Mood Boards: Turquoise Living Room

My sister's moving back into the house we grew up in in Cleveland, which is now empty and desperately in need of some TLC. It has been years since anyone actually lived in this house (long story). These days, I feel like I barely recognize the place because everything about it is so different from what it used to be, but a little bit of attention can turn it around...

A little background: I have never known another house in my life! I was lucky enough that I never had to move to a new town or be "the new kid," but this is certainly more ideal as a starter home for people who aren't afraid to DIY. A few years ago, I had a dream that this house was sold and given over to a new owner... it was so devastating and sad, I woke up crying! The house itself is a small 1950's bungalow, somewhere around 1,200 sf. It's on a main street, so traffic and privacy through the front windows can be an issue. Honestly, though, this house has some serious potential - it just needs someone to do it!

Megan's got a finance degree from Cleveland State, and after spending some time in the working world, she's decided she's going back to school to be a dental assistant. Like any student, she has an extremely little budget to manage this transformation. The more she can DIY, the better! And she's not afraid to make things or get her hands dirty. Unlike me, she's always been more of the creative type...don't let that finance degree fool you! She designs and makes custom decals, creates/sells her own specialty dog treats on Etsy, and is completely opposite the engineering nerd that I am.

Yes, those are ice cream-shaped dog cookies.

Megan and her dog, Goober (a shiba inu)

The project: Words can't even describe this living room, so here are some snapshots that Megan calls the "lovely little pics to jog your memory." This can only become an amazing before and after. Here are the before shots:

The furniture is covered to protect it from dog and cat fur.

That's the front door on the left.

With zero experience in anything even resembling home decor, she brought me a bunch of pictures and links to rugs and items that she'd love to put in her space. How do you decorate a room for the first time? Make a mood board. With the tight budget she's on, better make mistakes on a computer screen than buying and returning at the store! (Of course, I also recommended Pinterest!)

I was super impressed with what she came up with. Check it out -- she's really into the Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie style, which is where most of these items come from.

All I've heard is that she just bought a ton of paint over the weekend and is about to get to work! Each of these ideas have tons of personality in them, and I can't wait to see what the room actually looks like when she's done.

How about you? Have you ever used a mood board to design your room?