
It’s a BIG DAY, you guys… it’s the official unveiling of my living room + dining room makeover by the super talented Jessica McCarthy of Decorist! Throughout this entire process, I was always able to rely on Jessica to steer me in the right direction — from picking paint colors to sourcing new front door hardware to hanging art at the right height, her one-on-one design insight was exactly what I needed. I don’t even have the words to explain how absolutely blown away I am that I can call this space my home. I feel so very, very lucky.
Without further do, let’s look at the amazing photos!
ps – be sure to head to House of Hipsters to see Kyla’s makeover reveal, too!
I honestly have no words to explain how happy I am with this space. When Jessica and I first started talking about the concept for the room, I expressed to her how lost I felt… I had no idea where to even start and it felt like there was so much pressure to get it right. After all, this is the first room I’ve tackled since moving into #mytinybungalow in February. Jessica pulled together a plan that not only incorporate some of my favorite pieces, but also set the tone for the rest of the home. Basically, now all of my favorite things reside in this room and I couldn’t be happier.
Jessica also indulged my love of wiener dogs, brass, and adorable tiny vintage pieces… the two of us totally bonded over this! Her attention to detail truly astounded me. I don’t even know where to begin… from the mixed texture of the layered rugs, the balance of white and black, and the styling of my #shelfie, Jessica really cast an editing eye toward the space and gave it a curated homeyness that I simply could not have pulled off on my own.
Let’s pause and take a minute to talk about pillows. We decided to keep my Blu Dot Bank sofa, which has handsome, straightforward lines, but felt like it needed to be softened. I’ve always wanted a toss-back style sofa, so we mimicked this style by piling on the pillows by my two favorite textile designers, Rebecca Atwood and Susan Connor NY. A few years ago, Rebecca made these custom euro shams for me and I’ve always had them in my bedroom. But now, they feel totally perfect on the sofa! Then, Susan’s new collection launched and I reached out to her for swatches… and immediately fell in love with the immense detail of her linen pillows. I’ve always wanted pillows from Susan, so these beauties were the ultimate splurge and I couldn’t be happier with them! We completed the statement with a Flea Market Fab shaggy pouf to add more texture to the space (and Georgette has claimed the pouf as her favorite seat in the house).
Another design challenge we faced was the inclusion of a small home office for me. I often work from home and needed to have a desk in order to do so. Jessica’s influence here was crucial! Inspired by the bison skull I picked up during my road trip, we sourced a vintage chair from Ballard Reuse and then had it re-upholstered in vintage mudcloth. So cool, right?? Then we had an intense videochat styling session to get the shelf styling juuust right. It’s the perfect balance to the black French doors, huh?
And then you round the corner and you’re in my dining room… home of the most gorgeous navy blue wall ever!
This makeover started initially with the living room, but we quickly realized that the floor plan of my house meant we should include the dining room, too. The large arched opening leads directly into the dining room, making it the perfect place for a bold navy wall, literally my most favorite part of this entire Decorist makeover!
Picking paint colors is always the hardest part for me. To make my decision, we tested out 4 different shades of navy on this wall and 7 (yes, 7) shades of white. Sherwin-Williams really hooked me up for this project by supplying paint. I ultimately decided on a warm shade of white called Greek Villa which will keep the space feeling cozy even in the dark, drizzly Seattle winter days. The blue is called Sea Serpent and has the perfect level of saturation. We didn’t want to go too cobalt or too dusty, instead opting for a navy that has a slight hint of yellow to it. Then we added loads of black elements to tie this room and the living room (with it’s black doors and trim) together. This custom light fixture from Sazerac Stitches was an incredible find and the ultimate replacement for my hideous boob lamp. I love the statement it makes!
This door leads to my bedroom, so I wanted to make it feel a little more special. We added a black porcelain doorknob that is so freaking gorgeous. And the hardware is made of solid brass! I topped it off with a handmade black tassel for a rich and slightly sexy vibe.
