Sunday

The Couch Isn't the Only Thing Floating

We've lived in our little corner of Suburbia for 5 years. 

During that time, we have renovated most of our house. We've replaced the flooring, painted every room, reconfigured the floor plan and survived a kitchen makeover.

And we are still married and not completely broke. 

But I've never moved my couch.  It's been against the one solid wall in our living room since we moved in. 
Before

The other day on Twitter, I read The Nester's tweet that she rearranged her furniture and moved her couch. I responded with couch-moving envy.


Before

I'm pretty sure she nearly fell out of her nest when she learned that I hadn't moved my sofa in 5 years! (And I won't go into detail about the items found under the couch. Let's just put it this way: I should be ashamed and pictures will not follow).

So, with her encouragement and while my kids dug a hole to China in the backyard, I did it. 

I moved my sofa to the center of the room (termed: floating), facing 
the fireplace:

After

I grouped the chairs together and put the lamp table between them, next to the fireplace:

After

I used our table with toy bins as a sofa-table and put it behind the couch. 

I love the way this little corner feels now:


Here's a view from the second-story landing:



How about you? Are you a mad-furniture-mover? Or are you boring like me?

We do most of our living in our family room (former formal living room):


Don't ask me how long that couch has been on the wall....

Hope you enjoyed my little living room tour! Check out Kelly's Korner for more.

85 comments:

The Nester said...

LOVING it!

We have the same rug and red shelves. I'm so glad that you gave yourself a free makeover--and thank you so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...

wow 5 years, huh? I get the itch to move furniture at least 4 times a year. My son's room is next. I just moved everthing around in my family room

Shoebee said...

I love moving things around. Always gives you a different point of view. In my living room I moved my couch to fit the Christmas tree, well, low and behold...it looks bigger. I may have to keep it this way for a while (at least until spring cleaning gets hold of me)

misty said...

wow! 5 years the same way!!! i am BIG on changing furniture - changing things up. i get bored with them one way for too long. and once you do take the step & move it, its like all new things.
it looks great!

be bake tomorrow to find out about the HUGE giveaway!!!

Anonymous said...

Very nice.

Anne said...

When we lived in apartments and couldn't paint or do anything cosmetic, I was a serial furniture mover. Like, it was so bad, my husband caught me rearranging the living room (aka shoving sofas) when I was 9 months pregnant. BUSTED!

The good thing is: If you don't like it, you can always put it back...

Anonymous said...

That looks really good! I like all the red in your room.

The Mommy said...

I move furniture like mad! It always gives me a positive outlook on things after the furniture has been rearranged a little.
Your "float" looks great!

Unknown said...

I can change EVERYTHING except furniture arrangement! I've lived here for 10 years now and it's driving me C.R.A.Z.Y. So I'm not sure how much longer I can take it! Kudos to you ...LOOKS GREAT!

missy said...

looks great! i was wanting to get rid of our tv armoire and buy a new tv stand, but my husband didn't want to spend the money (shock!). so i just rearranged the furniture and the longing subsided. it's so fun to get a fresh perspective on a room. it is especially appealing when you see the whole layout from above.

Shannon said...

Looks great--love all the red in your living room!

Tammy said...

Looks so great! I need a total room makeover. We have an old house that was redone on the inside before we bought it due to a fire. The builder knocked all the walls down and made a kitchen/dining/great room all in one. And I am lacking in design skillz. Badly.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the inspiration! I love the way you decorate, too... very nice!

Unknown said...

Great job! Isn't it amazing how much of a difference a small change can make!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

don't worry - I have had our sofa in the same place since we moved in...11 years ago..yep, when we got a new sofa, it just took the old one's place. With a great room with two of the four walls being french windows/doors, and the other wall being a fireplace, not alot of ideas floating in this head since we already have the sofa floating towards our fireplace. :) Love the look of yours...fun, fun.

Anonymous said...

I love a floating couch. It looks great. I too have couch moving envy b/c I cannot move my couch. There are doors and fireplaces and more doors in our little old house and if I wanted to float it...it would have to sit in the middle of the room. I don't think my husband would like that so for now I will just live vicariously through your floating couch.

Jackie said...

Your room looks great! After reading the comments, I'm so glad to find out I'm not the only one who moves furniture all the time. Makes me feel better about my whole house when I move things around. I was also moving things around when I was VERY pregnant...not a good idea! (:

Jeanette said...

I moved everything around twice a year - spring cleaning and fall cleaning! It is when I clean carpets too so it makes since that I go out on a limb and mix up the furniture. My DH NEVER walks thru a room in the dark - he never knows what his toes will hit :}

Love the switch up!!

Rosalita Mamacita said...

Kristen - I've searched for an email link on your site to no avail. I was hoping to pick your brain about Shawna and your blog design. Please contact me at jenniferthompson AT gulftel DOT com...at your convenience. Which I understand could be tomorrow or a month away. I'm a homeschooling mom of 3, so I get it. No huge hurry and I promise I won't eat up a whole day asking thousands of questions. Just a few.
Thanks a million!

