It’s here! Finally time to show you our living room transformation! Always a treat to be a guest participant in the One Room Challenge, put on by Linda from Calling It Home with Better Homes & Gardens as a media sponsor.

As a guest participant, you always just hope with your fingers crossed that your makeover gets a little nod of approval from the big guys. Here’s hoping, friends! You visiting my blog or Instagram (@haneens_haven) and leaving a comment or sharing is a big help! Thank you so much for your support throughout this process!
If you want a look back starting at the beginning, visit the links below:
WEEK 1 // WEEK 2 // WEEK 3 // WEEK 4 // No week 5 // WEEK 6 // WEEK 7
So, as a reminder, here’s what the room looked like (not bad, but ready for a change)…
Before :

And After :













Before I talk about the room in its entirety, there are several sponsors I’d like to thank that I’m incredibly grateful for. For starters, Benjamin Moore provided the paint for this room. The name is Jet Black. Thank you to Frog Tape® for sponsoring this project and always making my paint jobs easy with sharp, clean lines!

A huge thank you to Universal Furniture, who provided what has proven to be an amazing focal point when you walk into this space! The Simon Display Cabinets with interior lighting are fantastic- plain and simple. Getting two side-by-side fills the wall perfectly! The gorgeous metal doors have beveled glass, and the finish on the sides is a beautiful, almost white-ish/grey wash. It’s stunning. Such high quality pieces. I love the ample shelving and the lighting is my favorite. You dim the interior lights with the slightest tap on the side of the piece. It’s just lovely!

Thank you to BFF Printshop, who provided all of the digital downloadable art you see in the cabinets! Along with the portrait you see on top. She’s my favorite! Really plays well with the color of the rug. And look closely! Her necklace is orange!

Let’s get to the lighting, shall we? Everything was changed from the initial mood board! It’s crazy how things develop and adjustments need to be made as a space comes together. I’ll explain. Here’s where we started:

The first change came with the ceiling light, when I realized the welting stripes were navy, and not black! Oops! Should’ve zoomed in on the website! Still an awesome light fixture, but wasn’t going to work in the space like I’d hoped. Love this unique replacement called Sunset Blvd I found by Troy Lighting for HVL!


Truth be told, it isn’t hardwired yet! When our home was built, they didn’t put a ceiling light in this room! And since we aren’t comfortable with contractors in our home yet, it’s currently hung for “looks” and we’ll have it electrically connected when the right time comes.
Next came the sconces! I LOVE the brass/angled sconces on the original mood board. But after we installed the arch trim and I held them up, the sharp angles were really visually competing with the soft curve of the arches. So I decided to use them in my family room instead and they look SO good on our reclaimed wood wall.

Then I scoured the Hudson Valley Lighting site (so fun to do, by the way. I highly suggest it- such a great selection) and found these curved beauties!


Visually, they compliment the arch trim, and I love having a white shade to brighten up that wall. So, that leads to the final lighting change, and that would be the lamp!! Originally, I had this picked out…

I loved the organic vibe; really fit the mood I was going for. But it turned out that it wasn’t going to arrive in time, which actually worked in my favor to switch for two reasons. One, I was initially going to put it on a table between the two chairs, and I realized that I really like the chairs fairly close together and didn’t want to put a table to separate them. And we wouldn’t miss it because the coffee table is close by to set a drink on. So a simple floor lamp would work best between the two. In addition, now that we went with sconces that have a fabric shade, I thought it was best to go with a different style lamp. I don’t like things too “matchy matchy.” This floor lamp was a no-brainer…


It’s black, it’s brass, and it has a subtle curve at the top. Just love it! And since the sconces lean a bit more traditional, I like that this lamp is very modern in style. So that’s the story on the lighting! Thank you to Hudson Valley Lighting for sponsoring such a key element in the room!
A quick DIY…
So, I don’t know if anyone will be shaking their fingers at me for this, but I cut images from one of my favorite coffee table books to frame as art. Book lovers, don’t be mad at me! This was in celebration of books, because the images I framed are of beautiful libraries that give me such a warm fuzzy feeling when I see them. I didn’t want them hidden inside a book- I wanted them up on the wall! And truth be told, I was looking for a way to hide an ugly speaker on the wall that we don’t use, and also a light switch that doesn’t function. Here’s a quick image from my phone of the skinny wall of prints to the right (before the lamp arrived). I’ll be sure to give you a closer look on Instagram stories.


Some night shots…


Thank you to Ryobi for providing me with tools to install that arch trim! I’m really proud of bringing this vision to life!

