When it comes to our home, the living room is our favorite space. You have to remember that our home was originally owned by a family that lived here for ages, and when we closed on the property, we inherited all the furniture left behind.
Our living room is a blend of mid-century modern and eclectic treasures that tell the story of our home and the journey we’ve been on to make it our own.
Mid-Century Living Room Transformation: Before & After
When we first bought the house, the living room was filled with furniture left behind by the previous owners. Over time, we’ve transformed it into a space that reflects our style and personality.
One of the first changes we made was painting the virgin-plaster walls with a shade of that’s white with just a drop of pink that adds a subtle warmth to the room when the sun shines in. I also took down the original drapes and blinds and replaced them with easy-to-use cordless, white blinds.
Our living room is a mid-century modern meets consignment store fever dream, filled with treasures I’ve gathered from yard sales, estate sales, and even dumpsters during my college days. While some pieces were purchased, many were inherited with the house, inspiring me to curate the eclectic mix on display.
Read on to tour my mid-century, thrift store eclectic living room. You’ll find shopping recommendations based on products similar to my decor, the history of my favorite pieces, and more!
Walk in Through the Front Door
As you step through the front door, you are immediately welcomed by a few of my DIY projects, including a series of handmade wreaths for different holidays I often have out., you can check out the details of my front door over on the Garden & Backyard Tour.
The living room’s stunning combed plaster ceiling catches your eye right away, it is a beautiful architectural detail that adds character to the space, even though there are NO LIGHTS in this room.
To the right, you’ll notice the dining area, while the cozy sitting and TV area invites you in on the left. Like the rest of my home, you will find beautiful knotty pine woodwork specifically along the baseboards and window frames in this room.
The Dining room
When we first bought our house, the dining room felt like an afterthought, with twelve straight-back chairs scattered throughout the room. We positioned the large dining table on the middle right-hand side of the room and laid down a Persian rug to better define the space and separate it from the living area on the left.
[Before Picture]
[Set Table with Rug Visible]
Dining Table & Chairs
The dining table is versatile, folding out to accommodate more guests. We’ve hosted Thanksgiving for 15 people and managed to fit almost everyone at the table—just imagine the gatherings the previous homeowner hosted at this very table!
[Full Table Scape Photo with China Cabinet in Rear]
Originally, the chairs came with our kitchen table, but I preferred them over the matching Americana chairs, so I swapped them out. Luckily, there were 12 chairs with the kitchen table as well, so setting a full place wasn’t an issue.
My favorite part of the dining area is decorating the table with different plates from my vintage dinnerware and china collections. These Franciscan Apple ware Dishes were my father’s mother’s and make lots of appearances in the seasonal tablescapes I create and rotate during the year.
The Antique China Cabinet
The dining area has so much character, thanks in part to the antique china cabinet I inherited from my father’s mother. This beautifully curved glass curio cabinet holds a special place in my heart. My granddaddy, Bubba, refinished the glass doors, and we even have the original key to the lock.
I’ve filled the cabinet with some of my favorite pieces, including my grandmother’s Franciscan ware dishes, vintage hobnail, Indiana glass, and crystal dishes. The mirrored back enhances the display, making the knick-knacks on the top shelf shine. Most of these items were thrifted, gifted by my grandmothers, and wedding souvenirs, adding an extra layer of history and personal connection to an already cherished piece.
In another nod to my Grandparents, I kept this taxidermied Wood Duck from their house. He is honestly so campy and matches the vibe of the room to me.
A Nod to Family History with the 1924 Victrola
One of the most treasured pieces in our living room is a 1924 Victrola, which holds a deep family connection. This Victrola was a wedding gift to my granddaddy Bubba’s mother.
Just above my antique china cabinet, I have a picture of her mother, which adds another layer of sentimentality to the space. I recently added Taylor’s late grandma’s Staffordshire Dogs here atop of my Great Grandmothers box of silverware box.
Vintage Folding Bar Cabinet
The newest special piece in our dining area is Taylor’s grandparent’s vintage folding bar cabinet. This piece traveled all the way from San Diego, to Florida, and then to North Carolina to be in our home.
After our wedding, Taylor’s family helped ship it to us, filled with her treasured barkeeping tools. This 1960s mid-century modern mobile bar is both stylish and practical.
It’s conveniently located near the dining table and can expand on the top, doubling it as a buffet table for family dinners. We’ve filled it with our favorite libations, wines, and all the glasses to hang in the doors and shakers we need, adding both sentimentality and functionality to our space.
