Michelle and Brian are newlyweds enjoying first-time home ownership in a 1950s bungalow.
She says, “It’s been a labor of love, and we’ve enjoyed the challenge of turning our small, dark space into a bright and happy one.”
Here’s how their living room looks now…
It’s so pretty I went “Ahhh!” when I saw how it turned out.
The paint color is Benjamin Moore’s Hush.
Now let’s take a look at the dining room makeover.
Here’s how it looked before:
And the Dining Room Now:
Michelle is a contributor for The Handmade Home, one of my favorite blogs.
Thanks to Michelle for inviting us in.
Visit her blog Iron & Twine for more photos and information.
I’m just asking, but where do you put yours knees and feet when sitting at the dining room table?
Good question! I think a nice, chunky round slab of timber on top (much bigger than the current tabletop) would look good and solve that problem. I actually prefer the original chairs, too.
You know it’s a great blog post when my eyes grow to 2 X’s their normal size after I’ve scrolled down to the ‘AFTER’ snapshot!
Literally!
Mine did, too! Ha.
May I say – “Ditto”!?
Haha, me too! It looks beautiful!
And mine too! Amazing transformation. It looks bigger as well as brighter.
Ditto! Mine did too 🙂
So beautiful! I love to see small houses shine like this! Really impressive!
Wow! It wasn’t terrible before, but after, it’s spectacular! Looks twice as large and so much brighter.
This is just lovely! So light and bright 🙂
Bright, cozy and welcoming! Thank you for sharing AND thanks for the blink to another blog!
This is a great make over! I did not even see the fireplace in the before photo and it just pops in the after one. What a good job Michelle and Brian, hope you enjoy your beautiful home.
Thanks jep!! We love our space, always a work in progress, but we wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂
Perfectly lovely!
I love the dining room chairs! And the huge baskets in the living room are great. I have them all over, too, and recently discovered that a well-placed pillow easily and prettily hides all the junk I quickly toss in there when the doorbell rings!!
So true about the baskets — and the well-placed pillows. Ha. 🙂
A pillow on top?! That’s never even crossed my mind! I’ll be using that trick the next time the doorbell rings!
I love the baskets as well, I have used them over my cabinets to store extra things not used often.
Gorgeousness
Those are some pretty wonderful changes. I love how you made it brighter. You gave your house a new life. Perfect.
Very pretty. I love all the natural materials – wood floors, baskets, sea grass rug. I also love maps as art.
So glad you noticed the maps! They were 25 cents each at a thrift store and then framed in Goodwill Frames ~ easy.cheap.art!
Love that.
It’s gorgeous and I love it! The lighter colors freshen it up and open it up.
(I do have to add that if the newlyweds are planning on having kids, it might not stay so pristine!) 🙂
It’s amazing how a better color and lighter furniture will brighten a space! Great job. I just love all the little touches here and there, like that menu board in the dining room. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, Rebecca ~ that menu board has special meaning to us! It’s an old Plantation Shutter painted with chalkboard paint that we used for our wedding reception, afterwards I didn’t have the heart to erase it, so we’ve decided to keep it as a reminder of that day! Thanks for your kind words!!
Now that’s an awesome makeover!
Love her design. I do love the old dining set better, though and I noticed that one of her bedrooms is in the middle of the house with no windows. I couldn’t live in a bedroom with no windows, but I do love bungalows and sometimes you just live with what they are.
Now that’s a fantastic makeover!
Great makeover! Love the coffee table.
Hi, Debbie! The coffee table was purchased from Decor Decor in Atlanta ~ I found it in their scratch & dent section for a bargain.
So very pretty and bright! It looks bigger even.
Absolutely LOVE the dining room table, wonder where they purchased it?
I’m not sure but it looks like one I’ve seen at Pottery Barn.
Hi, Aria! It is indeed from Pottery Barn. It’s the Shayne Drop-Leaf Kitchen Table ~ my mom bought it for us as a housewarming gift which we found at a PB Outlet for a MAJOR bargain. I have to say the small size is perfect for our space and eventually it would be the perfect breakfast nook table 🙂
Julia ~ thanks so much for sharing our space! We’re tickled with all of your very kind and sweet responses! It means so much!! xo
All I can say is WOW!!!! What a transformation. The first thing I noticed was that wonderful map on the wall and then I just read in one of the comments the deal you got it for. Score!!!!
Love! Especially the living room. We have the same West Elm chairs in our living room and love them. Well done!
Beautiful makeover, but I have to admit, I kept looking at your floors. I love them! I hope how I can get ours to look once we rip up the carpet and linoleum. Just beautiful.
Just gorgeous! Are they photos on the fireplace front? How are they hung? Something I’d like to do myself so any advice welcome!!
Hi Shaz – the photos were hung super simply – strung twine then hung individual pics with clothespins – hope this helps 🙂
It’s wonderful! Really charming and fresh. Would you please share the paint color in your guest bedroom? Thanks!
Hi, Donna ~ it’s Benjamin Moore’s Wedgewood Gray.
Beautifully done. Hi Julia I’ve been sitting here watching Nigella Christmas, I don’t know if you have seen it, her home has similar colour as above and the Christmas decor is stunning, it would be nice to see this home at Christmas. I bet it will be spectacular. Thank you for sharing. Regards Esther from Sydney.
What an incredible makeover! I love how there’s lots of light pouring into each room now. It makes each space look nice and welcoming.
The new space is so bright and airy. Well done!
That’s an incredible makeover! So fresh and so much light coming in! Great job!
WOW! This is what I call “my nearly perfect home”. Gorgeous! I LOVE light-filled and light colored rooms.
Gorgeous!
And it doesn’t take that much work to go from bland, ugly, not appealing, to something ready for a pottery barn shoot. Hat’s off to vision.
Lovely redo!!! Great symmetry in the living room.
The house looks so bright now! Amazing!
The place doesn’t look huge yet, it’s so so beautiful.
It doesn’t look ‘overdone’.
I always feel reeeaaallly happy when the decorator knows when to STOP!
Great post, Julia
Dear Julia:
Several years ago I found your site while trying to find a soft place to fall. I was caring for my elderly mother and working a full time job. I told you how much I enjoyed your site and you sent me a very encouraging reply. Mom passed away on Xmas eve 2 years ago peacefully. On a happier note, I have a friend whose house is darling and always perfect. I would like to be a mouse just to watch how in the he’ll she does it. Love ya, Sharon From Portsmouth, Ohio.
Nice to hear from you again, Sharon! xo