Before & After
5 Chic European Before and After Living Room Transformations
Planning to redesign your living room? Browse these five clever ideas for inspiration before brainstorming a new design
When you’re faced with an uninspiring living room that looks rundown, cluttered or old-fashioned, it can be tricky to imagine how to revamp it. However, with a little imagination and design know-how, it’s possible to completely transform your space, as these dramatic living-room makeovers illustrate.
Begg bought a Victorian fireplace surround on Gumtree and built the rest of the feature himself with old bricks and concrete.
He also painstakingly laid engineered oak floorboards, sourced on eBay, in an intricate herringbone pattern, and upcycled an old brass light fitting he found at a car-boot sale for £1 (AUD$1.80).
Other tasks included fitting a new ceiling rose and replacing radiator heaters with ones he’d sprayed with a fresh coat of car paint.
He also painstakingly laid engineered oak floorboards, sourced on eBay, in an intricate herringbone pattern, and upcycled an old brass light fitting he found at a car-boot sale for £1 (AUD$1.80).
Other tasks included fitting a new ceiling rose and replacing radiator heaters with ones he’d sprayed with a fresh coat of car paint.
In a stroke of genius, Malcolm also constructed this unit from upside-down Ikea Billy bookcases and kitchen bridging cabinets. The whole storage unit was painted in the same colour as the walls, giving it a look of bespoke joinery.
Find a local interior designer on Houzz to revamp your home with contemporary personality
Find a local interior designer on Houzz to revamp your home with contemporary personality
2. The Scandi-style transformation
When interior designer Sybille Garnier Le Mené of Into Interior Design bought this 1990s house in France, it wasn’t anything like the bright, airy space it is now.
“One of the greatest challenges was restyling the heavy dark-wooden ceiling with exposed beams,” she says. She decided to cover some of them and keep the most interesting ones on show.
When interior designer Sybille Garnier Le Mené of Into Interior Design bought this 1990s house in France, it wasn’t anything like the bright, airy space it is now.
“One of the greatest challenges was restyling the heavy dark-wooden ceiling with exposed beams,” she says. She decided to cover some of them and keep the most interesting ones on show.
Removing the existing terracotta tiles would have been a huge job and could have broken the existing underfloor heating, so Garnier Le Mené laid a polished concrete floor.
She also painted the timber window frames in an anthracite grey and replaced the heavy wooden staircase with a lighter metal one.
The finished living room is now fresh and bright with a Scandi feel.
She also painted the timber window frames in an anthracite grey and replaced the heavy wooden staircase with a lighter metal one.
The finished living room is now fresh and bright with a Scandi feel.
3. The minimal transformation
This Victorian house in London, UK, needed a complete overhaul when the owners moved in. “You couldn’t have lived in it as it was,” says Celine Erlam of Indie & Co, who was called in to help renovate the property.
In the living room, she focused first on reinstating period details, restoring the cornicing and sanding down the original floorboards.
This Victorian house in London, UK, needed a complete overhaul when the owners moved in. “You couldn’t have lived in it as it was,” says Celine Erlam of Indie & Co, who was called in to help renovate the property.
In the living room, she focused first on reinstating period details, restoring the cornicing and sanding down the original floorboards.
The team also blocked up the doorway to the hall to make better use of the space. The large opening they created between this area and the middle room meant there was no need for another door to the hallway.
The clean white finish and well-chosen furniture and lighting have given the space a fresh, modern feel.
The clean white finish and well-chosen furniture and lighting have given the space a fresh, modern feel.
4. The space-maximising transformation
A few simple yet clever tweaks were enough to create extra space in this cramped open-plan living room.
The first thing designer Jessica Preston of Colour + Shape did was to remove the studwork nib that was jutting out at the entrance to the living area. This was enough to open up the space.
A few simple yet clever tweaks were enough to create extra space in this cramped open-plan living room.
The first thing designer Jessica Preston of Colour + Shape did was to remove the studwork nib that was jutting out at the entrance to the living area. This was enough to open up the space.
She also lowered the height of the fireplace opening, which created extra wall space for a light-reflecting mirror.
The heavy leather furniture was then replaced with lighter pieces that are more in proportion with the dimensions of the room. The chaise longue on the right is a smart idea, as it lets people sit back comfortably to face the television.
The heavy leather furniture was then replaced with lighter pieces that are more in proportion with the dimensions of the room. The chaise longue on the right is a smart idea, as it lets people sit back comfortably to face the television.
5. The tiny house transformation
This small property in Dublin, Ireland, is full of clever design solutions. But one of the key aims for architect Eva Byrne of Houseology was to bring in a connection with the outside.
The window in the living room looks out onto a small courtyard, which Byrne wanted to make greater use of, so she lowered the bottom of the window sill to open it up.
This small property in Dublin, Ireland, is full of clever design solutions. But one of the key aims for architect Eva Byrne of Houseology was to bring in a connection with the outside.
The window in the living room looks out onto a small courtyard, which Byrne wanted to make greater use of, so she lowered the bottom of the window sill to open it up.
The long window brings in plenty of natural light and provides a view out from the adjacent bench seat. The courtyard and living room now feel more connected and the interior looks a lot more spacious.
The opposite end of the room had quite a transformation too. The front door led straight into the living space, so Byrne made a decision that might sound counterintuitive – she added a division between the door and the room. This clever idea helped to open up the space, rather than close it in.
By creating a hallway, Byrne gave breathing space to the living room. “You don’t do anything near the door anyway, so you’re not losing any living space by adding a division,” she explains. Coats and shoes can now be stored out of sight too. The refreshed room feels light, spacious and uncluttered – quite a transformation.
Your turn
Which of these five living-room transformations is your favourite? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Love before-and-after transformations? Don’t miss last week’s Before & After: A Crash Pad in Paris Reworked for a New Life
Your turn
Which of these five living-room transformations is your favourite? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Love before-and-after transformations? Don’t miss last week’s Before & After: A Crash Pad in Paris Reworked for a New Life
It was a can-do attitude that made the revamp of this living room such a success. Designer Malcolm Begg of DesignSixtyNine used skills he already had, plus plenty he learnt on the job, to transform the peach-and-beige room into a chic, stylish space.