Modern Living Room Remodel
Modern Living Room Remodel from Danielle Hensley
Modern Living Room Remodel

The Lindsey's are a fun couple who are nearing retirement age and have been empty nesters for a few years. They built their home over 30 years ago and had made few updates since (including furniture). The newly designed living room took the nondescript built-ins and standard fireplace and replaced them with features that highlighted the vibrancy of the couple and tied in with the kitchen that was remodeled a few years prior. The design was inspired by the blown glass collected by the couple and incorporated a custom designed fireplace with seating, storage, and a place for the cats to watch all the action outside. Faux beams add much needed lighting and brought a warm feeling to the space, while durable Coretec flooring brings a no maintenance material to stand up to the tough Indiana winters. The clients are thrilled with their space even while awaiting new furniture, and are already undergoing a remodel of the laundry room, and hall bathroom.

AFTER: Out with the bookcases and in with a new custom drywall feature with plenty of storage for the glassware they collect on their travels. Adjustable lights allow for the glassware to be moved around and accented and carries the eye to that end of the room. The bench along the left is an extension of the fireplace further connecting the room and providing extra seating when entertaining.
AFTER: Custom drawers with soft-close and magnetic catches give the couple a place to store photo albums and movies.
AFTER: The back wall of the built-ins were painted one shade darker than the rest of the room to provide more depth and added focus. Three depths were used for the shelves and uprights to provide additional depth and interest.
AFTER: The new accent wall is visible immediately to guests and draws them into the living room.
AFTER: New tile flooring in the entry adds interest to the space and breaks up the Coretec installed throughout the home. I'd wanted to use this tile since I first saw it, and knew the Lindsey's were the perfect clients for it! It ties in nicely with the existing front door as well.
AFTER: The new fireplace was a vast improvement upon the old one. Now a little wider it fits the scale of the room more and allows a place for the television above. The homeowners really wanted a corner fireplace but would have required a complete rebuild of the chimney and vent, proving too costly for the budget. Instead I designed the fireplace with Cambria Black to give the fireplace a similar look at a price that fit the clients budget.
AFTER: The fireplace plays with different depths just as the drywall shelves do. The beautiful driftwood and glass piece now has a place that allows it to shine as well. By repeating the Cambria Charston used for the kitchen counters on the bench surface, and the blue glass in the fireplace, this space now flows naturally with the kitchen.
AFTER: Custom built storage behind the television allows for components such as the cable box and Blu-Ray player to be stored and easily accessed. The television was mounted on a swivel mount so that it can be viewed from many places in the room and tilted down for a better viewing angle on the couch.
AFTER: Now the new living room ties in beautifully with the kitchen remodel! The space feels more open and modern while still retaining a warmth that is critical in a home. The Coretec flooring was laid throughout and is the Lindsey's favorite part of the space as it's easy to clean and hides cat hair well. The beams add much needed light to the space with LED bulbs that means no ladders and lightbulb changing as they age. The offset of the beams helps to carry interest from one end of the room to another and the darker stain helps to ground the room.
The kitchen was the start of the Lindsey's remodel process three years ago. They absolutely loved the architecture of the home but it needed updates after 30 years of wear. The pop of color captured their fun and cheerful personalities and is a much better suited to entertaining and their current lifestyle.
BEFORE: The existing fireplace seemed very small in the large room and didn't allow a place for their television. The couple uses the fireplace frequently in the evenings and wanted it to be a focus of the new design. They loved a fireplace from a hotel they stayed at and it served as the inspiration for the new modern look.
BEFORE: The built-in cabinetry at the end closest to their front door was clearly a bi-product from many decades ago and its contents sat ignored. The lighting seemed functional to the client but didn't do much to light the room at night and the room was long, at over 25', and seemed very disjointed.
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Modern Living Room Remodel

The Lindsey's are a fun couple who are nearing retirement age and have been empty nesters for a few years. They built their home over 30 years ago and had made few updates since (including furniture). The newly designed living room took the nondescript built-ins and standard fireplace and replaced them with features that highlighted the vibrancy of the couple and tied in with the kitchen that was remodeled a few years prior. The design was inspired by the blown glass collected by the couple and incorporated a custom designed fireplace with seating, storage, and a place for the cats to watch all the action outside. Faux beams add much needed lighting and brought a warm feeling to the space, while durable Coretec flooring brings a no maintenance material to stand up to the tough Indiana winters. The clients are thrilled with their space even while awaiting new furniture, and are already undergoing a remodel of the laundry room, and hall bathroom.

Danielle Hensley
Interior Designer Denver, CO