Work with What you have

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Are there are times when you look at certain rooms in your home and think, "Can I just start over?"  The reality is few people have the luxury of starting completely over with a room.  So, we must work with what we have.  The key is to embrace it and make it work!  

You would be amazed at how fantastic a room can look simply by working with what you have.  These are pictures of some of my favorite redesigns I've worked on over the years.  

Everything you see in these photos, the homeowner already had.  There are no new pieces - just her furnishings moved around a bit.

There is a fireplace opposite this chest which balances the room.

This wall was stark and a bit depressing.

Making it the perfect place for a vignette.  The homeowner had these lovely nude etchings; and when grouped together, they create a point of interest. 

Different homeowner in this photo.  This was a formal living room and the biggest problem with this room - the windows on the right were not centered on the wall or  on the fireplace, so the sofa was not working on this wall. 

The solution - float the sofa and place a long sofa table (which was hidden behind those two floral slipper chairs) on the window wall.  The two club chairs were upstairs in the homeowners master bedroom.  By trading them with the floral slipper chairs, you get this wonderful view when you first enter the home. 

This was one of my the very first redesigns.  Obviously, just cleaning up helped!  But, I also created some interested on the long wall to the left by separating the entertainment unit and using the two side panels as one large bookshelf.

This made the seating area feel more cozy.

Also notice, you don't have to put the books on the shelf in such a conventional way.  Think outside the box. 

This was a small sitting area on the main floor of this home.

By moving the large sofa and chair to the downstairs TV room (since you want to be able to lounge in front of the TV), this space became more of a reading niche or even a place to relax in the evening. 

This was one of my favorites - very challenging layout (there was no wall for the sofa in this space). Notice the dining room in the "L" shaped space beyond.  In this case, flipping the living room and dining room solved the problem.  That gave the sofa a wall! 

This allowed me to create this beautiful vignette as the first thing you see when entering the home.  The artwork was done by the homeowner's son, and she simply adored being able to see it when she first walk in her home.  

I hope these give you inspiration for your own home.  Remember:  Before you throw the baby out with the bath water, think of the possibilities!!! 

Hope you have a marvelous day. M.

PS: My friend Marie over at Howard House Reviews has awarded me the Stylish Blog award!  I love it when other bloggers recognize your efforts.  It makes my day (just like lovely comments do)!   If you get a chance you should check out Marie's blog.  She helped promote by most recent giveaway and has daily finds (if you are in the mood for free stuff).  Thanks Marie!  Also, if you would like to read about my "seven things" I posted about it here.