This week has been really exciting and really difficult. Exciting because we clicked these pics last week and I’ve been looking and re-looking at them and itching to write this post. Difficult because I have been DYING to share the pics with you guys (and I did give you a sneak peek on Instagram).. but not before I’d written this post. So finally the post is written.. and today I have for you, Em’s rental living room reveal!

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

Em’s Rental Living Room Plan:

As always, let’s start with the plan. For complete details on how we went about planning this, I would suggest you read this post, where we introduced Em’s living room. In short, all our planning was based on these basics.

  1. The aim is to create a gorgeous space where they will be happy to invite their friends over and entertain.
  2. This is a rental living room, so we make it gorgeous without over-spending.
  3. Refurbish and reuse whatever furniture Em already has and wants to keep.
  4. If new furniture is required, avoid any built in cabinets / furniture which Em will have to leave behind when she moves. Instead, invest in free-standing pieces that she can take along with her.

Rental Living Room MakeoverWe picked the colour scheme from this rug Em had. It’s basically multi-coloured, and yet the first colour you see if you just glance at it is pink.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

So we chose a bright pink as our main colour and here’s what we achieved.

The Passage:

We moved the shoe-rack into the first part of the passage and put the mirror on to the passage wall just as we had planned. The passage is narrow so you see it more like a side-view than a full on front view, but we still wanted it to make a good first impact. We painted it a bright pink. The mirror was originally in a natural polish. We added a hint of gold to it and it went perfectly on that wall.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

That bench was earlier placed near the dining table. We moved it into the passage. It fits in perfectly with the narrow, long shape of the passage. Since the shoe rack is in the first part of the passage just adjacent to it, the bench also gives some seating for putting on and removing shoes. A few bright cushions in pinks, purples and oranges complete the look.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The Living Room:

The biggest problem in the living room were the large, dark, bulky sofas. (Check out the previous post, or the before after images below to see.) We couldn’t change the sofas, so we lightened them up by re-upholstering them in a cream coloured fabric. Again, bright cushions added the colour. Wall art always adds the personal touch to any space.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The opposite wall has the television. Em wanted to change her old TV unit, so we got this small, sweet one which fit in nicely into that little niche. Em also wanted the Gayatri Mantra in her living room. She had it in her old place and it is very special to the whole family. We thought it would look great in the niche.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

We dressed up the corner with a pendant light and some artwork. Em already had that elephant table which I loved instantly. Later, if they feel the need for more seating, they can easily add a small chair or a pouffe there. The sheer curtains keep the glare out while yet allowing the natural light in.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

Just at the entrance, to the left of the living area, we have a small bar unit. We wanted a tall, narrow unit which will fit in perfectly along that small wall and Em liked this one best. It is also close to the kitchen entrance, which makes it easier to get in supplies while using it.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

This sign board Em picked up says it all, and is the reason we’re making over her rental living room!

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The Dining Room:

The pink in the dining room comes from that beautiful silk wall-drape. We had a few issues to deal with in the dining room and here’s how we did it.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The first was all those electrical boards and gadgets all over that wall (see the before pic). They were a real eye sore, but hiding them would mean making some kind of a fixed paneling. It didn’t make sense to do that in a rental living room, and I advised against it. Our solution is more beautiful and more budget friendly. We took a curtain and rod draped it with this beautiful silk fabric.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

We shifted the door bell and wifi so that they fit in behind the wall drape. The main box we couldn’t move, and though you can still see it, it’s not the first thing that catches the eye.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

