My refreshed living room features DIY board and batten, a Pottery Barn sofa, stenciled curtains, warm wood tones and bright pops of turquoise.
Here it is—the updated living room with new pillows, blue accents, fresh paint, board and batten, and a gallery wall. It’s still very much a lived-in space: toys, popcorn crumbs and the occasional pillow fort make regular appearances. Even so, the vision I had for this room when we first moved in is finally starting to feel real.
To put the transformation in perspective, here’s how the room looked when we moved into the house:
It started out as a typical builder beige room—nice, neutral, but lacking personality. A few strategic changes have made a significant difference.
After decorating for the holidays, the room took on a cozier feel, but what really changed everything was the paint and the board and batten detail.
A fresh coat of gray brightened the space and created a calm backdrop for the new finishes and color accents.
Here’s the room today—lighter, more open and relaxed:
The before-and-after comparison really shows how much more light and calm the room now conveys.
I’m calling this a “reveal,” but the room is still evolving—there’s always another detail to tweak. For now, I’m happy with this milestone and excited to share the progress.
Enjoy a few more photos of the space and the little touches that make it feel like home.
Thank you for taking the tour. I truly love how the room turned out—my husband even said the house feels “fancy” now, which I’ll happily accept as a compliment.
To keep things real: this room is lived in. I snapped a photo before tidying up to show that despite the makeover, everyday life with kids leaves traces—popcorn, toys and shoes are regular visitors. It makes the finished space feel even more meaningful knowing it’s also functional.
Yes—I added my watermark to that candid shot. It made me laugh. Sometimes the little things are the most fun.
I had planned to include a step-by-step board and batten tutorial in this post, but that would have made it very long. I’ll share the tutorial and more detailed how-tos in a follow-up post soon. In the meantime, enjoy the photos and have a great weekend!
Are you making any updates to your home this spring?
What do you think of the living room makeover?
Sources …
Stenciled IKEA Curtains
Board and Batten Tutorial
Neid Trellis Rug in Charcoal from RugsUsa.com
Sofa: PB Comfort Grand Slipcovered Sofa
Basket by Fireplace: Target’s Wooden Basket with ChalkboardCozy Coupe – from Target – yes, that little car made the cut!
Find all of the posts about my living room makeover:
Part 1: Paint
Part 2: More Paint
Part 3: Caulking and Spackling
Part 4: Blue Accessories
Part 5: Gallery Wall
Part 6: Super Easy Throw Pillows
More Posts You Will Love:
- Best Living Room Paint Colors
- Cozy Navy Living Room Reveal
- How to Decorate a Living Room
- Christmas Decorating in the Living Room
- Home Decor 101: How to Decorate End Tables