House of Hipsters + Jojotastic DesignOff with Decorist, Part 1

Homeownership has certainly been adventure and I’ve found that commiserating with fellow homeowner friends really helps. One source of constant encouragement and inspiration is Kyla from House of Hipsters. Not only did we buy houses around the same time, but her style is so spot-on. She really gets interiors, whereas I feel like I’m still figuring out what style works best for my lifestyle and my home. We recently decided to team up with Decorist for a bit of a contest and some major help getting our living rooms in order! Today, I’m super excited to introduce the DesignOff! Kyla and I are each sharing the before photos of our living rooms + loads of inspiration today… then handing it all over to the amazing designers at Decorist to tell us what to do (oh, and there’s a discount code so you can get your room done, too!).

For those of you not in the know, Decorist is a start up offering interior design services from top interior designers, all virtually! The amazing team at Decorist put together this Seattle Showhouse a few months back, which was also when and how Kyla and I met in person! We were all chatting over a few (read: many) drinks and realized that we should absolutely partner for some friendly competition… all while getting your input as much as possible! Each Decorist designer is going to give us two moodboard options for our rooms and you’ll get to vote.

And cue the before photos…

A few thoughts:

Wall color: I don’t even know where to begin. The current color is some mix of beige and yellow that makes me really unhappy. The previous owners had also apparently never heard of sanding, priming, or even using tape when painting surfaces. Also, whatever color I end up with, I will probably carry over into the dining groom since they open to each other so much.

Color: I already painted the doors glossy black so I think all color choices will need to complement those. The doors are my favorite part of the house

Rug: while I adore this Loloi rug and it was perfect for my old loft, it’s not the right fit for this space. Is it too big? Too dark? Too patterned? No idea.

TV: Affectionately dubbed #floortv, I think it’s time to part with this eyesore. I have always hated having to plan a room around a black box, so I’ve decided to donate the tv, cancel the cable, and one day switch to a hi-def project for movie nights!

Lighting:  This room had zero installed lighting when I moved in. Without overhead lighting, I rely on my arc lamp to illuminate the center of the room, but that leaves many dark corners at night. I definitely need a designer’s help to get my lighting situation figured out in this room.

Sofa: I really, really love my Blu Dot Bank sofa and spent quite a bit of money on it, but I worry that it doesn’t fit the style of my bungalow. Similarly to my rug debate, I can’t decide. I love the shape and size, but is it too modern for my bungalow?

Curtains: The current curtains are leftovers from the previous owners’ renters and they are pretty damn gross. Torn, stained, barely attached to the wall… I cannot wait to replace these things! Also, I live on a busy street, so I want curtains that let in lots of light, but keep out prying eyes.

Dual purpose: The corner of the living room serves as my home office while the rest of the room is for entertaining and lounging. How do I incorporate both seamlessly? No idea, but I’m hoping the designer can give me some pointers!

Now, let’s look at something a bit more appealing… inspiration board on Pinterest! As you can tell, I want lots of clean details with boho touches, rumply fabrics and a causal air about things. My house is a bungalow, so it’s really important that the vibes are chill (wow, I sound so West Coast). I’m also looking to this room’s makeover to set the tone for all of the other renovations I undertake. I’ve been so overwhelmed with not knowing where to start, so working with Decorist on this room is going to be huge for me.

Over the course of the DesignOff, Kyla and I will be asking you to vote for your favorite moodboard. I’ve never worked with a designer before and am really excited to team up with Jessica McCarthy— I mean, check out this amazing makeover she did for my girl Alex of AVE Styles. Major lover eyes.

ALSO! Want to use Decorist in your own home? Use code DesignOff20 to get 20% off interior design services for your home.

Be sure to head to House of Hipsters to see Kyla’s before photos and inspiration. I’ve really enjoyed how similar our inspiration is, but how totallllly different our spaces are! And excuse me because I’m totally green with envy for her built-ins… what I wouldn’t do for extra storage like that!

Before photography by Jojotastic.

Disclosure: Decorist was kind enough to give me a makeover for this post. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the content that keeps Jojotastic awesome.