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It's big reveal time!
In case you haven't dropped by in the past month-and-a-half, I've been knee-deep in the One Room Challenge. We've been giving our bedroom-turned-family-slash-TV-room a modern, boho makeover. It's been a lot of fun, a bit of stress, and a good kick in the butt to start and finish decorating this room!
If you want to take a look back at the progress:
If you're just joining us, here's a quick recap of the goals and mood board for the room:
To-Do List
- Create a comfortable, practical space to relax together as a family
- Add storage
- Update window dressings
- Brighten up the room
- Incorporate meaningful, decorative pieces from our travels
- Be mindful of budget and sustainability (we kept our over-sized couch and shopped our home for many of the other pieces).
- Stay true to the signature neatntiny.com minimalist-ish aesthetic!
Mood Board
Pillar candle holder /decorative wood bowl /felt storage basket /wall-mounted bookcase (similar bookcase for less) /sectional couch (similar sectional for less) / similar chandelier / assorted black and white mudcloth pillows / throw blanket / yellow mudcloth pillow / hyacinth foldable storage baskets
Now, the 'Before and Afters'...
Before the ORC, the only time we ventured in here was for our weekly movie night; a big comfy couch and big screen TV were the only things this room had going for it.
Before
We've had this massive sectional, from Saba Italia, for seven years. It's a bit big for the room. But, it's so comfy and durable that we're keeping it!
There was a time when I thought book-stacking was a cute, quirky way to store books. That is, until I tried to take one from the middle and book Jenga ensued.
After
Separating the two pieces of the sectional helped break up all the grey, making it seem less overwhelming in the space. It also clears a path to the balcony sliding doors.
I'll admit, the rug placement is a little unusual. Given the small space and oversized sectional, there was just no way to style it without breaking the rules of rug positioning. If you're gonna break the rules, I say go big or go home! I was hell-bent on using this particular rug; we already had it (it used to be in the living room), so it was the most budget- and environmentally-friendly option. It also fits with the modern boho vibe in here!
Thank you to my ORC sponsors, Thils & Lils and Worn & Woven, for the gorgeous mud cloth pillows and vintage mini rug!
That's Eric's late grandmother's grandfather clock (try saying that five times fast). We decided to keep it here. It's a boho room, after all, and this old clock adds some vintage character, while bringing back good, old, granny memories. The pendulum broke years ago and was replaced with a stained meter stick---doesn't get more boho than that!
Since our TV-related electronics are hidden away in the 'electronics closet,' we didn't need a media console; this is a good thing, since space is limited in here. To adapt to the shallow room, a combination of side tables and stacked ottomans allow for more space to maneuver than a single, large coffee table.
Here's where our DIY push pin travel map from last week ended up!
You may recall this chair from my DIY vintage chair boho makeover post. The upcycled picnic table art is by Matt Durant, a local Toronto artist.
Here's a quick 360° of the room:
Adding storage to the room was a priority. But, I wanted to prevent things from looking too busy on the open shelves. The solution? Baskets!
Baskets are a great way to store pretty much anything, while keeping visual clutter to a minimum. I used them in the family room to hide TV-related stuff, books, games, and other miscellany:
Shop This Idea
Black Striped Seagrass Belly Basket ($15.99, Amazon.com).
Felt Storage Basket ($11.99, Amazon.com).
Set of 2 Hyacinth Storage Baskets ($38.99, Amazon.com).
To achieve a modern boho look in this room, I used anchor pieces with clean, modern lines (in our case, the sectional, bookshelves and chandelier)...
This lovely light fixture is from Sazerac Stitches. It used to be above the dining table, but has found a new home in here!
...and layered on meaningful, vintage and eclectic pieces.
Our decorative items are mostly travel memorabilia (travel guides from our favourite destinations, ceramics, and other decorative souvenirs from these trips):
Carved gourds from Peru.
This abacus is another heirloom from Eric's grandma. Wonder if my grandkids will display my Texas Instruments calculator on their shelves one day?
Another tip for achieving a modern boho look: mixing black, white and neutrals with bold patterns and pops of color.
Shop This Look
Mustard Mudcloth PIllow Cover ($45, Thilsandlils.com).
Set of 4 Modern Boho Pillow Covers ($39.95, Amazon.com).
And of course, no boho room is complete without plants...
...plants...
...and more plants!
This gorgeous planter is from BKB (another souvenir from Joshua Tree).
Of course, our first priority was to create a relaxing space that we could enjoy together, as a family!
Owen, Eric and Charlie chillin' on Sunday morning.
I caught Charlie napping on the couch when he thought no one was around, so I know he feels at home here!
So, what do you think of the room? Not the most dramatic transformation (no built-ins or shiplap), but I'm really happy with the way it turned out! Thanks to keeping the sectional (the most expensive thing in the room) and making use of our travel memorabilia and other items already in our home, we kept expenses and waste low.
Our new and improved family room fits with the rest of our cozy, minimalist-ish aesthetic while providing a comfortable, practical space for slow living. I'm excited for our first movie night in here!
I can't wait to see everyone else's transformations! Click here to check it out!
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