This post was sponsored by Goettlers of Dublin. All opinions are my own.

I cannot believe I am finally able to share our living room renovation with you.

Let’s just say renovating during a global pandemic came with several unexpected challenges.

Despite it all, it was 100% worth the wait.

The biggest lesson that I learned during this process (in addition to patience) is just how much your space can impact the way you feel.

When I moved into this house almost 10 years ago, it was the home where my husband lived in during his first marriage. It was their family home.

After the divorce, he kept the house for the kids.

When we decided to move in together, there was no other option than for me to move in with them.

It was an adjustment.

The house is not where I would have chosen to live.
The style is not what I pictured for myself. 
The decoration was not my style. 

The junk drawers were filled with memories of their past.

It was difficult. I felt like I was being inserted into someone else’s life. Probably because I was.

You can read more about it in this blog post.

The feeling that the house never truly felt like mine was always this white noise in the background.

In fact, it’s not until we did this addition that I fully understood how much moving into their space impacted how I felt.

Now when I walk into our main living space, I feel at home. This space couldn’t be more us.

To pull this all together I worked with my good friend and helluva designer, Abby Campbell. She understood the vibe I was going for before I even understood the vibe I was going for. 

Abby’s philosophy as a designer is all about creating a space for her clients that FEELS like home to them. It’s less about what is ‘in style’ or ‘on trend’ but rather, Abby works closely with clients to understand how they want the space to function for them as a family and how they want the space to FEEL.

Drawing on those key components, Abby is able to bring the clients’ vision to life through design + furniture + decor, etc. 

Here is the first and only design concept she created for the living room. She nailed it on the first shot.

When she sent me the concept I immediately replied, “you nailed it” and we went from there!

We built-out and added a room against the outside of the house. Fortunately, we were able to keep the existing brick wall. We painted it the same white as the rest of the space. I am so obsessed with this wall and love the texture it brings to the room.

The space is the perfect combination of what both Darren and I envisioned.

I wanted it to be neutral and timeless. He wanted it to be comfortable and practical for our big family. We both won!

Let’s dive into the details.

THE FURNITURE

First, things first. The furniture. We wanted something super comfortable with room for our entire family to hang out and watch a movie. I have dreamed of a big white sectional since we decided to do this addition.

After sitting on several couches and going through many great options, we decided on a sectional from Goettlers of Dublin

The couch is Rowe Fine Furniture Sylvie. It is SO comfortable.

People ask if I’m worried about having a white couch with four kids and a dog, the answer is no. First, it’s made of kid proof fabric, in a custom upholstery that’s build to last. Second, a little soap goes a long way. There is a huge selection of fabrics to choose from, including many other stain resistant options.

As obsessed as I am with the sectional, I am so in love with the ottoman and chair. They are also from Goettler Fine Furniture. These pieces are timeless and so freakin’ gorg.

The ottoman and chair are Universal Furniture – unfortunately they are no longer available.

Goettler’s is a family run business located in Dublin Ontario, that’s been in business for 70 years. With a 30,000 square foot showroom, it has a huge selection of living room, dining room and bedroom furniture, as well as home decor at a discounted price.

Vivi from Goettler’s was just as invested in the sectional as I was. She was such a pleasure to work with. As a stepmom herself, she knew how important this transformation was for our family. It was reassuring to work with someone who understood that this couch was not just a couch.

SOME FAQ ABOUT THE RENOVATION PROCESS:

Q: What did you do that made the biggest impact for money?

A: I’d say the sectional and the built-ins. They’re timeless and the vibe can be switched up with decoration as trends change.

Q: What is your absolute favourite part?

A: The sectional for sure. It sounds dramatic but we really did dream of a big comfy couch that we could cozy up by the fire on. There is space for everyone to spread out and get comfy. It’s perfect.

Q: Did you have to move during the Reno?

A: Yes. We moved out for about a month. We didn’t have to but it was just easier because we painted the entire main floor.

Q: What was the biggest compromise between you and Darren style-wise?

A: Definitely painting the place white. He wasn’t on board and was nervous that it would feel like hospital (his exact words). To be honest, when I first saw it done, I was a little nervous too. It was VERY white. But as we brought in our stuff and started to add more texture, the vision came to life. We are both happy with the decision.

Q: What type of flooring did you use?

A: This is the original hardwood from the house. We had it refinished by Patrick Malarzewski.

Q: Is that a TV?

A: Yes, it’s a Frame TV.

Q: Tips for best first steps?

A: Spend some time on Pinterest, pinning different rooms that you like. There are so many different vibes to choose from, so it’s best to start with a vision board of some sort. For me, hiring a designer was a no brainer because decorating is not my thing. I know what I like, I just have a hard time pulling it together. Yes it was a cost, but at the end of the day having Abby’s help saved me a lot of time and money because I would have spent HOURS going through trying to pull it all together (and it definitely wouldn’t have turned out as good).