Jennifer Thompson

Anonymous said...

Looks great! I moved our couch after 3 years too- I've tried before and gave up, but persisted this time... I was inspired by those HGTV shows where they pull things from other rooms of your house- for me it was a tall plant and a framed painting to provide some balance, but it finally worked. Funny how a room-rearrange can pick up your mood!

kari and kijsa said...

Love a little sofa tango! Great job!!
blessings,
kari & kijsa

Muthering Heights said...

I don't know...I don't really re-arrange the furniture, but we have moved nearly every year...

Anonymous said...

My husband has made me promise not to move the living room furniture around. So mine stays the same :o(

Shanna said...

Don't you just love how something old can still feel so new? I have to change things around at least once every two months. When I was younger, about once a month. Now that I'm married, ah, not so much.

Looks great by the way! Can't wait to read about tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

I do not move furniture. We have been in our house nearly 5 years and nothing has moved. We were in our last house 5 1/2 years and nothing moved. Come visit me in 10 years and nothing will have moved. I have myself convinced that the only way the furniture will work is the way I have it now - lol. And I buy my own publicity.

A Christian Mom said...

I love the new look! We haven't moved our couch in 3 yrs... well, we got a "new" couch a year ago, but it was put in the same spot as the old couch... I would love to rearrange things... but we have an issue with the cable.

Anonymous said...

I love the new look! I haven't moved my furniture since we moved in 7 years ago. It gives my dh hives when I move things. Lol.

Lorie said...

I'm really itching to rearrange our living room, but there's so much stuff in it that I will have to have hubby's help & I don't think he'll be too keen on the idea. We'll see.

Anonymous said...

I am a serious furniture mover like so bad that I bet I do every month. I may move it back but I always need a change.

I love the way your living room looks now. The red is gorgeous!

Denise said...

Lovely! Your red is gorgeous! Thanks for the incentive.

Sandy said...

I'm a mad sofa-mover for sure! Upstairs and then downstairs again - lol! My poor kids (they have the muscles). Looking forward to meeting you in TN (I'm roomin' w/Nester:)) Sandy

Becki said...

Love the change! Thanks for sharing your pictures. Becki

Wendy said...

I liked your living room before, Love it now. Everything in your living room is great!

Meghan said...

WoW!
And secondly, where did you find that red table with the leopard trim??!!!!
Simply fabu!

Anonymous said...

Looks wonderufl! My living room is so tiny and overcrowded - I'm not sure how we'd accomplish a floating couch over here. I'm not against them - I'm just floating-impaired right now. ;) LOVE the red table between the chairs.

Anonymous said...

That looks great--what a big difference one small shift can make! A friend of mine suggested the "floating" look several years ago, and it's stayed there ever since. So I think that makes me boring and completely satisfied with status quo.

Unknown said...

It's so homey and inviting! Very cute! I do want to rearrange some in here - just don't even know where to start.

kristi said...

I am constantly rearranging furniture...it drives my Hubs crazy.

Blogger said...

Looks so warm & cozy!

Make sure to stop by my blogs this week, I am having 1 giveaway on bella casa news and 18 on Bella Casa - Decorating on a Budget (Darnit!) ;)

Good Luck!

Courtney@Booksnboys said...

I fell out of my chair - FIVE years?!? Geez. I move my furniture around all the time (just did today in fact). Mostly because I move them to clean under them and then since I moved them I figure I should try a different arrangement. I love how clean your house is :)

Dawn said...

Wow! What an amazingly homey and welcoming room!

I love the after arrangement!

Hugs from Eventually Cottage!

Malinda said...

Love both rooms. I'm a big fan of red. Thanks for sharing.

Annie said...

The change is really good. Like your living room and the color of the wall.

Stopping from Kelly's Korner.

Rachel said...

#1-I love all your red.

#2- I am nuts and can't have my couch "floating", I have to have it against a wall. Must be some kind of disorder.

Sarah Robbins said...

So cute! I love your red. It is just so cozy. . .

Randall @ Happy For This Moment said...

I love your gingham couch and great basket wall!

Jenny said...

I love both rooms! I really like the storage tall storage center.

I always think about moving my couch off the wall, but then there would be dead space behind it.

Shoshanah said...

I love all the wicker boxes! Especially all the different sizes.

Debbie said...

I love the red in your family room, and the couch moved off the wall. It looks great. Debbie

Heather said...

Love all of your decorations, we have some of the SLAH things!! Fun! Thanks for sharing!!

Pam Bowers said...

Cute. I love your big toy bin unit you have.

Unknown said...

Are thoe old window frames hanging on the wall? LOVE THEM. Love your red & black color combo-it rocks!

Kelley said...