We chose a light console under it and added some plants and personal memorabilia to complete the look.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The second problem was the entrance to the kitchen, which was wide open. We could get wooden paneling and a sliding door done, but again, it’s too much expense on a home that’s not your own. And it’s not like  you can carry it with you when you leave. I suggested this metal grill instead. It screens the entrance partially, reduces the eyesore, and can be removed from here and reused at their new place whenever they move.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The third was the window. It overlooks a duct and has an aluminium frame which looks shabby in the middle of the dining room. We ordered this mirror frame.. without the mirror.. the exact size of the window. We’ve hung it on screws around the window, just like you would hang a painting or a mirror. And it makes that window frame less ugly. Em wanted to be able to open the window for cross ventilation, but she doesn’t want the view behind it. She is considering adding a frosted glass film to the window to block that out too.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The fourth problem was the lights above the dining table. There weren’t any. The only light point was the tubelight above the window we just talked about. There was no light point on the ceiling, but Em wanted lights above her dining table. Instead of hiding the wires in ugly casing pattis or making a false ceiling so all the wiring could go behind it, we draped the exposed wires along the ceiling and made them a part of our light installation.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

The Balcony:

The balcony was a clean slate so we could go with any look we wanted. We chose light cane furniture which is comfortable and gives a great outdoorsy look. The pink seat cushions tie in with the pink from the living room.

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

Em was hesitant about getting plants into the home. I suggested some Areca palm. They fill up the space nicely with green and are really easy to maintain. You can’t kill them unless you try really hard! I’m happy to say that the palm is thriving and she has declared herself a plant lover. Every now and then she’ll get herself a new little plant baby or a pretty ceramic pot and send me a pic.

For example, the little plant in that blue ceramic pot you see in the corner above is a ‘touch-me-not’. I remember playing with them as kids and I have no idea where she found it. But every time I go there, I make sure to touch all the leaves and watch them close!

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal

Before and After:

And of course, we must end the rental living room makeover with some before and after pics. So here goes.

The passage..

The living room…

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal
Before
Em's Rental Living Room Reveal
After

The TV wall…

Electrical box wall…

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal
Before
Em's Rental Living Room Reveal
After

Dining area..

And the balcony…

Em's Rental Living Room Reveal
Before
Em's Rental Living Room Reveal
After

That brings us to the end of our rental living room reveal for Em. From conceptualising our ideas to shopping together for furniture and accessories to actually styling the place for the shoot, we worked together every step of the way. I had great fun working on this project with Em and seeing her dreams turn into reality in front of our eyes. I hope you had just as much fun reading this post…

Get The Look:

In this project, we worked a lot with what we already had. But a few of the pieces used in this rental living room are available online. If you like them and would like to get a similar look in your place, you can find them at the links below.

Em's Living Room Reveal - Product Board

| – 1 – Boisdale Bar Cabinet | – 2 – Watercolour Mandala by Raina | – 3 – Ace Brass Curtain Rod Set | – 4 – Copper Handmade Wall Clock | – 5 – Odin Console Table | – 6 – Cambrey TV Unit |

As always, I would love to hear what you think about it. So do write in to me in the comments.

Until next time,

Rittika @ Ariyona Interior

 

Note: This post contains some affiliate links.

Em’s Rental Living Room Reveal
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28 thoughts on “Em’s Rental Living Room Reveal

  • May 3, 2020 at 9:57 am
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    Absolutely love your work – refreshing and practical. I go to your posts to destress. Thank you for sharing

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    • May 3, 2020 at 12:40 pm
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      Thank you Melissa.. this makes me smile! 🙂

      Reply
  • April 15, 2020 at 5:08 pm
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    Hi Rittika, I stumbled across this lovely post and have been completely hooked by you work. I love the way you personalise spaces and that’s what I’ve been wanting to do with my rented apartment in Delhi. I’d love to get your opinion on something that I’m stuck with and cannot decide.

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  • November 28, 2019 at 9:58 pm
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    Simple yet elegant ur every corner is reflectingvur choices and u
    Loved d bamboo furniture

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    • November 29, 2019 at 11:44 am
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      Thank you! Glad you liked it. Yes, love cane furniture for balconies!

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  • September 30, 2018 at 8:23 pm
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    that’s a beautiful makeover <3

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    • October 1, 2018 at 6:56 am
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      Thanks so much, Poornima!

