A Client's Bachelor Pad Overhaul: The Living Room

    

I had the opportunity to photograph a project that I recently finished.  I enjoyed working on this project because so many of us can relate.  You know the story. . . Wife moves into husband's bachelor pad and attempts to make it "their" home.  For a new bride, the task can seem daunting.  Just look at where we started:

This is what the room looked like the first time I saw it.  It was a far cry from the young, stylish couple who lives here. 

However, this is how the room looks now:

Since this is technically the formal living room, we decided to go with more of a reading room vibe.  We used everyone's favorite settee with a big upholstered ottoman and brought in lots of cozy texture with a shag rug.

Since they didn't require a ton of seating in this room, we removed the existing sofas and used this wall to incorporate a row of Billy bookcases from IKEA.  

We personalized them by painting the backs a dark, taupe color and displaying some of their favorite wedding gifts.  Using wall-to-wall bookcases is a great--and less expensive--alternative to custom built-ins.

Since they plan on using this space, along with the dining room, for entertaining, we used a smaller accent chair in the corner to create a conversation area:

A large black and white photo gallery gave the couple a chance to display some of their beautiful engagement and wedding shots:

    

Hope you enjoyed!  I'll share the dining room makeover with you soon, in another post.