EXTREME modern makeover for a small apartment | living room + home office

0:00 Want to find your living room without replacing every single thing?

0:03 We are keeping some key pieces, but trust us,

0:05 this is going to feel way better when we're done.

0:07 Let's turn this tiny and narrow living room into a multi-purpose

0:11 live-work space straight [music] out of the pages of a magazine.

0:14 And thank you to June's Journey for sponsoring today's video.

0:17 Let's go.

0:18 We're together again today to make over a modern

0:21 and sophisticated living room for our friend Evan.

0:24 We have been friends with Evan for over 15 years.

0:27 Yeah, insert the picture of us in film

0:29 school when he's trolling us in the background.

0:32 [laughter]

0:32 Good times.

0:33 Evan works in film production and travels a bunch,

0:35 so we're definitely incorporating those two elements into this makeover.

0:38 He has also recently left a long-term relationship

0:41 and is now the sole occupant of this apartment.

0:44 [music] Today we are tackling his living room home

0:47 office combo with the goal of giving it

0:49 a modern refresh and the feeling of a new

0:51 space that he can build new memories in.

0:53 Much needed.

0:54 He's generally happy with the layout of his living room,

0:57 but still feels like something isn't working.

0:59 We think maybe there's just too many [music] small

1:01 pieces and he's not using his vertical space enough.

1:03 He's got really good ceilings.

1:05 The green walls were feeling a little loud,

1:07 so we've already solved that problem by painting them a warm

1:10 white and doing a deep accent wall behind the TV.

1:13 We love doing dark accent walls behind TVs

1:16 because it disguises the tech just a little bit.

1:18 We collabed with Wow 1 Day Painting to get

1:20 this room [music] painted and it was so easy.

1:23 They deliver a high-quality professional finish you

1:25 expect in a timeline that is totally unexpected.

1:28 They give you that picture-perfect result

1:30 for residential and commercial interior and exterior spaces.

1:33 [music] By using big expert crews,

1:35 they focus on every detail to transform your property

1:37 in just one day without [music] sacrificing quality.

1:40 Every project is led by a senior expert in an emerald shirt

1:43 who triple checks the work to make sure it is absolutely flawless,

1:46 and we can confirm it looks so good in here.

1:49 I'm going to put the link to their services

1:51 in the description if you'd like to learn more.

1:53 Also, we've already dressed this corner office.

1:55 Our goal was to integrate the living room and the office together

1:58 and we're already so happy with how much more open it feels.

2:01 But you should definitely go check out last week's episode

2:04 where Rochelle built this amazing desk out of all IKEA products.

2:08 But we still have a lot of work yet to do in this living room space.

2:11 He has given us free range to swap out any of the furniture if we want.

2:15 He did mention he likes this couch and I actually agree.

2:17 It's a really good size for this small living

2:19 room and we really like his media unit, too.

2:21 So I think we're going to keep that.

2:23 I think we should start by removing all of this extra

2:25 stuff and we'll decide what comes back in later.

2:27 Can you help me?

2:29 Yes, but hold on, is it free rein or free range?

2:32 You said free range.

2:33 He has given us free range.

2:35 Like a free range chicken.

2:36 Yeah, but like free rein horse.

2:38 I am going to peck at this grass with my free range abilities.

2:44 I don't know.

2:44 I think it might be free rein.

2:46 I think [clears throat] it's free rein.

2:47 I'm keeping it in.

2:48 I'm not saying it again.

2:48 yeah, yeah.

3:01 Okay, so like we mentioned, he has some great tall ceilings and a lot

3:04 of collected treasures that he wants displayed.

3:06 So the solution, floating shelves.

3:09 So I picked up a bunch of these 2 by 10 boards

3:12 from my local lumber store and stained them in the color provincial and we also

3:17 have this hardware which is pretty much the closest thing you can get

3:20 to a floating shelf look without that complicated

3:23 installation process that floating hardware usually has.

3:27 Real.

3:27 Becky, I don't do math.

3:29 Proof.

3:31 I have proof.

3:31 [music] I think it's because I don't do math.

3:33 I've like had to overcompensate.

3:36 Like I have to draw it out and write every single number down.

3:38 I agree.

3:39 Like triple confirm cuz [music] it can't just be here.

3:45 Like does that feel too low?

3:47 No, not at all.

