Living Room Remodel
Awhile I ago I promised I would show before and after pics of the remodel stuff we are doing at the house. The remodel includes: new berber carpet throughout (except family room which is bamboo), new baseboards, new windows, skylight installation, new paint in 2 rooms and a new IKEA library unit. Well I have been stalling a bit because we still need to get the baseboards, windows and skylight done. But I thought I would show you one room that’s pretty much done, except for the windows.
This is our living room/dining room right before the new carpet was put down. The paint color in here isn’t new, we did this when we moved in (FIVE coats people, FIVE!!).
And here we are with the new carpet and IKEA library installed. I have wanted this kind of library for an eternity, and am SO happy with the way it turned out. We still have to fill out the top area with some new vases and knick knacks. Scary thing is, I still have a whole bookcase of books in the garage to move in, and we are almost out of room already!
You may have just changed my opinion of ikea. Good job!
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Hi Styrch,
They do have some stuff that’s good. I wouldn’t buy a couch or mattress there though:)
I lived in an apartment where we picked that same color for our walls and it took us that many coats also. It didn’t help that our living room got TONS of sunlight so every day we’d wake up & look at the wall and say “needs another coat… sigh” after thinking it looked great the night before! haha. Never again will I choose a wine red for a wall color! Great lookin library!
Hi Sara,
Yeah the first few coats it was PINK and we were like, yikes!
I love that Ikea library unit!! I have two big Ikea bookcases that I love also.
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Hi Jeni,
It’s Billy and it rocks
I looks fantastic! What a wonderful book collection you have! Nice job!
-Gina
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Hi Gina,
Thanks!
Love those cabinets! You are so organized…I’m jealous.
Hi SB_Sweetie,
I am organized, but I have been on a serious roll lately
Thanks for posting this – it looks great! My husband and I have moved overseas several times in the last five years, and most of our beloved books are still in storage. ): I really look forward to the day we can display them again. Not only do I like books for decor, but I constantly refer back to them. For me, book buying is a compulsion just like polish buying! ; )
Hi Cat,
Me too, I collect them and have since like age 6 or 7. I have a Kindle, but will never stop buying actual books also!
That looks freaking awesome! Love it!
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I don’t doubt that burgandy took 5 coats. All reds take at least 3-5 coats. Maybe less with a pink-tinted primer. I worked in a paint store and learned ALLLLLL about everything to do with indoor/outdoor paint.
Red has the most transparent base to allow for the thicker tints to become vibrant enough to achieve the desired red. ^.^
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Hi Skulda,
Yeah we didn’t use a primer and it was PINk the first few coats. Luckily Mr. VV traded some work with a painter so he finished the last three coats for us
That’s phenomenal. Which IKEa pieces did you use?
Hi Kate & Zena,
Thanks! We used Billy in black/brown
If only I had enough money (AND SPACE) for a wall-to-ceiling library. My one bookshelf is stuffed and it’s three shelves high and has 7 shelves? Mind you, one of the tall, long ones houses an entire encyclopedia set, dictionary, thesaurus and some binder-sets that came with the encyclopedia set. The rest are all books. I have 60% of my books in French on top of the bookcase as well as all my art books. I also have two bins full of books (albeit, those are Japanese comics mainly), a teeny shelf under my rapidly growing DVD collection and some piled in front of the books in my bookshelf.
I dream of the day I have a house with a wall long enough to install a huge wall-to-ceiling bookshelf like the one you have (albeit, I’d need a stepping stool to reach the top. At 5’2.5,” I’m normally two feet too short)! Better yet, I’d love a room that was just devoted to books with squishy couches. We aren’t allowed to install a bookcase in our house since we rent!
HI Kate & Zena,
Yeah we basically consolidated 4 huge bookcases and a medium one into this one unit. I still have more books in the garage though and don’t know where they will go! I’m not tall enough to reach the top shelves either (5’5) but we plan on getting a ladder
I love your library. I probably have as many books as you do and keep purchasing and always will! I’ve had no where to display them but you may have just changed my mind. You and Mr. VV did a wonderul job! Just a thought but did you save Sammy his space at the top by the vase
! Love it!
Hi Sandy,
Oh he would get up there if he could
I’m experiencing library envy right now. It looks great
Books and polish are my two weaknesses as well. I’ve been considering picking up a Kindle but I stare at a computer all day at work and then tend to spend a lot of time on my computer at home also, sometimes I’d rather have paper in my hands than stare at another screen. Also, being able to get a new book anytime, anywhere would probably not be good for my wallet.
Hi Nicole,
I have a Kindle and love it. But I also still buy paper books, and will never stop!
Oh do I have library envy! I stored tons of books in my brothers attic. Unfortunately his attic became very damp and I lost all my books to mold. Everything ruined. It was a really upsetting day for me. I’d collected books all my life. Still makes me sick to think of it.
Hi Lucy,
Awww I feel for you, I would have been devastated if that happened to me
Great room remodel, love the bookshelves! My life requires a much more “compact” library…in that it is almost completely digital. No more books to dust. I love it.
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