Hooray for New Furniture

So, a week ago, after my delectable lunch with Crystal, I headed out to Nebraska Furniture Mart to see if I could find a few new pieces for my living room. First of all, let me tell you that most of my living room furniture was from my first apartment. My friend Erica and I lived together in a little two bedroom apartment in Overland Park. We were both first year teachers, so we put together what we could. Now, seven years later (geesh. I’m old), I have a few pieces that I’ve added along the way that are fairly new, some that are old but still in pretty good condition, and then a few that are were on their last leg.

 

Several months ago, I invested in a new couch. I had purchased a neutral creamy-beige couch and oversized chair set when I was in the first apartment, and they have followed me from home to home. This past August, I was ready for something new, so I picked out a dark grey-taupe-colored couch that I’ve been loving. It’s added some depth to a pretty much neutral room. Plus, it worked well with the chair from the original set that wasn’t as worn as the couch. I also added a few new brightly colored and patterned pillows to spruce things up.

 

Then, this past Monday, I picked out a new “TV table” (it was actually a behind-the-sofa table, I believe, but my TV looks just fine atop it!) and a new entryway cabinet.  I think I was most excited about the entryway cabinet—it was exactly what I was looking for! I had thought about going thrifting or to flea markets to try and find a vintage cabinet/bookshelf and refinish and repaint it, but this was so much easier. (I’m definitely one for instant gratification.) I love the white-wash and the refurbished wood. And the glass doors sold me—I wanted something you could look into, so I could store books or trinkets or whatever else I could cram in there. I also added new knobs from Anthropologie to add a little color.

 

{BEFORE...}

The original entryway table was put together by yours truly, circa 2007, so you know it was rickety and barely standing. My construction skills aren’t the greatest.

 

{AFTER!}

{Loving the glass and the patterned metal panels in the door. This is definitely more unique than the table. And much different than anything I had seen at NFM previously.}

Although I don't think the TV table was meant to actually hold a TV (I really didn’t think about all the connectors and cables running down the back), I think it looks fab. I love the shelves (I was able to get rid of my outdated DVD stand) and the drawers—extra storage is a bonus for this girl, since I don’t have a basement and my attic is unfinished and possibly haunted. (The sheer volume of cobwebs I've seen when I went up there that one time is enough to convince me that I don’t need to venture up there, EVER.) I also added new knobs to the drawers that I picked out at Anthro.

{BEFORE: This little guy was also "hand-constructed" (AKA pieced together) by me.
And yes, it bowed slightly in the middle.}

 

{AFTER: Ta-da!}

 

{This TV table is taller, which I like. I might need to rethink the art on that wall, though...}

{A view of my grown-up space. I know, I know...it's tiny! But I love it.}

I feel like I have a real, grown-up living room now! This furniture is definitely meant to last longer than what I had previously, and it looks so much nicer. And I have to give a HUGE shout out to my Daddy-o, who helped (and by "helped" I mean actually did most of the work) put the TV table together this weekend. Thanks, Dad! You're the best. Can’t wait to watch the next installment of my current TV obsession (The Bachelor, duh) tonight in my lovely space.