A Stuck-in-1962 Living Room Transforms into a Stunning Space, Thanks to a Fireplace Makeover

Sarah Everett
·3 min read
Lamp in front of fireplace in empty living room.
White living room before project
Blue fireplace in white living room during project
Blue fireplace in white living room during project
Vintage furniture in blue and white living room
Couches and blue fireplace in white living room
Blue fireplace in white space
Plants and couch in white space

ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER

HOME TYPE: Historic Home

PROJECT TYPE: Living Room

STYLE: Eclectic, Vintage

SKILL LEVEL: DIY

RENTAL FRIENDLY: Yes

Even if you renovate an older home, it doesn’t have to lose its old-school details. Laura Bendloss’ home in Bellport, New York, is full of retro 1960s charm and is a prime example of that — from its bathroom with the original lilac-colored fixtures to its kitchen cabinet color inspiration to its living room, which keeps the original fireplace.

“It’s from 1962 when the home was built,” Laura says of the focal-point fireplace. “Same with the wooden floors. They were just covered by carpet.”

White living room before project
Blue fireplace in white living room during project
Couches and blue fireplace in white living room

Painting the fireplace gave it a fresh, new look.

Regarding the OG fireplace, Laura says: “The brick was cheap, so we painted it to make it a feature.” She and her husband, Simon, landed on a teal paint (Little Greene’s Pleat) for the fireplace makeover.  “It has new life in it,” Laura tells Apartment Therapy. (To see more brick fireplace makeovers, peep these 10 transformations.)

The same green paint is used on the trim and doors in the living room, and the walls are painted a brightening white (Little Greene’s Stock).

Blue fireplace in white living room during project
Vintage furniture in blue and white living room

The furniture is an eclectic, decade-dabbling mix.

After the fireplace and floors were upgraded (a DIY job; Simon spent lots of time ripping up the old carpeting), furniture revived the living room — and it’s actually a mix of vintage finds from several different decades.

“People always think you can’t mix design periods, but that’s untrue,” Laura says. “We have a mid-century coffee table with a very traditional sofa … and it totally works. It keeps the space from looking like a museum or a catalog. You want things to be unexpected.”

Her sofas and coffee table are from local vintage stores, as is her artwork, and her floor lamp and pleated shade are from Pooky Lighting.

To see the rest of Laura’s home, check out the full cottage tour.

Further Reading

We Tested (and Rated!) All the Living Room Seating at Burrow to Determine the Best for Every Space and Need

I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered

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