before-and-after-room

I left a little of my heart in North Carolina.

Seriously.

Have you ever been there?

It was a week full of majestic mountains and rolling hills covered with brilliant colored trees and streams of sunlight dancing across the horizon and cool crisp air that smelled like fall…..

….and a decorating challenge.

La-z-boy hosted a group of bloggers and invited them to create a room inspired by a sofa they created.

I designed a neutral sofa (are you surprised) with classic lines and silver nail head trim.  Then I selected SW Mindful Gray for the walls and when I started…..my room looked like this…..

photo living room

And after a day of shopping the La-z-boy showroom and decorating and rearranging furniture and choosing fresh flowers and adding a brick wall and styling the room…..

….it looked like….

…wait for it….

…wait for it….

before-and-after

….this.

Can you even believe it?

Me either.

And the best part?

After I finished…..I sat in the space…..and pretended I lived there.

I snuggled up in the leather chair with the warm cozy throw with the amazing reclaimed wood pedestal table next to it…..

…..and entertained.

People would walk by the room….and I would invite them in and they would sit on the sofa and the houndstooth chair and we would laugh.

With the occasional guffaw.

And talk.

Then I would ask tell a story or two…..and ask if they wanted a glass of sweet tea.

It was amazing.

And for that afternoon in the beautiful rolling hills of North Carolina….I closed my eyes and pretended……

……this was my living room.

before-and-after-living-room

I’ll be posting more about the room in a couple of weeks with pictures and details and there will be an amazing contest and an opportunity to win a shopping spree.

But for today…..just for today……I wanted it to be about warmth and laughter….

….and friendship.

And a glass of North Carolina sweet tea. 🙂

PS  Sharing over at Kim’s!

Want to know how to decorate your home for free?
Click here to get my FIVE BEST secrets.

Comments

  1. Image for Nancy Nancy

    Love the oversized houndstooth pillow fabric. Is that also purchased from Lazyboy? I could not find it on their site.

  2. Image for andrea cammarata andrea cammarata

    I knew you would knock it out of the park...but this is beyond a home run...this is a grand slam X's 1,000! A WOW X's a million. The exposed brick just put it over the top...to of Mr. Everest! Sitting here in awe!!! Hugs...

  3. Image for Lisa Lisa

    Amazing, you are amazing! I want that to be my living room. You can come over any time, I will make Sweet tea, biscuits or New England clam chowdah.

  4. Image for Nancy Nancy

    Wow! What a beautiful room. You did a fantastic job. I live outside of a small town in Northeastern North Carolina and you are right about it being beautiful. I live in an old farmhouse (1897), in the middle of a cotton field. We are Virginia transplants and we love North Carolina. We have the Outerbanks just two hours away and Ashville and the mountains on the other end. Hope you can get back to our beautiful state soon. We have a great monthly magazine called Our State that is one of the best, if you can't make it back. Love your site.

  5. Image for Sharon H Sharon H

    Miz karianne, I seriously believe your talents are being wasted in blog land. Now, I LOVE and ADORE your blog....like so many others I hope you never quit.....and I'm sure you make a few dollars off the advertisers....but girl, I see some serious money in your future if you want it! You have such vision and are able to translate it into a reality. Not many people are able to do that. Of course it does help a lot when you're able to use somebody else's money! You bring more meaning to "Rock Star". So what's next?

  6. Image for Julie Julie

    I wish you could come to my house. You are so much fun to follow. Thank you for the time you put into your blog.

  7. Image for Lisa Lisa

    You did such a fabulous job styling this room, KariAnne! I love the brick wall and how you arranged the furniture; it's such a warm and inviting space!

  8. Image for Debbie Debbie

    Can I just tell you how much I love your blog, and that while I read it each day, I wait until I feel like I really have time to relax,get an extra cup of coffee with pumpkin spice sugar free creamer, and enjoy every picture and every word. Boy, that was long sentence!! I have a coffee table similar to the one pictured that was made from antique wheels, and steam sawmill sawed walnut wood - found it on Craigslist and it is my pride and joy. I love the hounds tooth chair and am hoping to find out more about it. Thanks again for your work.

  9. Image for Cynthia @ A Button Tufted Life... Cynthia @ A Button Tufted Life...

    I told you you would kill it!! And you did!!... Amazing job Karianne. Colour, texture, balance... all styled to perfection! Dots of repeated elements throughout the space... A beautiful mixing of eclectic style... And all designed around a classic neutral couch that becomes the grounding rod for this charming and "droolworthy" living room... Bravo!!

