This “Just Starting Out” Apartment Living Room Gets a Sophisticated Transformation
Credit: Pavel Bendov Credit: Pavel Bendov
Credit: Pavel Bendov Credit: Pavel Bendov
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Loft
PROJECT TYPE: Living Room
STYLE: Eclectic, Industrial, Modern
SKILL LEVEL: Professional
RENTAL FRIENDLY: Yes
When it comes to home makeovers, interior designer Todd Raymond (of Studio Todd Raymond) advises, “Use what you have! Play into those features!” That can look like making a home’s original staircase a grand centerpiece, accentuating existing stained glass, or, in the case of Todd’s client, highlighting the tall ceilings and exposed brick that came with the loft apartment.
In this living room makeover, the name of the game was warming things up in this “very minimal, simply designed,” apartment without doing much to change the walls or windows. Todd says his client was looking for something more sophisticated after living in the apartment for a few years.
A curtain wall adds drama.
The standout in the space is the new “drapery wall,” as Todd calls it. (And for more cool curtain wall projects, check out these inspiration images! Accent walls don’t have to be just painted, after all.)
“Because the ceiling heights are so high, we wanted to bring some drama by doing a wall of drapery behind the TV,” Todd explains. “It was our first time mounting a floating TV on a curtain wall, and we wanted the ripples to be consistent, so a lot of thought went into the type of bracket we used.”
Todd and team selected a khaki-colored wool for their accent wall, “which, in my opinion, is a more ‘serious’ and elevated type of fabric — a little detail that helps make the entire space feel more adult, which is what we were going for,” Todd says. A new coat of white paint (Benjamin Moore’s White Dove) on the other walls helps things feel extra-polished, too.
Much of the existing furniture stayed.
An oversized statement artwork by artist Kenny Nguyen, a carved walnut credenza, and some new chrome accent tables in the living room certainly stand out, but much of the furniture stayed the same — including the steel safe used as a table! “We also chose a nylon rug, which gives the look of a silk rug for much less, and is very durable,” Todd adds.
The furniture layout stayed the same, too. Todd says sometimes he encourages clients to majorly switch things up in their layout, but here, the arrangement already felt right. “Sometimes, things just work!” he says.
Todd says he (and his client!) love how the living room now feels both casual and sophisticated. It’s perfect for the client to relax on his own, but also host with style.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
