Before & After Home: Sitting Room

This is what we call our sitting room. Where my reupholstered love seat now lives. It used to be our formal dining room, even though it's not located directly off the kitchen. It was a little odd to walk through the living room to get to it, but at the time, I couldn't really think of what else to do with it.

Here's how it looked shortly after we moved in, with our bar height table (purchased online), which expands to seat 8. It was a bit of a tight squeeze with 8 people in there. I have since replaced the large hanging light fixture with a smaller dome light which suits the room better.

BEFORE - This is what the room looked like with the previous owners. Like a little cafe. The walls were already green, but we painted them a lighter shade. Nothing too exciting. It's kind of a what-do-we-do-with-it-room. It's not very big, so the furniture configuration is a little tricky.

AFTER - Here's how it looks today. I like the little arrangement, just outside the sitting room, with a mirror and wine-stand-turned-magazine-rack-side-table. I've had other things there, but this one is my favorite. 

We have a lazy boy recliner with some bird prints in the corner and a brown shag rug. I like to call this the reading nook, but the truth is, nobody reads there. 

The love seat is on the back wall with a nice view out the bay window. I love this window. It reminds me of the house I grew up in. The cats like sitting on the window seat in the sun.

When you're in here, you look out into the living room and can see the small hall and staircase. Across from the window is a buffet/storage unit with a mirror above. 

I have had plans to paint this buffet for years. It was gifted to us from my parents. I'm just not quite sure what I want to do with it or what color to paint it. I am not attached to the green color or the light wood top. I can envision it being a great make-over piece, maybe a dark brown with new knobs. But I have a confession: I hate painting furniture. It's just so much work. Taking it apart, the sanding, the multiple coats, drying time. Ugh. I want instant results. Maybe this summer I'll get around to it. Any suggestions? 

I'd also like to paint the walls a different color. Perhaps the brown that we have in our living room, or a "light tan" as Encarnacion would say. Name that movie. I am inspired by this room. I like the contrast between of the dark walls and the white plates, lamps and light furniture.

I could also see this room being an office/craft room someday, which would free up the current office to be a guestroom/third bedroom. But for now, it's our sitting room. Every now and then I'll actually sit in there. Maybe I'll make a more conscious effort to slow down, pick up a book and spend some time reading in the reading nook.