3:48 Cuz for me, like as I'm a tall person,

3:51 like I wouldn't want to have to bend down to reach things.

4:07 We're making sure to add the brackets into studs,

4:10 so these shelves are extra strong.

4:13 Very nice.

4:14 Brackets bracketing.

4:24 So, it's official, the brackets bracket.

4:27 But, before we officially put up all the shelves,

4:29 we have an exciting addition, and that is LED strip lights.

4:36 Evan's going to be so stoked on this.

4:38 Adding this is just going to make it so moody, so gorgeous.

4:42 But, you can't just You can't just [music] do it all willy-nilly.

4:45 So, we're adding a 1 by 2 at the back of our shelves,

4:48 leaving a little gap for the strip light,

4:50 and this will create a nice channel for the LED strip light to sit in.

4:56 WOW.

4:59 WOW, WOW, WOW.

5:00 PROFESSIONAL.

5:02 Oh my god.

5:06 I think it's good that they're not so bright.

5:09 It's like, you don't want it to be like obnoxious.

5:12 Yeah, I see what you mean.

5:12 You want someone to come over, sit down,

5:14 and then like after a second be like, wait, are your shelves glowing?

5:19 It's true, I've seen lights like so bright, and then it cast shadows.

5:23 Uh-huh.

5:23 Yeah, it's distracting when you're trying to watch TV.

5:27 Okay, we have the lights on the back of our shelves,

5:30 and tell me that does not look so cool.

5:33 I guess the one thing we cannot allow though, is blue cool lighting.

5:37 So, LET'S MAKE HER COZY.

5:41 OKAY, ALL THAT'S LEFT to do now is see if the shelf does in fact shelf.

5:46 So, I will let you do some styling while

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7:04 [music]

7:04 How's the shelf going?

7:05 Okay, they're looking good.

7:05 Come here, and I also have a trivia question for you.

7:10 Okay.

7:10 Help me with it.

7:11 From which tree does turpentine come from?

7:14 A, cedar, B, pine, C, elm, or D, oak?

7:20 B, pine.

7:21 You're right.

7:22 Wait, how did you know that?

7:23 I know my trees.

7:24 You win the chance to go home.

7:27 Ah, thank [laughter] you.

7:29 What a successful day.

7:31 Yeah.

7:31 We both earned it.

7:33 [laughter] Okay, so I get to go home, too?

7:35 Yeah.

7:35 Okay.

7:35 K, see you tomorrow.

7:37 Bye.

7:41 Okay, we're back.

7:43 And I have more lighting.

7:45 Say less.

7:46 Say less.

7:46 You're going to do it behind the TV here?

7:49 Yeah.

7:49 I always think that's nice.

7:50 And honestly, do you think you can have too much lighting in a space?

7:53 No, I don't think so.

7:55 Only No, you can never have too much low vibey lighting.

7:59 You can have too much of those.

8:00 Yeah.

8:00 I still meet some people that are like, I love pot lights,

8:03 and I'm like, I don't think we're friends then.

8:07 [laughter]

8:07 An expert told us once.

8:08 Yes.

8:09 Don't force the corner.

8:10 Do a gentle loop.

8:12 Like Like that.

8:15 Yes.

8:17 Right?

8:18 Yes.

8:19 [laughter]

8:25 In case it wasn't obvious,

8:26 we will be dealing with cord management at a later moment.

8:29 So, Evan did say he liked green, and since we removed the green walls,

8:34 [laughter] we needed to find other ways to bring back in the green.

8:36 So, this rug was a marketplace steal.

8:40 I don't believe it.

8:41 Trust me.

8:43 Secondhand baby, and I have not opened it, so hopefully it's not stained.

8:47 Oh, what a fun adventure.

8:50 It's pretty though.

8:51 I love this color green.

8:52 It's so hard to find rugs secondhand.

8:56 Right?

8:55 And like, especially this style, like a modern style.

8:58 We might have to adjust this later cuz the couch is like farther this way.

9:04 Like this won't be centered under the couch if I center it under that.

9:08 Weirdness.

9:08 Okay.

9:08 So, let's just get something started.

9:11 [laughter] We can move it later.

9:12 We have regrets, but it's not our fault cuz the furniture was already here.

9:17 [laughter]

9:18 This looks really nice with the floor, too.

9:20 Yeah.

9:20 Like it blends in a little bit more than the previous rug.

9:23 Oh my god.

