Living Room Renovation

Project Description

In spring 2024, I renovated my parents' living room from the ground up. It was the first renovation I tackled on my own after returning from Australia, where I picked up the skills and tricks of the trade.

Working through the project made me realise I enjoyed the thought process just as much as the making. I loved watching the room slowly come together. Thinking through details, noticing how different materials sit together, how they catch the light, and how each decision relates to the rest of the home.

I wanted the renovation to feel quiet and honest. Less about adding, but more about revealing what the space already was. At the same time, it was the first project of this kind that made me realise how much I enjoy making spaces. Seeing my family enjoying the finished room has been the biggest reward of all.

The project touched every surface in the room. I replaed the worn-out spruce wood floor and rebuilt the entire subfloor system with new insulation, structural reinforcements and OSB panels. On top, I laid brushed, lacquered oak planks. I stripped down the old knotty pine ceiling, which was typical of many homes built across Eastern Europe in 1960s through 1980s. I replaced it with a clean plasterboard ceiling to brighten and simplify the space. I also restored the steel staircase by repainting the metal frame in black and sanding and oiling the timber treads. The exposed wooden pillars and window frames were sanded through to expose their natural shade and grain. I fixed the wall details, replaced tired electrical outlets, and finally repainted the walls and ceiling in white. I finished everything off by adding white skirtings. As part of the same renovation, I refurbished six interior doors.

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