When Ania sent us her delicious after photos (thanks to this mood board that we whipped up for her last month) we couldn’t wait to share the eye candy! We know you guys love a good before and after, and Ania did a faaaabulous job! Here’s her letter:
Here are a few after pictures that I took for you! Needless to say, we LOVE our new living and dining room area. I can’t believe I ever had doubts about the bentwood chairs or the media stand. They are honestly my favorite items that we purchased. We L-O-V-E everything. From the frame collage to the chandelier to the sofa table… everything! Thank you soooooo much for the design advice. It feels like a completely transformed space and we love to spend time here. Amazing! You two truly have a gift. You will definitely be hearing from me again. Oh man do I have some more ugly rooms for you! Best, Ania
Just to refresh your memory, here are the before photos of the space:
Ania wanted a few new furnishings that felt less boxy and matchy-matchy to create a space with beachy, modern and glamorous touches. Here’s the mood board we whipped up to help add polish and breezy style to her living & dining room (find more details here):
But enough stalling. We know you’re all about the afters. So here ya go:
Didn’t Ania do an amazing job? What’s your favorite part? We’re torn between the super fun medallion curtains and the new white pedestal table with the capiz chandy overhead. That entire breakfast nook just leaves us breathless. I mean we knew that her space had fantastic potential but it’s still unbelievable to see it all spruced up and polished looking. No more paper on the windows!
And didn’t she totally rock that charming L-shaped wall of frames that we described? We love that she took the ball and ran with it. It’s even better than we imagined! Plus it only took her a month to get back to us with after photos which is truly unbelievable. Let’s shower Ania with praise for being so wonderful and sending us her eye-pleasing after pics. And here’s hoping more Design Dilemma after photos will be landing in our inbox very soon…
Update: We sadly can no longer find the time to take on client commissioned mood boards (we now whip up general inspiration boards instead) but if we ever reinstate them we’ll make a big announcement!
Vicki K says
Great make over. I love those curtains and the rug under the couch. What a difference.
Elizabeth says
I think it looks awesome!
My first thought on accessorizing would be to pull some of the red (if it is as red as it looks in your picture) on the right wall pictures onto your sofa table. I think the clear thing with neutral filler kind of blends into the wall/curtains. I’ve seen some red vases at Target you could put some natural stick type things in or a red plate (there is one on their website I have–bamboo platter with stand but the link is really long and I am not very tech-savvy).
If it isn’t really red, I would try to play up the yellow with a couple of big pieces. For example, the Cherry Blossom vases from Target, again sorry for lack of clicky link. I am not a designer, but I do think adding more of the accent colors would help blend the really dark vs. really light furnishings you have.
Really impressed with your decorating speed!
Lindsay says
Looks amazing!!! I love it. Now I have to get my room finished (and send in pics) :)
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo Lindsay! Definitely send those pics our way whenever you’re finished! Happy decorating…
xo,
s
lauren says
thank you thank you ania for showing the after photos. i barely glance at the mood boards because i want to save myself from the let down of not seeing the afterwards…you did a fab job…and you guys did a great job on your mood board! woot!
28 says
This one is definitely one of my top favorites. Everything is very livable and not too trendy or design-y, just stylish and welcoming. In other words, perfect!
julia says
Good job bringing the mood board to life! As for accessories, I would like a rug under the breakfast table. I liked the fois bois one from Flor that was shown on YHL yesterday. Maybe that would look good (and be easy to keep clean under a dining table). A cheery yellow rug might also be fun to tie in the accent color. I also could picture a bigger, bright yellow bowl or vase on the table. For the coffee table, I think a basket on the shelf underneath would be nice (to hold magazines, books, remotes, etc). Another basket, vase, and/or potted plant would be nice near the TV to warm up that corner.
HeatherMax says
Thank you so much for showing a room with a TV! Love the before and after!
Betsy says
That breakfast nook looks like it is straight out of magazine, great job YHL & Ania…and in less than 1 month? so jeaous!
Cecelia says
What a beautiful update! The after photos look like you had discovered an ocean treasure chest. Modern design softened with shimmery medallions.
I LUST for that rug and those curtains! Maybe I could find some place to put them…
Please consider letting that fish plate (or one of those faux large swordfish?…) swim above the flatscreen and put that glittering pool of a mirror somewhere over the sofa.
It’s a show-stopper!
Amy @ Renovation Innovation says
The chandelier is absolutely stunning. When I saw it on the mood board, I didnt really like it, but seeing it in the space, it is just amazing. Kudos to Sherry and John for the mood board and thanks to Ania for sending the after pics! Just my two cents, the only thing I am not 100% sure on is the chairs. The breakfast nook just looks so sumptuous with the chandlier and curtains, and in my opinion, the chairs look a little ‘student-y’.
caitlin says
great job on your makeover! loving the breakfast nook, and i agree that the little shelves on the left wall in the breakfast nook don’t look quite right. i’d try out a long, slim piece of art, or even 2 or 3 photos hung vertically in that space. i also agree with whoever commented that perhaps your living room rug could come out from the wall a bit. but great job overall!!
Molly says
I have to admit that when I first saw the mood board a few weeks ago I was skeptical about the chandelier, but now! It adds such drama and I love it. Well done!