9:26 Nice grounding tones.

9:28 Yeah, so earthy.

9:30 It's like you're in nature kind of, if you think about it.

9:33 Like ocean green.

9:34 And that's the woods, obviously.

9:36 Like that's the trees.

9:37 It's the true forest experience.

9:39 Yeah, now you know.

9:42 It brings in like the industrialness of like the milk crates and stuff.

9:45 Yeah, that's what I was hoping.

9:47 Here.

9:48 Okay.

9:50 Good?

9:50 Uh, yeah.

9:53 Okay.

9:54 Ooh.

9:53 So, he wanted a place for his record player.

9:58 Yes.

9:57 We will give you a place for your record player.

10:00 There was a lot of like things in the middle here,

10:02 but if we could use like the outside perimeter,

10:05 Yeah.

10:06 [music]

10:06 makes the living room feel bigger.

10:07 And do an ottoman coffee table?

10:09 Yeah.

10:11 Yeah.

10:10 He has the ottoman, which like it kind of has to stay with THE COUCH.

10:14 RIGHT?

10:17 OH, BOY.

10:18 I NEED TO FIX THIS.

10:19 LET ME GET THE record player.

10:20 Does the record stand record stand?

10:25 Wow, look at that.

10:27 Man's get

10:27 Where are the cords?

10:28 Man is getting his records.

10:29 He's going to be so happy.

10:35 What do you think?

10:35 Like, all the way on the side or sandwiched?

10:38 I think somewhere in the middle, maybe.

10:40 Looks pretty cool, not going to lie.

10:43 It's always fun, like I feel like when we do makeovers,

10:46 we usually know like the thing we think the person's going to get excited about.

10:50 Yeah.

10:50 I think it's this.

10:51 That.

10:51 [music]

10:52 Or or the smart lights.

10:53 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

10:54 I got That's so true.

10:55 We're like, "Mm, they're going to like all of it.

10:57 They're going to love this one thing." Yeah.

11:00 yes, yes.

11:01 See, this is what I was going for in my room when I DIY'd the Do you remember

11:07 Yeah, I think you were like ahead of them

11:09 selling it like at easier locations to purchase from.

11:13 But, this looks a lot better than my DIY'd version.

11:16 One day I'll get a Noguchi, though.

11:18 That's my actual goal.

11:20 Yeah.

11:20 The what I have is a placeholder for a Noguchi.

11:22 Exactly.

11:22 And this is a dupe.

11:24 Yeah, the dupe.

11:25 Yeah, yeah.

11:25 Yeah, yeah.

11:26 Cuz we all one day hope to have the real deal.

11:29 This also I don't This also I don't think is the real thing.

11:33 It's an imitation piece of a real thing, but it's beautiful.

11:37 Yeah.

11:37 And what I really liked about it for this space

11:40 is that it's got two lights, like two arms.

11:42 And since we're kind of doing this half live, half work situation,

11:45 I think it will go like right in the middle and then

11:47 one can go to one and one can go to the other.

11:49 It's just so perfect.

11:50 In small spaces, we love putting things up on the walls.

11:53 We love using our vertical height and we love using our walls instead of like

11:58 Your floor space is so precious.

12:00 Yeah.

12:00 You have so little of it.

12:01 Don't waste it on things like lighting.

12:03 But we always love lighting.

12:04 But yes, the more [laughter] we use the walls the better.

12:06 So shall we get these up?

12:09 Sounds good.

12:15 Add the cords to our cord pile.

12:19 Like we said, we'll deal with that later.

12:23 Yeah.

12:23 Is there a top and bottom to this?

12:25 I guess it's personal preference.

12:26 I feel like square should be on top.

12:27 Do you?

12:29 Yeah.

12:29 You don't think?

12:30 No, I think I think.

12:34 Let's see her on.

12:35 Oh, you'd like to see it plugged in, do you?

12:37 Yes, ma'am.

12:39 Yay!

12:41 Woah!

12:42 That's cool.

12:43 That adds so much light.

12:45 I hope that's the fun lighting Evan was asking for.

12:49 We didn't [snorts] clarify.

12:50 No.

12:51 Okay, one more.

12:53 Over here.

12:55 Right.

12:56 Yeah.

12:56 This couch.

12:57 Oh, no.

12:59 I think he's had it with all of this couch.

13:00 Maybe that's why.