  10. Image for tara tara

    You did a great job, Kari! It looks beautiful..... and about that sweet tea.....do you like it? do you make it? When we lived in KY, while Andy was in seminary, we were shocked that there wasn't any sweet tea to be found in those rolling hills of KY. give me an update....sweet tea being served now in restaurants there?

  11. Image for baileywife baileywife

    SERIOUSLY!!!????? I bet that was such a fun dream come true....you never cease to amaze me! I am just drinking in every last detail of this room. Can't wait to VOTE for you ;) ~ Kim

  12. Image for Donnamae Donnamae

    You've outdone yourself, girl! That room is wonderfully warm and welcoming! And it would fit nicely in Wisconsin...or Kentucky! Excuse me...I have to go look at it again! ;)

  13. Image for Shirley@housepitalitydesigns Shirley@housepitalitydesigns

    Awesome, awesome Kari...I heard you all had a great time!!!!...the room is magnificent and just screams "Kari"...What an incredible experience that you will treasure always!...I too would love to sit in that room and have a glass of sweet tea!...

  14. Image for SuzyMcQ SuzyMcQ

    Never in a million years would I have guessed it was the same room, KA! It is magical, lovely, warm and old and modern and fresh and just amazing. I never thought it possible, but you have outdone yourself. Why you are not doing this for a living or on television telling us all how to do it is beyond me. And, yes, I'll take a sweet tea, please, but could I have it warmed up just a bit, it's cold here this morning!

  15. Image for Christine Christine

    Karianne, I love the coffee table display and the 4 pictures on the wall. Everything looks super cute and cozy!

  16. Image for Karen Etling Karen Etling

    After living in various places around the country, we settled in lovely North Carolina about twenty five years ago. It's got four BEAUTIFUL seasons, with the beach on one side and the mountains on the other -- and sweet tea, biscuits, barbeque and Cook Out! But please don't tell anyone our secret... we've still got tons of open, rolling countryside, too! I also happen to live in High Point -- were you here for the International Furniture Market? I wish I'd gone by Lazy Boy's showroom to see your beautiful room in person -- we could have had sweet tea together. I've got a great guffaw, too!

  17. Image for Jennah Jennah

    I love everything in this space from the beautiful brick wall, accssories and lovely sofa. How cozy, inviting and relaxing. Thank you for sharing.

  18. Image for Robyn Robyn

    Amaze - amaze - amazing! What a full and complete and gorgeous transformation! Wow!!!! Love everything you did and look toward to hearing all the details. You Rock.

  19. Image for DEBORAH BURKE DEBORAH BURKE

    Absolutely gorgeous!!!!!Love the brick wall......You are so TALENTED!!!!!!You could be making big money doing this...you should consider it!!!!

  20. Image for Pattie @ Olla-Podrida Pattie @ Olla-Podrida

    I LOVE La-z-boy. Until we bought a recliner I had never been in one of their stores. Two recliners, a sofa, rug, and pot load of accessories later, I still love them. A picture of one of their decorated rooms is the wallpaper on my desktop. True. This room is fantastic. I think I would have refused to leave.

  21. Image for Theresa Theresa

    Just simply perfect and wonderful and beautiful and lovely and delightful and cozy with a big splash of seriously talented style. AS per your norm.... Thank you again for bringing beauty into my life.

  22. Image for Shelley Shelley

    Seriously, there is not ONE thing I wouldn't die to have...the trash truck comes tomorrow morning...I could through everything out and pick this room for the replacement. You astound me... I drive by a Lazyboy store all the time and have never been in...guess I'll be stopping in soon! Thanks for sharing!!!

  23. Image for Betsy(@coastal-colors) Betsy(@coastal-colors)

    What a stunning room! I know you had fun! What a fabulous opportunity! I would have pretended it was all mine too! You did a great job!

  24. Image for renee renee

    I like your room best of all those shown. Great job!! (And living in TN, we head over to NC fairly often. Love it!) renee

  25. Image for Rebecca Rebecca

    Hey Karianne, if you didn't have time to go to Biltmore Estates in Asheville, you must come back and see what a wonderful magical place it is.

  26. Image for Karen Karen

    That is one beautiful room KariAnne! I could move in and not change a single thing! I wish we would have went with a La-z-boy sofa instead of the Flexsteel one we bought. We spent our savings on a sectional and it is not at all like the one we sat on in the furniture store showroom. Very disappointed since we were replacing a seventeen year old couch and love seat. I was so excited to be finally getting new furniture. Now five months later, the cushions are not holding up as would be expected for such an expensive sofa!

