has a nod to it. It’s casual and laid-back, but overall has a bit of polish and uniformity.

After going back and forth on ways to make the clock pop and add more of a cozy feel to the room, I chose to accent the two walls with barnwood paneling instead of painting them a color. Adding it made the room come together instantly. I wouldn’t want it everywhere, but as an accent, it works well. The room is cozy yet bright and cheery – because cozy is more than just a look, it’s a feeling, and I wanted it for this space.

Maximizing a Compact Layout

The size of the room is 15 x 16 – not large, so I like to keep the furnishings minimal and cohesive. To create a conversational grouping of furniture in the room, two chairs across from the sofa would have made the space feel cramped, and the chair backs would block the view to the lake. Instead, for more seating that visually doesn’t block the view, the pair of ottomans works perfectly – extra and moveable seating when needed, while adding to the decor.

I painted the existing ceiling fan white, and the wide-angle shot kind of distorts the room and makes it look larger than it is, but you can get a better overall feel for the space. I semi-made the extra-wide drapery panels on the sliding glass doors by sewing two pre-made panels together, and the TV is on a swing arm mount so we can easily change the angle to the kitchen or living room.

Seasonal Style Swaps

One reason I like neutral walls and seating is that I can easily change out the decorative accessories to seasonal colors and not worry about having things match or coordinate. No matter what color I place in the room, it goes – no set color scheme to have to work with.

My latest project was creating a plate rack wall, which provides a nice transition between the kitchen and living room. I know that was a lot of photos, but they tell the story of how the room has evolved over the 5 years we’ve lived in the house. The room will never be done, as I enjoy changing the decor seasonally and when I tire of something. I also know that my life and tastes may change, so this room will, too.

Embracing the Ebb and Flow of Home Decor

Do you like to change things up in your living room for the seasons or as your tastes and circumstances change? I know I do – it’s all part of the ever-evolving nature of a well-loved home. And with the help of custom slipcovers from the likes of Sofa Spectacular, making those changes is easier than ever. So why not embrace the flexibility and let your living space transform alongside you? After all, isn’t that the true beauty of a home – the ability to mold it into a reflection of your current self?