Make Your Living Room Look 20 Years Younger

Philip and Lisa Meringolo can’t pinpoint exactly when the living room of their 1950s Cape Cod house in Ridgewood, NJ, got stuck in a time warp. But after they bought the home in 2003 and brought in pieces they felt were trendproof classics—a traditional beige sofa, a replica of a Monet painting in an ornate gilt frame, an Oriental rug —the space seemed to age prematurely. More formal than kid-friendly, it wasn’t exactly the inviting living room that Lisa, a stay-at-home mom to Matthew, 12, and Nicholas, 9, had originally envisioned. To get the room in sync with this young, energetic family, the space needed upbeat colors and patterns, more adventurous furniture, and gutsy artwork. The revitalized room is “hipper and fresher—and inspiring me to go contemporary with the rest of the house,” says Lisa.

Before

The floral slipper chair practically screams granny. Less-exciting ottomans would be tough to find. Drab green walls suck all the energy out of the room.

After

Walls + Fireplace
The new wall color (Calluna by Farrow & Ball) shifts from gray to lavender depending on the light. The Ballard Designs mirror and the Crate & Barrel hearth screen transform the fireplace into the room’s focal point.

Chairs + Lamp
Sleek navy chairs from overstock.com are easy to rearrange whenever the family hosts their frequent get-togethers. A chunky ceramic Arhaus lamp echoes the chairs’ curves and fills a once-blah corner.

Rug
The original rug’s too-dark colors and fusty print looked dated. The slightly larger, graphic wool Safavieh rug from Lowe’s, with its gray-and-cream palette and geometric pattern, fast-forwards the space into 2015.

Sofa
Nearly 9 feet long, the charcoal Room & Board sofa encourages lingering. Loosening it up: fun pillows in purple honeycombs and solid coral from Spoonflower.  Color-happy floral pillows by Caitlin Wilson Textiles pull together the room’s palette.

Tables
With no corners to maneuver around, the IKEA coffee table improves traffic flow. The copper-color side table from Wayfair brings a hit of shine, and the cobalt blue table by Home Decorators Collection shows off an oversize lamp.

Artwork
Bold artwork—including three black-and-white artthatfits.com prints over the sofa and a pair of watercolor abstracts from soveryhappyart.etsy.com flanking the mantel—reinvigorate the walls and add a more with-it vibe.

Console + Ottomans
Reupholstered in a zippy arrow-print Spoonflower fabric, the ottomans tuck in perfectly beneath the clear acrylic CB2 console. A framed print from minted.com plays off the colors in the floor-sweeping coral curtains sewn from an ikat Spoonflower fabric. With its dramatic base, the blue Crate & Barrel porcelain lamp holds its own with the wowza drapes.