Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

#livein: Rage Against the Blueprint

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It’s probably one of the most ambitious things you can do in life: purchase a brand new house off a blueprint. 

Think about it. You’re asked to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars for your potential dream home – based on a smooth flyer that features a two-dimensional layout. Sure, you have measurements, and if you’re really creative, you can picture where your furniture will go. You can almost see it. A cozy family home which is everything you wished for, and more.

But then, blueprint becomes reality. And your dream home looks *slightly* different than you had envisioned.

I’ve been there. In 2006, my then-fiance and I purchased our very first home together, in an up-and-coming subdivision scheduled for occupancy the following summer. I remember pouring over blueprints in the sales office, certain that I could easily fill the home with gorgeous-yet-functional furniture. In fact, so confident was I in my interior design capabilities, I completed shopping for the major furnishings before we took possession. And once inside, I was pleased that my eye for style was bang on, reveling in the way my brand new furniture filled my brand new house.

Yet something was off. 

My main floor, an open concept layout, was adequately sectioned to create “rooms” based on the blueprint. A living room upon entry, followed by a cozy dining area and then a long, spacious family room. However, just six months in, we quickly realized that although our home was furnished, we spent 100% of our time at the back of the house in the kitchen/ family room area. The front – designated for a combined living and dining room – was absolutely, completely wasted space. We were not living in our home.

livein Living RoomThe funny thing? It actually never occurred to us when initially purchasing our decor to make the most of our living space. We decorated based on what the blueprint told us to do; hence, if our living room was 15.5ft x 9 ft at the front of the house, that’s what we assumed it was – not thinking that a living room not lived in would be a colossal waste of effort. A bar area? Puh-lease. We rarely drink! 

livein Bar AreaThe bar area blended into our dining room, which was completely ornamental. Oh wait – it *did* have a use – to collect junk mail, bills and shopping bags as they made their way through the front door. In other words, our dining room became a mess room.

livein Dining RoomAnd then one day, I came to my senses. I decided to rage against the blueprint and redesign my home in a way that made sense to us. Hence, the dining room became the living room and the family room became the dining room and the living room became the family room. In other words, we played musical chairs with our layout, and everyone won.

House Layout livein

In fact, if you’re a faithful reader, you may have caught my family room makeover. Courtesy of Urban Barn, our new Carradine Leather Sofa Chaise is sleek and sophisticated, giving the room an airy, open feel. It lends a touch of modern flair while being comfy and inviting; the perfect place to lounge and watch television with the family.

(And since I know you’ll ask, the Strike Coffee Table ($499.00) is easy to clean, made of durable fiberglass, 97% child-proof and stylish as hell. For moms that have been looking for a table that is functional and safe for wee ones, I urge you to stop what you’re doing and grab the Strike coffee table. You will NOT be disappointed.)

livein Urban Barn

livein Urban BarnFinally! We were living in our home! The comfy sectional provided the perfect television viewing experience, and we began to spread out on our main floor: myself in the kitchen or reading a book in a comfy chair; the boys watching their favourite movie on the couch; my husband tapping away on his laptop at the dining table.

Of course, our decision to live in our entire home was mirrored by Candice Laughlin, architecture & home design expert, Urban Barn. If you recall my #livein: The Evolution of the Home post, her #1 tip –

“Rethink your room: Set up your furniture in a way that caters to your family’s personality and needs – you don’t have to stick to the traditional floor plans, styles or colour schemes. Do what works best for your family and you will get the most from your space.” Done and done!

Speaking of colour schemes – at some point in 2012, I got a little adventurous and painted an accent wall for the “sitting room” –

livein Living RoomSo what about the dining room? Well, even though the physical location moved, the furniture was too mod, too stuffy for our new “lived in” house. The fact is, my husband still yelled at the kids when they streaked a car across the tabletop, and I counted to ten every time juice was spilled on the white chairs. But could we do it? Could we really #livein our entire home?

Stay tuned as I reveal my brand new dining room, courtesy of Urban Barn.  

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I kind of have the same problem in my home. The rooms look the way I want them to appear, but they aren’t really ‘lived in’. It does seem like an awful waste of space. I love your bold accent wall – I always chicken out when it comes to really making a statement like that.

    • It took me a LONG time to feel comfortable enough to paint it such a bold colour, and in fact, I’m thinking of a more muted colour down the line :)

  3. I was going to ask, how do you keep your home so neat and clean with two little boys then read where they do spill juice on the chair and play with their toys on the dining room table. It does make more sense to design your home based on your family need and not what the builder had in mind. Looking lovely and can’t wait to see the dining room makeover.

    • Hahaha to be fair, my home was camera-ready for these photos – it’s not always this clean!

  5. Lena, you have such an eye for design! Gorgeous!

    Kudos to you as well for taking the chance to ‘redesign’ your home in a way that made sense for your fam :)

  7. I rearranged the layout of my dad’s house for this very reason. When he put it on the market, stagers and agents told him to put everything back to original floorplan specs so potential buyers could “see” themselves in the space. The original plans were silly. I can’t wait to buy my first home and figure everything out!

    • I wonder if we’ll have to do the same thing when we sell – but kudos to you for allowing your dad to #livenin his home!