  27. Image for Diana W. Diana W.

    I only wish I had been there. While most people would have 'sat' on the sofa, I probably would've lounged. Or looked like an Alabama Redneck with my bare feet up on the coffee table which is fabulous. The wooden piece with the drawers would've made me wonder aloud what YOU would keep in them. I know what I would. As usual I love the spaces you put together, but more importantly to me? How your spaces make me feel when I look at them. Some people look at beautiful rooms and begin to dissect each thing. I tend to only want to delve into where individual pieces came from if I love the way the space makes me feel. Don't get me wrong. I love.to. shop. No doubt. But I love even more coming across a picture of a space that makes me spend 20 minutes just soaking up every detail. And dreaming. So thank you for a lovely spot to gaze upon as I drink my morning coffee. (And sorry so many of my notes to you seem to ramble and run on so long!)

  28. Image for jami jami

    i am speechless, well almost. you did an amazing job. please come to my house and help me. i am in love with your sense of style and space. id really emphasize the sentiment with punctuation and caps, but my phone wont recognize those characters in a comment. drat.

  29. Image for Jeni Jeni

    I cannot tell you how much I love this room, it is exactly what I want. We have been shopping for new living room furniture, have decided on La-z-Boy but have not found the right picture for inspiration, until now. If only I could have that exposed brick wall...I have always wanted one in the master behind my bed but now want one in the living room too. I love your style. Jeni

  30. Image for Regina Regina

    Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous! For me, it's the hounds-tooth chair . . . there's a gray and cream one in the window of the furniture store in my tiny town, and I have been OBSESSED with it. Of course, for it to work in my house, I would have to totally redecorate . . . but that wouldn't be horrible, now would it? ;) If my husband sees this, keep your mouth shut, dear . . . Can't wait to see more! Have a perfectly beautiful fall day!

  31. Image for Marian@Gathering Branches Marian@Gathering Branches

    I can totally see you sitting there, making friends with everyone who walks by. I'm so glad you had such a great time. You better be careful. You're gonna become such a sought after designer, you won't have any more time for blogging consults. The Other Marian

  32. Image for Sarah L Sarah L

    I love the room. And I love North Carolina. My family and I used to go there every summer. Unfortunately, getting a full time job (for which I am very thankful!) right after graduating, not only did it take away my summers, but it made it harder to visit the state that I love with the family I love. But even though I haven't gotten to go to Wilmington, and Laurinburg, and Raleigh the past couple of years, North Carolina has still stayed with me. It's a beautiful state with nice people, good shopping and good ole' southern architecture to die for. My, my...didn't mean to go on and on! I enjoy reading your blog and seeing all of the beautiful things that you create.

  33. Image for Cindy Barganier Cindy Barganier

    I am so glad that you write like you speak. HUGE SMILEY FACE. The room is awesome. I have that same iron orb. It made me smile that you used it. MISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU. xoxo Cindy

    1. Image for Dianne Buquet Dianne Buquet

      You can find the orbs at Home Goods and TJ Maxx. I saw 2 sizes, some were painted. About $15-20 each. I bought the large one in mustard. Love them!!!

  34. Image for Sarah Sarah

    LazyBoy picked a winner with you! What an amazing transformation, KariAnne. Love the addition of the brick wall. This room has charm oozing from all directions. Yes, I could sit and visit for hours in this cozy space. Well done! Congratulations!

  35. Image for Winnie Winnie

    So beautiful - who could NOT love that room?! I'm happy you love North Carolina, too. I lived there for 18 years, having recently relocated, and I truly miss it!!

  36. Image for erin @ dfmi designs erin @ dfmi designs

    Oh my! What a lovely room! I can totally see why you'd want to hang out! LOL. I SUPER LOVE the reclaimed wooden alphabet piece & coffee table , the floral pillow and of course the couch! Very warm, fun and inviting! Great work!

  37. Image for Robin W. Robin W.

    Beyond Wow!!!! What a beautiful transformation!! You are such a people person and make us all feel so comfortable and content with everything you do!! Thanks so much for sharing with us all!! This room is just the bomb and I know so many others are on board with me on that!! Take care and I can't wait for more on this adventure!!!

  38. Image for Funky Junk Interiors Funky Junk Interiors

    Good grief girl... why aren't you staging for high end magazines or stores? I'd promote you to manager within the first hour! I want this room! It. Is. AMAZING. Where did all the accessories come from? Did you have this big vault of a room to choose from? How fun!!!!

