I’m excited to kick off our partnership with Home Depot for this makeover! It’s been a wild few months and since many of us are spending more time at home, I wanted to share that it’s never too late to create a happy, beautiful, and cozy space for yourself and/or with your loved ones. I hope you’ll find this transformation inspiring.

We’re finally helping my best friend, Anna and her husband get their lives together because their living room is a hot mess. I’ve known Anna since second grade so she’s practically family. They’ve been living in their home for almost a decade now and have accumulated a ton of stuff over the years. As you can see, things are piling up in their living room and taking over their space. All this clutter is making a negative impact on how they live in their home and their well-being. First, I asked her to imagine what her dream living room looks like. Then, I asked if this was it. She said no. And that’s when I said, “Alright, let’s make this dream a reality!”

Remember that you gotta own your space and not have it own you. I’ve shared a little bit about what it’s like growing up in an immigrant family and our tendency to hold on to everything and not throw anything away. Apparently this affects a lot of minorities and immigrant families. As a child of Chinese immigrants, Anna also experienced this pattern as well. I had a reader share with me that things hold new memories, especially for people who have experienced trauma from displacement. Which means things become really personal and there’s an emotional attachment to them.

But we can’t hang on to everything. So how do we break this cycle? I don’t have all the answers. It’s not easy but it starts from recognizing how clutter makes us feel anxious and overwhelmed. There’s a fine line between possessing things and having things possess you. I’m sure you all heard this before, we need to simplify, organize, and purge. It takes practice and maintenance. And sometimes, an intervention. Yep, I told Anna everything gots to go! Well, not everything. I gave Anna and her husband lots of homework to do. I made them get rid of things that: 1) they no longer use, 2) don’t bring any joy, and 3) are essentially trash. They sold all their furniture on Offer Up. They donated. They purged. They’re essentially starting over. This is their forever home so we’re going to create a beautiful space so that they can fill it with wonderful new memories.

I’m like a Marie KonDab. LOL! The living room already looked so much better when the bookcase was gone. That giant thing was sucking the soul out of this room. Now let’s talk about some inspiration for the space. Here’s the thing, they don’t have a specific style nor do they collect art or objects. And no, shoe boxes aren’t part of decor! The great thing about HomeDepot.com/decor is that they offer many styles such as modern, traditional, and even boho. They’re only available online and you can find some really great deals.

I asked Anna what she wanted her living room to feel like. She said, relaxing, airy, and bright with some pops of color. Since they visit Hawaii every year for vacation, we’re going to infuse an eclectic, beachy, laid-back vibe. The color story for their living room is ocean blue, sandy browns, with a hint of sunshine yellow. Are you ready to see the after?!

BEFORE

AFTER

Bam! Can you believe it’s the same space? When I thought about the furniture layout, I knew we had to pull the pieces toward the center of the room to work around the fireplace and TV. I feel like most people naturally shove sofas against walls and in this case, Anna had their old sofa in front of their huge windows which blocked out light and prevented them from actually opening their curtains or blinds. Now they can easily move around the space because it flows better. We picked out natural linen jute sofas from Home Depot’s private brand, Home Decorators Collection. It’s has clean lines so it works perfectly with any kind of style. It’s also pretty comfy. We draped throws from The Company Store behind each sofa to add texture and color so it’s not completely white. Everything in this room is from HomeDepot.com/decor! They have so many stylish pieces to choose from and they’re available only online.

We chose this Home Decorators Collection 10x12 rug to ground the space. It has a greyish blue-green pattern that feels neutral but still adds some depth and pattern. It reminds me of Bokhara rugs from Uzbekistan. They have a few colors to choose from and for this price and size, it’s an amazing deal. And they’re exclusively sold online. I love the coffee table. It looks like an antique piece and adds a warm, rustic element. And aren’t all these pillows gorgeous? I was really impressed to find these handmade beauties online. Most of them are woven by artisans in India. Since the walls and sofas are white, we had to sprinkle and layer in texture, color, and pattern (pillows, rug and the banana leaf lamp). The details from the curved legs on the coffee table and the gold metal inlay on the credenza adds a stylish touch. And the plants and artworks give the space some personality. We painted the fireplace white so it can blend in with the walls. Did you even realize there was a fireplace before? It was hidden behind a TV stand.

We actually finished this transformation a few days before Los Angeles decided to go on lock down so it was perfect timing. Anna and her husband have been working from home since and are absolutely loving their living room. They send me photos every day and tell me how much they’re enjoying it. It’s become a multi-functional space where they not only watch TV, but eat dinner and do work as well. I’m so happy that they finally have a space where they can decompress. I hope you all find this inspiring to start decorating your spaces. And always remember that you don’t need to be a designer to create a stylish home.

All of these items are exclusively available online at homedepot.com/decor. They have a wide selection of furniture and home decor at really affordable prices. And you can do free in-store pickup or free delivery. Try thing out and if it doesn’t work out you can always return it. That’s why I always shop at Home Depot. It’s so easy!