Here’s How I Designed an Entire Living Room for the Price of One Sofa.

An entire living room, every detail, for $3,000...

Mood board below with all the links for this $3k living room.

You know how it feels when you’ve been staring at an empty room for months, not sure where to start because everything feels like it’s going to cost a fortune?

Same, girl, same.

I’ve been furnishing my apartment since moving to D.R., and it’s been insane. Furnishing a home can feel like signing your life away one credit card swipe at a time. So, it got me thinking.

For years, I’ve been asked the same question (or something along the same lines): “Kathleen, I want a home that feels elevated without breaking the bank?” And while I’ve done countless designs, even creating tailored mood boards for paid subscribers’ homes, I don’t think I’ve ever actually done this.

I’ve never answered this question or, better yet, accepted the challenge. Could I create something that feels elevated, thoughtful, and not break the bank?

Before I continue, I do have a disclaimer. I truly believe in craftsmanship and quality, and I do believe that we often forget that sometimes, if we buy once and buy right, we’ll never have to buy again. When we’re caught up in the hunt for, say, the best Ikea find, we’re excited to have conquered the mission, only to end up buying the piece over and over again. And while I love a good find (and a good challenge), we often overlook the time, energy, and money spent trying to replace or fix that piece, often spending more than we would have by waiting until we were able to buy the quality item.

But, we aren’t here for that and I’ve digressed…

So, yesterday over on Instagram, I asked you how much you spend on a sofa, just a sofa, and 70% of you said $2,500 or more, which secretly made me smile. What you didn’t know is that behind the scenes, I was working on a living room design, where I challenged myself to go from an empty room to a space that feels like a home, on only $500 more!

LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN, $3K FOR EVERYTHING!

It includes a sofa, side chair, ottoman, coffee table, side table, console, ceiling light, floor lamp, table lamp, rug, curtains, rods, rings, art, pillows, styling items, and even a little faux olive plant for some greenery.

Are you screaming? Because I was. I honestly couldn’t believe I pulled it off. My toxic trait, per my husband, is that I can walk into almost any store and somehow always choose the most expensive thing. I’m not proud of this, but it is true.

Since it’s just us chatting, can we chalk it up to having good taste? Haha!

Now onto the design…

When I was putting it together, I wanted to be intentional and thoughtful, as I always believe that with a little care, everything can feel a bit more magical. I thought about what it feels like to actually live in this space. To open your curtains in the morning, let light flood in, set your coffee on a cute little tray, have a soft rug under your feet, art on your walls that makes you take a deep breath, and a lamp that sets the mood at night. It doesn’t have to be perfect or expensive to be beautiful. It just needs to feel like you.

If nothing else, I hope that you see what’s possible, because you deserve to love the space you walk into every day.

Now, without further ado…

Shop the Mood Board: As always, remember to measure carefully to ensure everything fits your space properly.