  8. Had a good giggle Lena – your original furniture is definitely “pre-kid” era ;) I know when I had kids and pets my furniture style changed drastically – I looked for something that could stand up to the wear and tear (and pet hair). I have 2 dogs and my grandkids like to visit, so I still have the “durables” in my home.
    I can’t wait to see what your new dining room looks like :)

    • Thank you Flora. We actually already have the new dining table and it is standing up to the kids’ abuse!

  9. Similar thing happened with one of my friends. LIke you, she has a skill, talent for decorating and such.

    Beautiful Lena!

  10. Love your decorating skills so beautiful, and yes the after blue print looks a lot better and functional :)

  11. Great way to re-use the space! I so agree it is better to live in your house and use the rooms!

  12. Love this post! Very inspirational. I don’t think I “live” in my home either….we certainly don’t utilize the entire space. I agree on not having to follow the blueprint…our dining room is a home office right now but I really need to change that and move it upstairs. Spending so much money on a house and then not living in it? Silly!

  13. We’re in the process of designing and when I walk through the still empty rooms I can see us living there. We did start from a blueprint book though. The only thing that I’m scared of if that the kitchen is a bit small and that we’ll need a new dining room table. Oh well, happy shopping for me.

    Your modifications just seem way more practical. They just make sense.

  15. We had the blueprint in hand…but basically plopped all our existing furniture into wherever it would fit and have barely moved it since…well when we moved in 9 years ago. We definitely need to re-organize and actually put our first floor to better use

  17. Proud of you for raging against the blue print! Looking forward to seeing your new dining room.

  18. always interesting to see how others lay out their home furnishings. thanks for the story!

  21. But you have the skills for decorating and some of us like me do not, or lack of imagination I call it, I think you you start a small business helping those who lack it out!!! I am good at decorating the walls and tables but that’s it!

  28. I love that sitting area, you hit the nail on the head…my parents house was designed the same.

  34. Raging against the blueprint is a great idea!! Going to keep that in mind for my next move.

  40. We bought off a blue print too and we turned out “family room” into a gym for the husband :P Sometimes it can be difficult to look past what someone else is TELLING you the room is supposed to be used for! It’s kind of the same mind games that staging a house plays ;)

  42. I love all the rooms pictured above, beautiful. Loving the bar, and it doesn’t take too much space either. I love the red wall, I also have some bold colors in my home. Simply beautiful Lena! Enjoy your lived in home!

  44. I would definitely have trouble buying a house that wasn’t yet built. I need to see each room and how the whole place “feels.” But you’ve done a fabulous job creating a gorgeous home!

  46. I love your home and wish I had time to be so creative! we purchased off plans and now can say this is not our dream home! But one day we will get there! thanks Lena!

  47. Lena, I like your red wall. I’ve scene bright orange used before but I like the red better and its an attention grabber in an open concept

  49. looks great! i say go with the layout that works for you who cares what the builder says

  51. I love house blueprints! I look for those with large family rooms and no formal living rooms. Open concept.

  53. Great story. Live and learn, right? I like the intial look of your living space but what you’ve done with it is really great!

  54. I love the story, it’s so true that blueprints and model show homes tend to push people into thinking that their homes should be decorated a certain way

  56. we have always arranged our homes to what we want – at the moment one of the bedrooms is actually our sitting room, another bedroom is my closet and downstairs the sitting room is only used in the summer. This usually happens when you have lived in your home for a while to find out what is working and what isn’t

  57. I saw that coffee table a couple of days ago at Urban Barn! I think the kids would like playing with the divets on it. It might be a little too modern for us though.

  59. What a great job of reorganizing your living space so creatively! It makes me wonder what to do with our very large “dining room”, currently office/play room when my young granddaughter moves into her new place with her family this year.

  63. we’ve lived in our house for 9 years…. we’ve slowly been doing renos over the years as we find out what we need. if we would have done everything when we first moved it…. it wouldn’t be what we need today.

  64. It’s nice when you an turn wasted space into usable lived in space. I have a few spots that are wasted that could use some revamping so we can use it. Nice to get the most out of your home

  66. I love your taste in furniture! You and I are very much alike when it comes to interior decorating, I even have that exact same color of your accent wall in my living room, except 3 of my walls are that color not just one :)

  73. My parents have switched several times a sitting room for the diningroom. The sitting room at the front near the door makes way more sense than a diningroom that is only ocassionally used.

  74. My mom switched out furniture and room arrangements almost weekly when I was growing up. My dad wasn’t too thrilled about it when he landed on the floor in the dark, not realizing she had moved the bed when he was working late.

  76. We built a new house three years ago, and it was and amazing and nerve-wracking experience. I also planned our wedding the same year, so it was a crazy and beautiful time in our lives!

  77. I agree, the after makes a lot more sense. We were building back in Alberta, but now that we’re in BC I think we’re going to hold off for a few years until we know where our “forever home” will be.

  78. It takes me about a year to figure out how to arrange the furniture. I like the vibrant artwork you choose. If I had money I would invest in art.

  81. I love your furniture especially the white stuff but your arrangement looks great.