Some thoughts…
I’d love to take a minute to just talk freely about the room for a moment; maybe give you some history as to where it started and where it ended up, and why. And what things, old and new, landed in the cabinets..
For starters, I just want to say that this room’s “before” wasn’t an eye sore. It wasn’t desperate for a makeover. Interior design is personal. I learned that while home raising my four young kids; struggling with what to do with my creative energy. I’ve always said that if I’m going to be home raising my kids, I better love what I’m looking at. And truth be told, it was doing the wall stencil in this brown room, almost 10 years ago, that started my love for all things interiors.
I have an art degree, but this was a new form of art that really spoke to me at that time in my life. It was an art form that said, “Hey! You can transform spaces to make you feel a certain way!” It was amazing to me, the way I felt when walking into a room I had designed from start to finish. So the “before” will always be special to me for that reason, even if my taste has evolved a bit.
And that’s another thing I want to touch on. It’s ok to evolve. I’m known for color. I love color. It can move you. It can sing to you. In some cases, it can leave a bad taste in your mouth. Lol. I love color’s power! I understand that this room doesn’t necessarily read as “colorful,” but that’s the joy of the One Room Challenge. It’s a chance to literally challenge yourself. To dig a bit deeper.
To me, this wasn’t just a challenge of “how to get a room done in 8 weeks.” It was a testament to the times we’re living in. I designed this space during a pandemic; quarantined and unable to have contractors in our home. We painted it ourselves and installed the trim ourselves and hung the lights ourselves.
On top of that, I brought this room to life amidst a civil rights movement I’ll never forget. I was feeling ALL SORTS of feelings these past two months. And I love that this space reflects all of that. It may not be obvious, but I’ll remember it in all the little details.
Speaking of details. They’re my favorite. When I design a space, it’s the styling at the end that really brings it to life. I’m a firm believer that no room is complete without some beautiful books, and some touches of history. Whether that’s through thrifting vintage pieces, or bringing in sentimental items that bring back happy memories. The cabinets are filled with a mix of vintage prints, thrifted books, shiny new things, and a wooden bowl filled with seashells from family vacations. The vintage trunk on top was found on a fun thrifting trip with my sisters last summer. The coffee table has some of my absolute favorite coffee table books, but it also has a spot for some rocks from my parents’ yard. I picked out some rusty ones that look good with the chairs🙂

So, there you have it, friends! What’s your favorite element? Does anything surprise you? Have any questions? Leave it all below! Thank you again so much for cheering me on along the way in IG stories! I’ll be kicking my family out of the house soon to do a full tour with all the close-ups in IG stories soon! 🙂 Stay tuned! And thank you again to the following sponsors:
- Frog Tape®
- Hudson Valley Lighting
- Universal Furniture
- Benjamin Moore
- BFF Printshop
- Coterie Home
- Ryobi Tools
Edit to add…
Omg! Coterie Home was so kind to send beautiful accessories for this makeover, and it arrived literally hours after I posted the reveal! So I’m adding these images to show you:)












