Everybody loves a good before-and-after home makeover story. Think about it: whether you’re watching Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines or you want to Double Down with the Property Brothers, there is just something so rewarding about seeing a space transform before your eyes.
Before and after photos and stories are also a great way to get interior design tips and inspiration (hello Pinterest!) and to vet new interior design services. Particularly helpful (and fun) to see are living room before and afters—perhaps because they are spaces with so many possibilities. With that in mind, we’ve compiled some of our favorite before and after living room transformations of Modsy customers.
Keep reading for a round-up of our favorite living room makeovers, get living room design ideas, and maybe even be able to get started on a living room checklist for your personal design project!
Marsha and Dan’s Refined Coastal Retreat
The Design Dilemma: When Marsha and Dan became empty nesters, they decided it was finally time to give their beach house a design refresh before making it into their full-time home. But the couple struggled to find upscale, pet-proof furniture that lived up to the formal feel of the space while also having a coastal vibe.
The Solution: Working with a Modsy designer, the couple got help selecting furniture that could not only withstand the sandy paws of their beachy dog, Gunner, but also perfectly complemented the architecture of their home and added coastal charm. Additionally, their designer created a formal layout with conversational seating centered around the fireplace—creating ample seating for when the couple’s kids are visiting from college.
What Marsha and Dan Had to Say: “Our favorite part of the design process was seeing how our designer took our requests for durable furnishings and a casual beach look and seamlessly married them with the formal architecture.” –Marsha and Dan
Lisa’s Eclectic Living Room Centered Around Mid-Century Modern Style
The Design Dilemma: Lisa and her family had lived with the same furniture for 18 years—preferring pieces that were strictly functional and sturdy enough for the occasionally chaotic life of raising kids. But when two of their children moved to college, they decided it was time for a style upgrade. However, Lisa didn’t know what style of decor would work best for thier space or how to integrate the family heirlooms she wanted to keep.
The Solution: Lisa’s designer selected Mid-Century Modern foundational furniture for her living room, which turned out to be the perfect style for her eclectic home. The warm wood tones of the furniture complemented her heirloom belongings, while the sleek modern silhouettes of each piece didn’t distract from her keepsakes.
What Lisa Had to Say: “The whole Modsy experience helped me tap into my own creativity and bring more of my own vision and personality into my living room design. I literally bought everything I needed for the space in a single day!” –Lisa
Sandra’s Cheerful Mid-Century Modern Living-Dining Room
The Design Dilemma: When her mother passed away, Sandra was overcome with a tremendous sense of loss. She found herself alone in the home they had shared for many years and was reminded of her mother everywhere she looked.
Deciding a fresh start would help with the grieving process, she gave away most of her mother’s furniture, leaving the home a blank slate. But with limited design experience, thinking through how to fill and design her living-dining room proved quite difficult.
The Solution: Using Modsy, Sandra collaborated with a designer who helped her create a space filled with bright white furniture and cheery pops of color. The designer selected translucent accent items making the space feel more open and airy feeling, giving Sandra the happy and healing vibe she wanted for her home.
What Sandra Had to Say: “My Modsy designer assisted me in transforming every room, giving me a home that feels personalized and special. It’s now a place of peace.” –Sandra
Samantha’s Cozy Contemporary Living Room with a Rustic Twist
The Design Dilemma: When Samatha and her husband moved from a Traditional-style starter home to an open-concept Mid-Century ranch, they were excited for a fresh start. But they soon discovered that most of their old traditional furniture felt fussy and over-crowded in their new open living room space. Knowing she wanted a cozy modern vibe for her new home, but lacking the design knowledge to decorate on her own, Samantha decided to give online interior design a try.
The Solution: Using Modsy, Samantha was able to “try-on” different furniture and layout options in her open living room. Her designer showed her a couple layouts where she floated the furniture in the center of the space and paired it with a large area rug—creating a cozy living room “zone” that distinguished it from the dining and kitchen spaces in the large room. She selected contemporary-style foundational furniture with simplistic forms in rustic organic materials, giving the space the cozy and modern feel Samantha wanted but didn’t know how to create on her own.
What Samantha Had to Say: “Before our Modsy design, my husband and I were never in our living room, and now we both love sitting in there, watching TV or reading. Our dog loves the new space too—she’s a big fan of the rug, so she’s not on the cold floor, and the room is so much more inviting and open.” –Samantha
Sarah’s Formal Living Room With a Warm, Rustic Twist
The Design Dilemma: When Sarah’s family moved into a bigger house, they decided it would be nice to have both a formal living room and a more casual space for family hangouts. But Sarah needed help finding kid-proof decor that could stand up to her toddlers while still meeting her style needs.
“We wanted our living room to mostly be for adults and have a separate TV room in the basement for kids to destroy—I mean play in! That said, we are usually all together, so the living room needed to stand up to kids while still having a classic vibe.” –Sarah R.
The Solution: Sarah’s designer suggested a symmetrical layout for her living room design, which helped play up the formal quality of the space. Next, her designer selected performance-grade fabric for the traditionally inspired foundational furniture to ensure each piece could handle her kids. Finally, warm wood tones and accents in natural textures added a cozy warmth to the formal living room.
What Sarah Had to Say: “I had great interactions with my designer, the designs were super cool, and the shopping experience was a breeze.”