@Ania – A tall plant either by the LR window (very large to sit on the floor) or on the sofa table (medium size) would soften up your look. For the floor I would suggest a corn plant (not actually corn, just has a similar aesthetic) and for the table I would suggest a peace plant. At the holidays you could change it out for an amaryllis or a poinsettia for a pop of color. Another option would be a candlestick lamp for the sofa table and a floor lamp to the right of the couch.
Nice job!
Christen says
LOVE it! Great job, YHL and Ania. Ania, do you remember what color paint you used on your walls? I’d love to know!
Dana says
Let’s just say I would eat breakfast in that nook all day long. Awesome.
Paula Grace says
Well done. The chandelier is awesome. Great choice.
Paula says
So cute – I love that chandelier the most of the whole make over. What a great call to bring some rounded elements into that squared breakfast nook.
trish says
Love it, I totally love it. The table/chairs and the chandelier go together so beautifully–great mood board and great job, Ania, bringing it to life. Awesome.
Casey says
@Christen, this is Ania’s husband. The paint is called “Sand Pearl” and it’s one of those Behr paint-and-primer-in-one paints from Home Depot.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for that info Casey!
xo,
s
Jessica says
I think the bay window looks great!!! My husband and I are having a little disagreement about hanging curtains in our bay window. Right now all we have are bamboo roman shades in each of the windows. He says that bay windows never have curtains and will look out of place. What is ya’lls take on curtains in a bay window?
YoungHouseLove says
Curtains all the way! Here’s a post with gorgeous bay window curtains. We love them.
xo,
s
ania says
Hey Sherry,
I was wondering if you could steer me in the right direction as far as my self-guided accessorizing is concerned
YoungHouseLove says
Sure thing Ania! Let’s see, we’d go with a big amber colored glass vase in the middle of the dining table for a bit more gleam and color that ties into the seating area across the room. Then we’d take down those shelves and hang two white framed botanicals (just simple ferns on white paper or something) on top of each other on that wall (but lower than the shelves, maybe so the top of the higher frame hits the top of where the shelves are so they create balance with the window on the other side).
We actually love your simple coffee table setup but if you’d like to layer more items into the arrangement you could stack a few big hardcover books under the white tray and maybe slide a large woven basket onto the bottom shelf and fill it with glossy magazines and other items you love to peruse while relaxing in front of the TV. You could also add yellow and amber glass vases or other little accents to the TV table for added color and interest on that side of the room (maybe two tall yellow vases on one side and a round white shell ball on the other side for asymmetrical interest?). And of course leafy green plants always add life to a room so you could add one of those to the console table behind the sofa and maybe switch out the shell ball idea on the media stand for a potted plant instead. Either woven baskets or crisp white ceramic planters would look great housing those green leafy additions. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
ania says
Genius! Thank you very much!
ania says
One final question: what are your thoughts on a rug for under the dining table? I’m not sure what the consensus is on having two rugs so close together. That’s it! I promise to send you new after pics once I have this all cleaned up. I’m excited to get started!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ania,
A round jute rug would be great under your table (overstock has a bunch) but you’re right about rugs conflicting if they’re too close. I would say if there’s not at least three feet between them (to serve as a walkway/divider between areas) you should skip the dining are rug and warm things up by hanging those photos on the wall and bringing in a larger amber vase for the center of the table. It’s amazing what little tweaks like that can do! Plus that area already looks straight out of a magazine so there’s little room for improvement!
xo,
s
emalie says
wow she did a great job!
Christine says
Hi Ania,
Wow, I think this girl must have a gift in her blood.
This came out so good! This is a Home you can feel the
warmth and you want to cuddle up on those couches. It
isn’t over done and you feel the sunshine coming in but,
it isn’t to bright like some of these colors. Plus you can
relax and read or watch a little T.V. with out feeling like
you have to get up and clean something with a bunch of
clutter on the tables or the floors everywhere you look.
the T.V. wall is well done also. Nice and clean lines.
I have to say the Kitchen nook is outstanding and I love
this Chandelier, Incredible Buy!!! Beautiful!!
Jamie Wright, REALTOR says
WOW! Great work Ania…way to take suggestion! I love the way the chandelier looks:)
Sarah says
Hi,
I have a bay window in my living room that is similar to their kitchen bay window. It has a bulk head that is straight. Can I hang curtains on the bulk head, just above the window, to make the windows look as big as possible, or would they look better hung like these ones were, with a bend rod. They would be used strightly for decoration puposes and not to block light.
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, definitely use the bulk head for some nice height. Good luck!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Hi,
Love the breakfast nook redo! We have a similar nook and have been looking at the same pedestal table. Love the look but worry that it isn’t very durable… Any ideas how this table is standing up for Ania?
Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lisa,
Here’s hoping Ania can drop in with that info. Otherwise you can find similar marble topped tulip tables on eBay and in local furniture stores for a pretty penny (but they’re super high quality and totally heirloom worthy). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Paige says
One word: INCREDIBLE! My brown space needs some help, too!
S&J- I couldn’t find the curtains at west elm. Any idea if they are still available?
Thanks for sharing.
Paige
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Paige,
Looks like they’re gone. Maybe try ebay? Good luck!
xo,
s