ORC Week 6 | Living Room Shelf Styling

I’m six weeks into the One Room Challenge, doing up the living room in our rented house in London. This week I’m talking about the shelfie situation, and hanging the monster TV over the fireplace.

The goal for this room was to make it lighter, brighter, happier and more livable, and it’s on the way. I have a tight budget, and am limited in design choices because it’s a rental property. As a result, it’s not the most dramatic design plan, but sometimes a little cosmetic makeover can make a big difference.

(You can catch up on previous weeks progress through the links at the end of this post.)

Shopping

I pulled the trigger on almost everything I still needed to source for the room after I tweaked the design in week four. A new blush pink bean bag just arrived, although I’m waiting for a rattan chair, a hmong pouf, and custom made curtains.

I picked up some accessories to style the shelves, including a little buddha head plant pot, a string of pearls and a couple of other lovely bits from my local florist Create & Wild (who has a new Etsy shop).

Hanging the TV Above the Fireplace

I hung the TV above the fireplace. Well, I paid a pro to hang it, because I do not trust my DIY skills enough when something this heavy (and expensive) is involved.

Aesthetically, I would rather not hang a TV above a fireplace, but functionally it’s the only place it can go. My aim is to style the built ins and add art and furnishings through the rest of the room, in a way that will balance out the big black rectangle. And the other tech that go with it (speakers, game console and audio receiver).

Shelf Styling

A lot of the pieces I’ve used to style the shelves had been stored away in the attic, so it’s nice to have them out on display.

I confess I photoshopped the cables out of the photo at the top of the post. In real life, it’s not so neat.

To tidy all the tech, I’ve ordered longer TV cables that will run through trunking. I also need to take the plugs off the lamps, thread them through the little holes in the back of the built-ins, and plug them into the sockets inside the cupboards.

I replaced the hardware on the cupboards. Previously they were shiny chrome ones, now they’re pretty black hexagon knobs from Dowsing & Reynolds. I always think it’s worth investing in decent hardware, even in a rental property. The little details make a big difference.

The Living Room To Do List

There’s not much left to finish this room, just little jobs and finishing touches.

1. Make it Lighter & Brighter

• Strip the wallpaper ✔
• Repaint – still just the bay left to do
• Replace curtains with blinds – ordered
• Add mirrors – in progress

2. Make It Tidier & More Functional

• Hang the TV ✔
• Rehang the door ✔
• Get rid of/replace some of the furniture ✔
• Organise storage for electronics & guest bedding – in progress
• Lighting plan/execution – in progress

3. Make It Happy

• Add colour with art & textiles – in progress
• Shelf styling – 90% done!

What’s Next?

With only one more post left before the reveal, next week is going to be all about art, lighting, organising, and styling. And crossing my fingers that everything I’ve ordered shows up in time for the reveal.

Head to the One Room Challenge to check out the featured designers’ progress this week, as well as all the guest participants.

Catch Up On Other ORC 2020 Posts

Mood Board & Plans (Week One)
Stripping & Painting (Week Two)
Creating More Light & Space (Week Three)
New Design Plans (Week Four)
Week Five (No Post)
Week Six (This Week)
Design Updates (Week Seven)
The Reveal (Week Eight)