  39. Image for Cheryl Cheryl

    Stunning and it just cries out "Come on in, make yourself at home". Perfect wall color brings all of the other greys, creams, whites and beiges togther into such an enoyable space. Your combination of textures is tremendous too. I especially like the houndstooth with the leather and that perfect rug. And the hard surfaces ... the brick, well what can I say. But you just make so many things play nicely together that most everyone would feel comfortable in here; brick, woods, metals and that great mirror. If I were your teacher, I would give you an A ++ for this assignment. Definately an Ooh Ahh in my book!

  40. Image for chrissi chrissi

    i could move right in. love this room. the best part, my cutest husband could move right in and be comfortable too. not just a room that i would love. great work as always.

  41. Image for Kris Kris

    Oh My Kerrianne. I went back through the pictures several times. How amazing and beautiful. What a gorgeous room. Your talents my dear are fantastic and what a gorgeous room you created. I love that cabinet with the numbered drawers that is beautiful. That room is comfy, cozy and beautiful. Great job. Kris

  42. Image for Heather Heather

    So proud of you and your gorgeous room!! I was pretending I was sitting in MY houndstooth chair across from you and talking, and drinking sweet tea and diet coke...and I might have even spit my ice out a time or two when you made me laugh so hard I almost choked. ;) Love you my talented friend to the moon and back! Heather

  43. Image for Amber Amber

    You did a bomb diggity job!! That space is unrecognizable...in the best possible way. I love the soft neutrals and all the different textures (hello......brick wall). You're an artiste!

  44. Image for Donna Donna

    What an amazing room and transformation.....you are so talented! Love how your room turned out! I just adore that neutral ruffled, flower petal pillow on the sofa. Is that by LazyBoy? I didn't see pillows on their website. We have a store in my area.....are accessories sold just through the stores? You really rocked that decorating challenge!

  45. Image for Angie W Angie W

    I'm seriously lusting after this entire room right now. (I'll say my prayers tonight) If you could just pick it up and drop the entire thing into my living room I would be a super happy girl. You did an amazing job!

  46. Image for Peggy Peggy

    WOW! I love it all! I can't wait for your resource list. I LOVE the alphabet console.....dreaming of one for my family room.......looking forward to your next post :O) I'm gonna make out my Christmas list!

  47. Image for Lisa Lisa

    Well..... I just sat down next to you on that couch,drinking my sweet tea, until the window beckoned me to look out...What an amazing room and an amazing talent that you have!!! Yet,it is not so over the top that each reader could not imagine having it for their own. I know one thing, would live to have it all! Would have been difficult yo leave it behind.

  48. Image for Robbye Burress Robbye Burress

    O how I wish you could help me with my huge play room! I looove how your room turned out! Could you please let me know how you did the brick wall. This adds so much to the room. Looking forward to your more detailed post about how this beautiful room came to be! Love your blog! Robbye

  49. Image for bethanie bethanie

    It turned out beautiful, of course!! But...I have to say, I love the living room at Thistlewood Farm even more! I have been meaning to email you...thank you so much for the beautiful bling you sent thru my friend Sue! That was so thoughtful, and I love that they came from your house! Next year, I will move heaven and Earth (and my mom) to get to Chapel Market! Love you friend!

  50. Image for Denise Denise

    What an amazing room! Congratulations on a great job! I love everything about it, but that coffee table and cabinet with the drawers...oh my!

  51. Image for Cheryl B Cheryl B

    Ooh, I can't wait to see that ottoman up close and hear more about this room! It has so much of what I love, I'm going to use it as my inspiration for my living room update. I'm halfway to this look and now I know what's missing - I want to add some industrial touches (probably shelving), a houndstooth throw and neutral photos. My rock wall fireplace will substitute for the brick wall here, although I sure do love that brick. This feels like home to me.

  52. Image for Nanci Hargis Nanci Hargis

    Beautiful!! I'm getting ready to build my dream home in the country! Will you come decorate for me!! You have such wonderfu style that I think is extra charming!

  53. Image for Julie Julie

    KariAnne ~ I want to move into that room ... seriously!!! Your talent is boundless!!! What an inspiration you are!!!

  54. Image for Zolane Zolane

    WOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! That is a GORGEOUS room, KariAnne! Each and every detail is picture perfect. I would have loved hearing what the La-z-boy folks had to say when they walked into your room :)

  55. Image for Tori Tori

    Girl-friend. Way to go! Such a beautiful room - and EXACTLY the couch I am looking for. Please share the couch's style/model info! Gotta check it out. So happy for you! So many doors opening for you to share your talent with so many. ROCK.STAR :)

  56. Image for Carol Carol

    I love your room I am looking for a new sofa. I have been hooked on pottery barn but now will look at lazy boy, because of your fabulous room. I have been on their website and taken the survey and my style is casual chic with eclectic. I will be going into my local shop. Thank you for sharing. They aren't giving a discount if we reference your blog are they?

