Side-by-side before-and-after of a living room makeover. The ‘before’ shows a gray, minimalist space with a white brick fireplace, wall-mounted TV, and little decor. The ‘after’ reveals a dramatic transformation with moody blue built-in bookshelves, a framed TV centered over a newly styled fireplace, warm wood accents, Christmas garlands, stockings, and layered cozy decor.

This reveal has been months in the making, and I’m so excited to finally share it. When we first started working on my in-laws’ living room, the space felt gray, cold, and a little unfinished like it was waiting for its personality to show up. The bones were great, but it needed warmth, depth, and a sense of cozy character that really matched how they live.

Today… it feels like a completely different room.

Cozy living room with fireplace — Before

Cozy living room with festive decorations — After

We transformed the entire space using rich, moody blue paint on the walls, trim, and built-ins. Anchoring the room is a gorgeous new fireplace moment: a framed TV centered above custom built-in bookshelves (yes, they were IKEA shelves!), styled to look fully custom and completely intentional.

And because the timing worked out perfectly, the room is decorated for Christmas right now — which honestly makes the transformation feel even more magical. The greenery, warm lights, and festive touches add another layer of coziness that shows just how lived-in and inviting this space can feel.

Colorful bookshelf with decorative items

The Vision Behind the Makeover

Interior design mood board for a moody living room featuring blue built-in bookshelves, a brick fireplace with a framed TV above it, a brown velvet sectional, an olive green fringe armchair, brass picture lights, a modern brass ceiling fan, and a blue-and-cream floral rug. The collage shows the color palette and furniture layout used in the living room makeover.

My goal was simple: create a room that feels like it has soul.
Something moody but not dark. Cozy but not cluttered. Elevated but still approachable.

Using darker paint throughout instantly added depth, and tying the shelves, trim, and walls together in one color made everything feel architectural and sophisticated — even though the base of the shelves was IKEA.

With the holiday decor layered in — garlands, warm twinkle lights, seasonal accents — the room feels exactly like the kind of space you want to curl up in during winter, but it will still feel just as inviting all year long.

The Built-Ins (Full IKEA Hack Tutorial Coming Soon!)

White cabinet under construction near fireplace

One of the biggest changes in this room was the bookshelf wall. We used IKEA units as the foundation and added trim, molding, and paint to give them a high-end, custom built-in look.

A full step-by-step tutorial is coming in a separate blog post, so if you’re planning your own built-ins, stay tuned — I’ll walk you through every part of the process.