Shop the room…
Shop the books…
Cheers!
Wow! This room is gorgeous and so sophisticated! I love the glass display cabinet and the orangish chairs are perfect! I always get excited to read your blog because I love color too but don’t find too many decorating blogs where color is used a lot. You did a great job with this room challenge!
That means so much! Thank you, Cathy!
This room is amazing. The paint color, the cabinet, lighting and even down to the pop of greenery on the coffee table. Fabulous!!!!
Thank you so much! Means a lot!
It looks so beautiful Haneen, I love everything about it😍 you just killed it ❤️ As always..
So sweet, thank you!
WOw Haneen! So many beautiful and unique details. Love it!
Thank you, Julia! I appreciate you visiting!
This is soooo good! I love the moodiness of it. It’s cozy & elegant at the same time. Yesss!
Thank you so much!
I love it! Beautiful
Thank you, Monique!
When I read, “no room is complete without some beautiful books, and some touches of history,” a lightbulb went off. This is so, so good. I like most have been rearranging, making new purchasing and reviving areas of my home during this pandemic. Now (literally after reading your words), I’m reminded I have some fantastic pieces from my late grandmother tucked away in my attic that deserve to be on display. The transformation of your space is magnificent, Haneen. You know how I know? I took time to comment on this post rather than simply posting emojis on Insta. Haha.
Lol! Christy, you are awesome! Thank you for this nice comment! I’m so happy this inspired you!
This is summed up perfectly! “No room is complete…”
So, so good Haneen! Your attention to detail is spot on!
Thank you so much, Stacey!! Appreciate it!
I posted this on IG too, but it was good enough to say twice! I’ve loved being witness to your design evolution. I’ve followed you since the first version of this space…before the refresh you did that is your current “before” picture! This “after” is a testament to your growth as a designer. It’s still colorful and still so you but you have elevated it so much. Can’t wait to see what you do next!
This space is absolutely amazing! I love the color scheme and moody vibe. The mixture of vintage and modern pieces adds a nice layered touch. Beautiful job!!
You’ve hit it out of the park! The lighting is just ridiculous 🧡 I think that’s my favorite part. Or maybe it’s that black paint? It’s really a bit of a departure from you, which really speaks to your amazing talent!! ❤️
That means so much, thank you!!!
Incredibly beautiful. Stunning.
Thank you so much, Nancy!
Beautiful work of art! I loved reading about the way the room reflects what you’ve been experiencing during quarantine and this time. So good.
Thank you so much, Sarah!
This room is absolutely beautiful! I LOVE it! I have always loved the color rust. I would not have picked those chairs before, but I would now! And the beautiful cabinet!! It all works together beautifully!
Thank you!!!
This is so gorgeous!! It feels so warm and inviting!
Thank you so much, Bridget!
Wow Haneen! Absolutely gorgeous and beautiful. I love the cabinet, lighting, how well you use contrast, the table, really everything about it! Amazing! 💚
Thank you so much, Monica!
The Simon Display cabinet is my favorite. All the details in it are so much fun to see! But my true favorite is the lovely designer who was able to make her vision a reality. Well done!
Aw, nothing like your 6th grade teacher visiting your blog! Full circle moment! Lol! Thank you SO much! Means a lot:)
I am in love with every little detail! I can’t believe the transformation. You are so talented. I love it all. You should feel so proud of yourself.
Thank you so much, Ashley! I am! 🙂
You nailed it yet again!
Thank you so much, Laura!
This is magical. You are magical. Your vision and talent blow me away with each project your share! Well done girl!!! Thanks for sharing your gift with us!
Lisa! This is so kind, thank you for your words!
Love, love, love this! I could look at your photos forever. And I’m so glad the coffee table came back. I just think it is so textural and wonderful. You should write a coffee table book. It would be spectacular.
This room is absolutely gorgeous! What a transformation. I’ve never liked a black room so much. It literally belongs in a museum, but at the same time the seating all looks so comfy. The lighting under the arches is perfect.
Just wow! It was fun to follow you on stories as this came together. I think my favorite has to be the floor lamp! And all the orange touches. I love the finishing touches on the shelving too. That’s the hardest part for me- making them look styled and not cluttered. This is so beautiful!! 👏👏👏
Thank you so much! That’s definitely a tricky balance (styled but uncluttered).
Wow this room is stunning! You are so talented and have an eye for glam without being stuffy. I can’t stop looking at all the details. How do you not have your own HGTV show yet?
Amal! Thank you for visiting my blog! Love you Xoxoxo
Haneen this is stunning and so spectacular! You have such a gift as I have told you many times but this room is breathtaking! The arches and the color in the chairs are perfection . I love seeing your designs and the process. Thank you for sharing with us.
Gorgeous! Love it all! Inspires me:) Wondering where your leather pillows are from?? They are so hard to find a neutral (not red) shade of leather! Thanks!!
Thank you so much! Those are actually old, from Target. I’ve seen similar at Pottery Barn!
Thanks again Haneen for helping us appreciate the world of color in such a sophisticated and edgy way. You knocked this out of the park yet again! Bravo.
Thank you so much, Ola! Means a lot!
Haneen, I simply adore what you’ve done in this room! It looks fantastic! Everything is just right & so pleasing to the eye. I love it all. Kudos to you!!!!! 😊
Thank you so much, Char! Means a lot!
2020 is the year of no social media for me, but today I had the thought “I should see what haneen is up to”. What perfect timing to see this room! It is a beautiful reminder to me that style/design can reflect how we change. I miss seeing the process of it all and thought that goes behind each piece!!
Kate, that means so much that you came to visit, even on a social media break! Thank you! Glad you like it!
This is a gorgeous evolution of style and taste…this room should be on the cover of Elle Decor. The color and hues incorporated are rich and stylish, so very sophisticated, and livable. I can picture in my minds eye, a lovely cocktail party where men and women would feel comfortable and at ease. My favorite has to be the stunning pair of glass curios that I am sure will bring anyone that owns them hours of viewing pleasure….and a reason to buy more accessories! I love this room because it is doable, livable and handsome.
Such lovely compliments, thank you!