Sitting Room Turned Chocolate Room

Over the long Labor Day weekend, we tackled more than one project around the house. I felt like we were that couple on the Lowe's commercial, painting and fixing things with big smiles on their faces. While we were giving the staircase and walls a makeover, it was my idea to paint the sitting room while we were at it. 9 times out of 10, I'm the one scheming up new projects to do around the house. My husband loves it. [insert chuckle of laughter]

If you remember from an earlier post, our sitting room was a light green. I was a little over-zealous in selecting multiple colors for every room in our house when we first moved in, and green was already there. The more I thought about it, the more the green didn't really fit and I'd rather have it go with the rest of the first floor color palette. Continue the flow. I had one of those "duh" moments. Why didn't I do this in the first place? Here's a look back at the before.

I guess I was a little worried about having too much brown, particularly because it is a small room. But it does get good light. I scoped out some brown rooms to see what I was picturing in my mind. I was inspired by the dark cozy brown, accented with white pieces of furniture, artwork and accessories.

We painted the sitting room "Nuthatch" brown, a continuation of the color from our living room. It was kind of a no-brainer and I love how it looks! We had enough paint in our basement, so this was another "free" project! Yes! I did a lot of rolling while my husband did all the cutting. 

And of course, I moved the furniture around. Again. This room has always been a challenge for me. I just couldn't settle on an arrangement I was totally happy with. I am much more happy with this set up. At last! For now. I'm sure I'll think of something to move in 6 months. We moved one of the shelf towers from the living room, into this corner for a little visual interest. The love seat is now in from of the bay window, instead of against the far wall. I can't tell you how much more inviting it looks. 

Here's the opposite view, facing our new stairs. I moved the wooden file box and basket of blankets to that side. It fills the little space on the odd shaped triangular wall nicely. 

And our table and chairs on the back wall, in front of the tall narrow window. We already tried it out for a game night. 

I always wanted to add some type of window treatment to this non-centered window but couldn't decide  what to put there. It had a custom fit shade but looked boring and unfinished. 

I was thinking of making two panels myself if I could find a fabric that I liked. Nothing was really standing out to me. I wanted something with a little color or texture but wouldn't stand out like a sore thumb. While I was shopping around, I found these tan and cream chevron and solid panels with a fold over button design. They were in the clearance section at Burlington Coat Factory for $6.99 each! Made of heavyweight fabric, almost a tweed, I couldn't walk away from them. I liked the pattern and the price!

I found a curtain rod in our basement that we weren't using and recruited my husband to help me hang it up. This was the perfect opportunity to try a little trick I saw on Young House Love. I wanted to create the illusion that the window is in the center of the wall by cheating the curtains a little to the right, to make up for the extra space. We did this by extending the curtain rod farther out on the right side. 

Having the curtains centered, even though the window is not, created more balance and symmetry in the room. Gotta love symmetry!

I ended up removing the shade from the window completely, because it just didn't look right with the new curtains. I like how much light the window lets in now. Doesn't it look better? Not bad for a $12 solution! Makes me want to sit at the table with some hot chocolate and do a puzzle.

I really like my chocolate room! That's what I've named it. Who doesn't like chocolate?

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.