      Reply
  • August 3, 2018 at 12:49 pm
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    Wow is the only word to explain your work!very very beautiful and elegant too.I loved the mandala art work and the dining area the most.lights play an important role to cheer the mood of a room and you proved it!where did you hide the bicycle ?😀😀😀

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    • August 3, 2018 at 12:52 pm
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      Haha! There are little balconies outside the bedrooms and a big dry area outside one bathroom big enough for the washing machine / clothes drying… and bicycles. I assume it’s gone into one of those. I’ve seen that the prettier you make a space, the more you tend to look after it and make sure it stays that way. And thank you so much! 🙂

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      • August 3, 2018 at 6:59 pm
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        Yah ! Sure!!we have only one balcony and always struggling to accommodate our bicycle so that they don’t become an eyesore!anyway thank you for the quick reply.Looking forward for your new ideas.regards.

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        • August 4, 2018 at 9:27 am
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          Pleasure, Gautami! Have a great day!

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  • May 6, 2018 at 2:29 pm
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    You have done a fabulous make over! You have made use of the existing furniture very well and I love the frame idea you did around the window.
    Would love to see more work from you ! Best wishes !

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    • May 6, 2018 at 5:59 pm
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      Thanks so much Gayathri.. so glad you liked it! 🙂

      Reply
  • January 28, 2018 at 4:41 pm
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    Amazing Rittika, what a simple yet elegant makeover. Done with the simplest of tricks, that non designers like me can also incorporate.Looking forward to more …..

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    • January 29, 2018 at 9:01 am
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      Thanks Rashi.. yes, absolutely true. In fact I’m always saying this.. that it’s the little things that add up to make the big picture!

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    • April 16, 2020 at 12:07 pm
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      Ritika, this is such a wonderful blog. I read both the parts back to back and I could feel the love and warmth by which you have decorated Em’s place. I am not sure if Em is your friend or you met her just as a client but the last lines about her sending you plant pics brought smile to my face thinking how lovely the relationship is where you want to share ‘choti choti khushiyan’ with your interior designer.
      I have recently started following you but have become a frequent visitor to your page.
      Love love love your work ❤️❤️

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      • April 16, 2020 at 12:27 pm
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        Thank you Pallavi.. this brought a smile to my face. Em was a client who became a friend by the time we finished this makeover. When you are in and out of someone’s home for weeks or months on end, the relationship does tend to become personal. The whole process is certainly more happy for both client and designer if you hit it off well! 🙂

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  • January 28, 2018 at 4:15 pm
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    It’s really …. Wooowwwww a pocket friendly make over . Transformation in its true sense

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    • January 29, 2018 at 8:58 am
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      Thanks Santoshi. Yes, it was a very satisfying project to work on.. to see all the little things make such a big change! Thanks for dropping by! 🙂

      Reply
  • January 24, 2018 at 8:19 pm
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    I would just say WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW

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    • January 25, 2018 at 10:38 am
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      Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply
  • January 24, 2018 at 1:31 am
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    What a beautiful transformation Rittika!! Loved the colors you went with and the best part was that idea to cover the electrical wall, absolutely brilliant!!

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    • January 24, 2018 at 7:01 am
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      Thanks Nupur! I kind of love that wall too.. it’s like the showstopper and ties in everything else in that space. And so good to see you on the blog! 🙂

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      • April 30, 2020 at 3:08 pm
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        Hello Ritika.
        What a beautiful transformation of this little space. You have made it cosy and warm and full of life and so cheerful!!!!! I read your posts and try to add little ideas to my home.
        I want to know how you have added those lights above the dining table when there is no electric point. I read your post twice but could not understand this. Can you post a pic please??!!😃

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        • April 30, 2020 at 3:27 pm
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          Hi Nandini. There was an outlet for the fan wire in the ceiling, we’ve pulled our light wires from that. It looks like each of the wires for these lights is coming out of the fan. I didn’t get a good pic of the wires.. the best I have is on my Instagram account today!

          Reply

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