  57. Image for Kim K Kim K

    I'm quite sure you have no idea just how amazing you are!! I always love everything you do, and think you can never top the days post. But then another day or two later & you do it again. Do you actually ever sleep or just go into some kind of "zone" coming up with more awesome ideas??? I'm so in love with your room--I'm just sitting here smiling like a dork because I love what I'm looking at!!! I want you to come visit & tell me how your mind works & all the things you dream of doing!! I'll bake something yummy & since I live in the Seattle area, you will have to try a Pumpkin Spice latte!! How does Saturday around 10:30 sound?? Lets just wear our "comfies" ok?? LOL But truly-thanks for sharing all the beauty with us & making me grin like a dork!! :)

  58. Image for Deidre Deidre

    I was born and raising in NC and can't bring myself to leave. Yes, it is a special place! I love, love, love this room!! I want to live there - so peaceful and cozy.

  59. Image for Courtney Courtney

    Gorgeous Karianne~ I love how your room turned out! I was in High Point for Market for 4 days touring the furniture showrooms & dreaming over all the gorgeous accessories - and of course re-designing my entire house as well. :) I would have loved to have connected for a cup of coffee!

  60. Image for Janis@All Things Beautiful Janis@All Things Beautiful

    {GASP} oh my dear, I wish I lived there too! What a gorgeous living room you designed. I love so many things about it. I am totally in love with houndstooth, so that chair and pillow have my name on them. The side table, coffee table, alphabet console...lovely! Brick wall is genious! I could go on, and on.... Well done, friend!!!

  61. Image for Cristina Cristina

    I wrote you this on instagram, but feel like it deserves repeating -- yours is by far my favorite transformation! Your style is so timeless and I love it. My mother-in-law and I sat on your blog for a while this weekend just perusing and admiring - that's just amazing that two generations like that can love your style. REAL talent! Thanks for the inspiration!

  62. Image for Jeannie Jeannie

    Awesome KerriAnne, that's what you are, that room is so Thistlewood Farm. Great job! North Carolina is my home, but I grew up on the ocean side, with camp and fall trips to the mountain side. It is lovely. Jeannie

  63. Image for Kari Kari

    So, I was just thinking...are they going to call this style "Kari"? You are an amazing artist! I would look at that room and not know where to start. It is such a transformation! To be able to do what you do -- what a talent! You are (as always) incredible!!!

  64. Image for Melinda Melinda

    I have looked and looked at this room...there is not one element I could leave out if I talked about everything I loved. That had to be sooo much fun to put this together and you did a marvelous job! It sounds like you were in my neck of the woods. This is pretty country...you make it prettier.

  65. Image for Kennesha Kennesha

    Love this room...just may be my fave of all! Shhh...LOL. Can't believe it's all from La-Z-Boy! Crazy! So fun to follow along! Happy Wednesday! XO Kennesha, Restoration House

  66. Image for Marty@A Stroll Thru Life Marty@A Stroll Thru Life

    Oh my, this is so gorgeous. I love every detail in this room. So beautifully done and I would love to live there. You did such an amazing job. Stunning. Don't forget you can still link up to my Inspire Me Tuesday party at www.astrollthrulife.net. Hugs, Marty

  67. Image for Judy Judy

    Hello from the Pacific NW where we have very little sweet tea, and, I fear, very few rooms like this. Just spectacular. I just get couldn't get past the houndstooth chair and flower-bedecked ottoman. Where in the world did they come from? Great, great, great job styling the room.

  68. Image for Suzanne Suzanne

    My heart skipped a beat when I saw your after picture. I should have prepared myself, because I knew I would love it because I love all your decorating ideas. You never cease to amaze me with your creative thinking. Thanks for the inspiration, Suzanne

  69. Image for Susan Hall Susan Hall

    Brilliant!! I love the brick wall and the pillows are so very cute ! You always amaze me with your talent , the room feels so warm and inviting. We really could use your talent here in Canada as the snow just started to come down :)

  70. Image for lorene halfmann lorene halfmann

    Wow!! This is a gorgeous room! All I can say (and I RARELY even use this word :)) is damn you're good!!! Love it--and can't wait to hear about the brick wall!

  71. Image for Beryl Beryl

    OOOOMMMMGGGG this is absolutely GORGEOUS!! I love EVERYTHING about it - the old with the new; your accent pieces; the arrangement; everything! I would LOVE to know where you got the coffee table and wooden cabinet.....and how you did the brick wall - I want one!!

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