The Hall Closet & Noodle Cart
The Hall Closet is easily one of my favorite furniture pieces that came with the house. Also known as a hall “tree”, this was a very popular piece of furniture during the mid to late 1800s. Hall closets were a great solution for holding wet umbrellas, coats, and hats in front entranceways or hallways.
My hall closet stands flat against the wall with a mirror in the center and has hooks on the top. There is a regal woman ornately carved into the wood. The hall tree also has a bench for storage which is so handy for storing some of the pieces used in my tablescapes.
I use this hexagon-shaped, brass Asian noodle cart to accent the hall closet. The cart traveled from Thailand to California before Taylor moved it here from a storage unit. His grandparents purchased the noodle cart and said it belonged to a street vendor to serve noodles and dumplings. There are two doors that open to hold hot coals for keeping the food warm.
Today we use the brass compartments that attach to the top of the cart to hide our cat’s toys. One day, I want to refinish this beauty and shine it up! I think it would be the perfect succulent holder or little bar cart. I haven’t figured out what I want it to be just yet!
The Sitting Area
You will find our cozy sitting and entertainment area on the left side of the living room, A gas log fireplace stands regally at the end of the room, with a door leading to the office just beside it.
Fireplace & Mantle
Above our brick fireplace hangs a painting titled Moment Musicale by Marguerite Stuber Pearson, depicting a young woman playing the piano. This piece has sat in the same spot for over 30 years, and I couldn’t bear to move it.
It is a cherished reminder of my childhood visits to my neighbor’s home before I bought it from her.I didn’t have the heart to move the painting from the place where it had sat for so many years.
The mantle also holds oil lamps gifted by my cousin, Dan the Lantern Man, who painstakingly refinishes antique gas lanterns. His attention to detail restoring these makes his lamps truly special.
At some point, I plan to purchase a pre-made mantel from Home Depot and have it installed to refine the fireplace’s overall look and perhaps replace the brass fireplace door.
My Vintage Green Floral Couch
When we first moved in, we faced a dilemma: we had a hand-me-down sofa from our old apartment and two additional sofas that came with the house. Ultimately, we chose the vintage green floral couch, originally in the office.
Removing the skirt revealed beautiful mid-century modern legs, giving the sofa a fresh, updated look. I loved the result so much that I did the same to the yellow chair.
Above the couch hangs a landscape painting by Robert Wood, a prominent Mid-Century artist renowned for his depictions of American landscapes.
His paintings, like the one in our living room, capture the beauty of nature with an idyllic and timeless quality. This particular piece, with its majestic mountains and serene landscape, not only adds a touch of nature to our space but also brings a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of Taylor’s and my favorite video game, Red Dead Redemption. Originally located in the office, this painting felt like it truly belonged in our living room, tying together the mid-century elements and our personal tastes.
For more about Robert Wood and his work, you can visit his website: robertwood.net.
Mid-Century Coffee & Side Tables
The Mid-Century Coffee and matching side tables were included with the house. I spruced the coffee table up with a medium-sized table runner and galvanized tray with eucalyptus leaves and a driftwood centerpiece I found in a junk store. I’m also obsessed with these pewter candle stick holders with minty green candle sticks.
The Entertainment Center
I’ve saved the entertainment center for the end of our living room tour because it’s the only brand-new piece of furniture in the room. This centerpiece is made up of three parts from the IKEA FJALLBO collection, and while the console itself wasn’t thrifted, most of the decor on it is!
One of my favorite items is a lava lamp that belonged to my great-grandmother Lena—who was quite the klepto back in her day!
Never-Ending Living Room Thrift Hauls
My eclectic living room will probably never be fully complete. I always find something new at a thrift store, estate, or yard sale haul to add to the decor. I consider the living room my never-ending source of happiness because just when I think it can’t look any better, we add something new that really makes us love it even more.
As for what’s next:
- We’re planning to give the fireplace a facelift with a new mantel that will add a polished and refined look, perfect for showcasing our seasonal decor.
- We’re planning to eventually add some much-needed overhead lighting to highlight the room’s features and create a cozy atmosphere for evenings.
- Refinishing the Brass Noodle Cart
- A better matching entertainment center that blends with the mid-century style of our home
This is just the beginning. There’s so much more to come, and I can’t wait to share the journey with you. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to bring our home to life, one room at a time.