Your house looks very warm and welcoming. It is pretty.

Jessica said...

Your home is lovely, so great! My hubby wants to know if you can divulge where to find that organizational shelving unit w/ the 20+ baskets...we have organizational envy! Please feel free to leave a comment on my blog, we'd be grateful for any such tips!

Lindsay said...

Our couch has not moved in 4 years. Before that, we lived in a different house & it was in the same place there for 8 years! We are NOT furniture movers and I'm not ashamed. They just fit best in the room the way they are. Maybe if I had a larger room, I'd explore a little. So don't feel bad at all! :)
Thanks for sharing!

Crystal said...

Love it!! Looks so cozy!!

Blessings,
Crystal (heart mom)

Dina said...

It looks great. I love the "floating" couch.

LuAnn said...

Love it - Very homey. Love the red, my family couch is the same color. I do like it floating too.

sportzmom said...

Looks great! I am a huge furniture mover--it drives my husband crazy. He never knows what he might find! I love the floating couch and your new corner. Your family room is very pretty too!

Chelsa said...

love it!! i LOVE to rearrange furniture... even as a little girl i did! i think i inherited it though b/c my momma does the same thing.

Reid said...

LOVE it....and maybe, just maybe you'll encourage ME to move my furniture! I'm with you with what could possibly be under it!

Michele said...

I LOVE all the red! I used to love to move around our furniture too, but with the way our new living room is set up, everything is staying (and for a long time)!

Bills Family said...

I enjoyed seeing your room. I move my furniture around even when there is no place for it to do. Luckily for my decorating ideas, I get to move about every 3 years! Thanks for sharing your rooms.

Unknown said...

I absolutely love your house! :-) your style is just great -- I'm glad you moved the sofa around - it looks great where it is now :-) and the family room is so cute with all the black and white! Thanks for having us :-)

Anna said...

Thanks for a great tour!

Anonymous said...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that shelf unit in black. Wow....I am jealous. I want one of those. Thanks for sharing your pics. Oh, and I am a CRAZY mover. I change my furniture ALL the time. In fact, I just did it this afternoon and probably shouldn't be moving furniture being 35 weeks pregnant! tisk, tisk!
Heather

Sonya said...

I love it!! It really looks great arranged that way.

I used to be a bad furniture mover, but sadly I don't have much choice where to put things. They only seem to fit in one spot in my current house, at least that is what my husband thinks!

I LOVE those black shelves with the wicker baskets. Can you please email me where you got those!!
redsonyablade@yahoo.com

Jill said...

Love your black shelves with baskets! I need that in my house!

noahandlylasmommi said...

LOVE the red. If I saw your house in a magazine I would tear it out and use it for ideas because I LOVE it!!

imjacobsmom said...

Lookin' Good - both ways! I have you beat. I haven't moved my livingroom furniture around since I moved in 10 years ago! But when I moved in I moved it every which way and it only looks good and works this one way. I have two sets of stairs into the room and an archway and bowed windows that you walk into so the floor plan is a tough one. ~ Robyn

Unknown said...

Congrats on the "big move!" I love the new feel of the room!

nancygrayce said...

I never change my furniture....I just can't see it any other way. I'm awfully boring. I do change accessories sometimes. Your living room and family room are so pretty. I love the stars haning on the wall.

Kristen said...

I like you - my couch hasn't moved in 4 years. There's no other place to put it!! Your house is so cute - love the colors and that black rocking chair is darling!

Did you get the big black shelves with baskets at Ikea? Looking for one for our toy loft...

Dawn said...

I love your decorating style, and I love this room!

Hugs from Eventually Cottage!

Kristin (kekis) said...

It's crazy how moving one thing can make such a difference in a room. Looks good! Glad I saw your link on Kelly's blog.

Just me~Bobbie Jo said...

Love it-especially that big shelving unit with baskets.

Sar(Mrs.Teddy) said...

Beautiful home! I like the new furniture arrangement! I would move ours around but I don't feel it could go any other way! I really love your family room its so cozy & the black & white is warm, which surprises me!

Jesse and Zach said...

I love your shelves with all the baskets... it is super neat... I love organizing things.

bj said...

Looks absolutely FANTASTIC!!

Kari said...

Oh! I love the cubby shelves!!! I really need those. But would hate the dusting that would have to follow! ha ha! I like both ways you had the couch! And I like the decor you have in your rooms.

k and c's mom said...

I love the stained glass windows on the wall and the book case used for storage with baskets. I also love the prints you use in cushions. Good job!

twinsplusone said...

love it!! your organization and style is fabulous!

Dena said...

i hear ya, girl. had my furniture the same way every since we moved here, i wish i could move it.

love LOVE your rooms, very fun and cute.

Claire said...

Love the 'floating' couch!

Cxx

Jessica said...

I'm a fan of rearranging furniture!! Love your rooms, especially the black and white room, so cool!!