Plans For Our Mid-Century Living & Dining Room Redesign

*Created in collaboration with brand partner, Minted.

I don’t know if it’s just part of that unavoidable need to nest and purge in honor of the new year, but I have been obsessing over every square inch of our home since we kicked off 2017. I’ve gone through my office top to bottom, reorganized practically every closet, and not even that pesky under-the-bed area was left untouched. As I mentioned on January 1, I’ve also made the spontaneous decision to redo most of our house in terms of the palette we use and enjoy every day. It’s out with “color” and in with “classic,” which means that I’ve placed a lot of our old art in storage (because I’ll inevitably change my mind in a year or two) and I’ve swapped pattern packed pillows and textiles out for more subdued, sophisticated alternatives.

Since our living and dining rooms are the first that guests see when they walk through our front door, this open concept space was the first to feel the effects of my need for a muted mid-century makeover. I’m currently working with Minted in an effort to demonstrate how you, too, can redesign practically your entire home on a budget just with art, and this mood board above is the first stage of that transformation.

I actually put this board together back in November and had initially planned to keep it to myself (which is why I don’t have many product links for you—the photos were all just pulled from quick Google image searches), but by sharing it here I’m hopeful that it can serve as inspiration in case you’re looking to tackle a room redo of your own this new year. Sure, it takes extra time to pull together a mood board like this, but it always, always helps me save money to make one at the outset. By keeping this digital version of my inspiration images close at hand on my phone, I’m able to reference it while out and about shopping, which ultimately keeps me from overbuying or making spontaneous purchases at the thrift store that don’t work and can’t be returned.

Anyway, consider this just a small peek at the room makeover to come, and stay tuned for the full reveal later on this month! I can’t wait to share how we pulled it off on a super tight budget using nothing but new art and things we already owned. Are you ready?

Minted Art: Days in Paris, Linger, Distant Island Pier, Wild Radish, Presence Art