I’ve had this live edge shelf for years, but haven’t ever found a spot for it. Jessica knew that the blue wall needed something on it and we finally found a home for the shelf! On it, I placed photos of my grandparents, including my grandpa who was instrumental in helping me to purchase my first home (read more about that here). The dining room is the exact center of my home, so it feels fitting to have their photos displayed in the heart of my house. It feels just as much their home as it does mine.
Then there’s the metallic cowhide rug from Rugs Direct… I’m going to be totally honest here: I was really on the fence about this. Something about cowhide rugs has always freaked me out a little, but Jessica really believed in it and I have to say… I’m so glad she did! The room is oddly shaped and the organic shape of the cowhide is perfect. From the texture to the touches of metallic to the color… this rug completes the space. Yup, that’s me eating my words and admitting I was totally wrong about cowhide rugs all along!
If you haven’t seen the before photos, check ’em out here — it was pretty bad. And you can see every step along the way of the project here. Seriously, I cannot believe this is my home! Every time we sit down to a meal or snuggle with the dogs on the sofa, I find myself grinning wildly because finally —finally— this feels like my home.
Sources, living room:
- Greek Villa paint c/o Sherwin-Williams
- Tricorn Black paint c/o Sherwin-Williams
- arc lamp, similar from Lamps.com
- Blu Dot Bank sofa
- vintage trunk from Homestead Seattle
- vintage Turkish rug from Homestead Seattle
- bleached jute rug c/o ATG Stores
- vintage Moroccan rug pouf from Flea Market Fab
- black and gold side table c/o ATG Stores
- set of 2 table torchieres c/o ATG Stores
- vintage brass dachshunds from White Elephant Co.
- door tassel from WKNDLA
- Grandeur by Nostalgic Warehouse front door hardware c/o ATG Stores
- custom shibori pillows from Rebecca Atwood
- Artemis pillows from Susan Connor NY
- Indro pillow from Susan Connor NY
- Grandeur by Nostalgic Warehouse French door hardware and deadbolt c/o ATG Stores
- wooden block side table c/o Article
- Untitled 1 by Jaime Derringers c/o Minted
- Form by Lauren Packard c/o Minted
- framed print by Danfredo Photos + Films, framing by Framebridge
- framed illustration by Andrew DeGraff, framing by Framebridge
- framed painting by Rebecca Atwood, framing by Framebridge
- skull pillow from Calypso St. Barth
- rattan magazine holder from Urban Outfitters
- white linen curtains c/o ATG Stores
- black curtain rods c/o ATG Stores
- plants c/o Swansons Nursery
Sources, desk area:
- Parsons desk from West Elm
- vintage chair with mudcloth upholstery (if you’re in Seattle and want an amazing upholsterer, be sure to go to Eidem Upholstery)
- Pilsen Salt Bookcase from Crate & Barrel
- General Store Lamp from Urban Outfitters with LED globe bulb
- handmade woven storage basket from Connected Artisans
- Crosby schoolhouse lamp from Target
- It’s Ok banner from Secret Holiday Co.
Sources, dining room:
- Sea Serpent paint c/o Sherwin-Williams
- Surya metallic cowhide rug c/o Rugs Direct
- marble topped tulip dining table c/o ATG Stores
- black bent wood dining chairs c/o ATG Stores
- vintage bar cart (similar)
- vintage lamp (similar)
- vintage live edge wooden shelf from Homestead Seattle
- custom ceiling light from Sazerac Stitches
- door tassel from WKNDLA
- Nostalgic Warehouse door hardware c/o ATG Stores
- white linen curtains c/o ATG Stores
- black curtain rods c/o ATG Stores
If I missed the source of anything, please let me know down in the comments and I’ll supply a link!
Photography by Ellie Lillstrom. Styling by Jessica McCarthy and 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.
Such a great space! Love that blue wall in particular. Thanks for including our lounge chair in your home-
Thanks so much! Your chair is the perfect finishing touch for my living room :)
It looks SO great!! I’m in love with that blue. So good.
thank you! i’m so obsessed with the color :)
Beautiful space! Love the reading corner. Pinned :)
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to dive into my latest book there this weekend :)