Living Room Updates

As you may have noticed in yesterday's post, we've updated the living room since you've last seen it.  Dan said my post yesterday was misleading because it looks like I turned that tiny light-wood table into a big square dark-wood one.  Obviously, that's not what happened. :)

When we first moved into the house, Dan's work lent us a bunch of furniture.  Since we gave our couches and coffee table to my sister before we moved, we would have had a naked living room without some loaner furniture.  For the living room, we borrowed a couch, a coffee table, a chair and an end table.  We also borrowed a kitchen table and chairs, and a bed and nightstands for the guest room.  We've given some of the furniture back as we've started to acquire our own (couch, and bed).

We borrowed the green chair and coffee table

Time is ticking though and in a few days we have to give the rest of the furniture back.  We knew we couldn't live without a coffee table, so the pressure was on to find a great one.  After searching high and low, we ended up back at my frenemy IKEA.  I really wanted to do something different and cool for a coffee table, like a wooden chest, but that didn't work.  I did buy a big wood box, but it was too big to use as a coffee table.

Awesome chest, but too big for coffee table

IKEA had the best options for us in the right price range.  We knew we wanted something square and low.  This guy fit the bill perfectly.  It's 35.5in x 35.5in and sits right at the couch level.  It's almost like they were made for each other...hmm...

To make him last a little bit longer, we decided to buy a glass top.  I've never had glass tops on my furniture before, but the idea was that this will prevent scratch marks and water rings and will generally make it more user friendly.  We commissioned a local glass company to build the top for us at a really reasonable price.  I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it at first, but I actually love it.  It's so freeing to be able to set anything down and not worry about scratching or scarring the table.

We replaced the green chair with a comfy new arm chair, also from IKEA.  I promise I'm not sponsored by them (not that I'm opposed to that...hint, hint IKEA).  Again, this just fit the bill.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but he's a dark brown almost tweed-type fabric.  I love the rough-looking texture, but it is actually really soft in person.

He's on the wall opposite the bay window.  It's a perfect little spot for my wood box to be used as a side table!  Once I finish the wood in a walnut stain, it's going to look very elegant and a bit manly.  Can you picture it?

Now that we've found replacements for the coffee table and green armchair, it's on to the kitchen table.  Don't worry...I'm on it!