You've All Seen the After....How About the Before?

Ok, so honestly...I've been a little afraid to show the progression on the living room. More than likely, you have seen all of the "after" photos in a previous post here >Pretty in Pink. Now for the "before"....Warning, it's about to get UGLY.

 Here is the living room when we first looked at the house.

Before

Here is the living room shortly after moving in. Now this pictures doesn't look terrible.....it's just not good either. A lot more Victorian style. Which I realized is not a style that suits me. Too dark for my taste. 

This was the first fake fireplace I had.
I drug it around from house to house for years and didn't want to give it up, even though it was too small for our space. It was free from someones trash during heavy trash pick up!

Then I found the one below at an Estate sale and gave up on the old one. I sold it for $100. The couch you see in the pictures was another trash find. I sold it for $200 when I found the round one I currently have for free on Craigslist.

After

Same corner....AMAZING improvement!

Before

And here is my current mantel, before the paint job. Oh yeah, pretty isn't it? (sarcasm) But I knew the second I saw it that it had potential. If I remember right I bought it plus several large antique mirrors, 2 pieces of French Provincial furniture and DOZENS of nik nacks for $75 total.

After

MUCH better!

Linking up to:

The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays

Jennifer Rizzo for Style Evolution Party
Remodelaholic  for Anonymous 57
My Romantic Home  for show and Tell Friday
Between Naps on the Porch  for Metamorphosis Monday
Cottage Instincts  Make it 4 Monday