Amy’s Contemporary Living Room With a Conversational Layout
The design dilemma: With their sons headed to college, Amy and her husband decided it was time to replace their collection of hand-me-down furniture with all new pieces. But they needed help designing a conversational layout and cozy TV-viewing space that also worked with the room’s unique Spanish-revival-style architecture.
The solution: Amy’s Modsy designer utilized a subtle, neutral color scheme and contemporary style foundational furniture for a minimal and stylish look that wouldn’t distract from the room’s architecture. Instead of a coffee table, they used a storage ottoman to minimize any clutter and floated an oversized sofa in the space for maximum comfort while watching TV. Her designer also added two armchairs opposite the sofa with an additional ottoman for the conversational layout.
What Amy had to say: “Modsy was able to create a beautiful and doable design for our living room makeover. My designer took the stress out of redecorating and online furniture shopping by filling my space with beautiful items at affordable prices. The whole process was fast, easy, and stress-free.”
Zoha’s Kid-Proof Mid-Century Modern Living Room
The design dilemma: After moving to a new city, Zoha and her husband started looking into the possibility of expanding their family. They decided the smart choice would be to kid-proof their living room design for their 9-year-old and any future tots. But they wanted to make sure that they found childproof furniture that worked for their new space before making investment purchases for their living room makeover—so they signed up with Modsy.
The solution: Zoha’s designer selected foundational furniture in performance fabrics and included natural textures in the accent pieces (like a jute ottoman). The sturdy organic materials had the dual purpose of standing up to the wear and tear of a young child while also tying in the large stone fireplace’s rustic quality. The designer was also careful to select furniture with smooth edges to prevent any injuries for rambunctious kids. They stuck to mid-century-modern-inspired silhouettes in a light color palette to keep the space feeling open and modern.
What Zoha had to say: “Our Modsy designer was absolutely amazing! She addressed all of our requests and went above and beyond.” –Zoha H.
John’s Contemporary Living Room With Optimal Seating
The design dilemma: When John and his wife decided it was time for a living room makeover, they knew they’d need to find comfortable seating solutions for their family of seven. They had a large sectional in mind but needed help selecting decor in the same contemporary style.
“We had a family room space that we wanted to make more comfortable, so we bought a big sectional sofa to replace the old sofas we had. But we needed help with design ideas for rugs, accent furniture, and wall art. Plus, I really wanted a stylish and unique reading chair.” –John P.
The solution: John’s designer began his living room transformation by selecting a soft gray wall color that complemented the fabric of his family’s new sectional while opening up the room. The designer brought in pops of pale blue for the area rug, wall art, and accent pillows which further expanded the openness of the space. They also added a statement wingback accent chair in the corner reading nook in the same tranquil blue-gray color palette. Finally John’s designer added poufs and ottomans throughout the space to ensure everybody in the family had a comfy place to sit.
What John had to say: “The entire experience could not have been any easier for my wife and me. Our designer was very responsive and really listened to what we wanted for our space. She offered beautiful and functional options for us to choose from. She even changed the wall colors for us!” –John P.
Sue’s Modern Studio in Rich Jewel Tones
The design dilemma: When Sue retired and moved into a cozy new apartment with an open floor plan, she wanted to make sure that she chose the right layout and furniture. Understanding she would know what she liked when she saw it, Sue decided to try online interior design—so she could “try-on” different layouts for her space in 3D.
The solution: Sue’s designer knew she wanted to see options for her space, so provided two designs with different color palettes—the first having soft neutrals and the second bold pops of jewel tones. In each design, her designer selected foundational furniture with clean silhouettes but kept the finishes organic. This choice gave the multi-functional room a streamlined but organic vibe, keeping the modern space from feeling too austere.
What Sue had to say: “The 3D designs were just what I needed to decide the look of my studio space. My designer was great to work with and selected the perfect products to choose from for my home. The whole process was fast and easy.” –Sue G.
Curious about which color palette Sue preferred? In the end she decided that jewel tones were a little more her style, but seeing different options is always helpful for the decision making process.
Barbara’s Traditional and Comfortable Living Room
The design dilemma: When her two sons left the nest, Barbara decided it was time to spread her interior design wings and try a new style for her living room. She knew she wanted ample and comfortable seating for when her family could come to visit again. But she struggled to decide on a new look for her living room makeover. Especially daunting to her was the task of finding the right decor for her space.
“I’m horrible at room accessorizing and really loved getting some guidance with how to add decorative accents.” –Barbara
The solution: To address Barbara’s request for ample and comfortable seating, her designer created a conversational layout by placing twin sofas on either side of an accent chair. Additionally the designer added a bench and reading nook in different corners of the room. They then filled the seating areas with plenty of cozy pillows and poufs for added texture and comfort. Finally, they added several small, traditionally inspired decorative ornaments throughout the space—like a pot of succulents with a rusted finish—to complement the traditional silhouettes of the foundational furniture.
What Barbara had to say: “I do not have an eye for design, so this was the perfect solution for me. Modsy really hit the mark with my style. I was very pleased with their flexibility, responsiveness, and affordability. It was a fun pandemic activity!”
Read more living room design stories, from really Modsy customers.
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The Backstory
View of the living area in Yates & Liz’s vacation rental