13:04 Giving.

13:04 You want like the tall overhead feeling in like a work zone.

13:08 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

13:09 And you want the low cozy I'm sitting here like literally trying to read.

13:13 Like That's I need it to be Here.

13:17 I'll just put it a little high.

13:20 Yeah, I think that's good.

13:21 Shall we mark it?

13:22 Mark it.

13:25 So much easier putting up lights when we don't have to deal with dealing crap.

13:29 Like literally this took like 5 minutes instead of like at least 15 max an hour.

13:35 Okay, you want to see it?

13:36 Yeah.

13:38 So much more light.

13:41 Do you feel like you could be productive underneath that?

13:44 Yeah, cuz I feel like I could read underneath this.

13:52 Next up we need to address this blank wall beside

13:55 the entryway door and give Evan a mini entryway area.

13:59 This is a main walkway so we couldn't do anything too large.

14:02 Shelfie.

14:05 Time for my shelfie.

14:09 I guess the shelfie I need to be holding.

14:13 I stained a little shelf for this entryway while prepping the other shelves.

14:16 Just a little area to set down a coffee

14:18 or your keys when you come home is so nice.

14:21 We're hanging this mirror that Evan already had above the shelf.

14:24 The fact that it's just not touching looks expensive.

14:28 Yeah.

14:27 You know?

14:28 Like it takes work and money to be almost this perfect.

14:32 [laughter]

14:32 And then with some hooks this wall

14:34 becomes a functional entryway instead of blank wall.

14:37 There you go.

14:38 Nice.

14:38 Beautiful.

14:41 Okay, things are looking pretty good but not going

14:44 to lie we need to grab a few more things

14:46 including a plant to replace the dead plant that somehow

14:50 just died over the few days we've been here.

14:52 I don't understand what hap what's happening.

14:55 It's given up.

14:56 Like please let us know in the comments like what cuz we watered it,

15:00 put it in front of the window.

15:02 Maybe it was too close to the window.

15:03 We're going to grab those and then see

15:05 you tomorrow for final touches and the reveal.

15:07 Oh, I'm so excited.

15:08 He is going to flip.

15:10 I hope so.

15:11 I think we did a lot of really personal touches

15:13 in here and that's what makes this space the best.

15:16 Okay, bye.

15:18 See you tomorrow.

15:22 Now it's about time to address these scary cords.

15:25 So much better.

15:29 Oh, no.

15:30 Not [laughter] the dance moves.

15:32 This is an at-home workout thing, you know.

15:35 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, the vibration plate?

15:37 Yeah.

15:38 Why are those trending again, also?

15:40 Dude, I don't know.

15:41 They don't We discovered in the '80s they don't work.

15:46 Girlies.

15:46 Or do they?

15:48 [laughter]

15:54 Huh!

15:55 Is it better?

15:57 Yeah.

15:57 So, we think this space is a little too small to do ottoman and coffee table,

16:02 so we had to make a choice.

16:03 We're going with ottoman cuz it's great

16:05 for storage and you can put your feet up.

16:07 We still want this to be useful in times of need,

16:09 so our favorite solution is a tray on an ottoman.

16:12 This way you have a good place to put drinks.

16:16 It feels stable.

16:17 But if you need extra seating,

16:18 you want to put your feet up, this is easy to remove.

16:21 Okay, Evan actually has so much art.

16:24 Pick things from the pile that look like the non-sentimental pile.

16:28 These are some great pieces that we're going to put up on the wall.

16:31 I like how he has all different frames, honestly.

16:33 And I I can't say for sure,

16:35 but I feel like some of this is like self-made art, which I love.

16:40 Like this looks like hand-painted, perhaps.

16:42 Hold on, it's signed.

16:43 I don't think his name is that.

16:46 Okay, but I do have a question for you guys.

16:48 When you go through a breakup, what are we doing with the sentimental items?

16:52 Because I personally just keep some things and keep it in a memory box,

16:58 cuz I don't want to like fully get away get rid of everything, you know?

17:01 I have a memory box.

17:03 You're in my memory box.

17:05 Oh.

17:05 Even though you're like still here, but like, you know,

17:06 sometimes a VidCon pass or like I like random like Polaroids from your wedding.

17:12 It's like I don't have anywhere to like put

17:14 those, but like as if I'm getting rid of them.

17:16 Absolutely.

17:17 I also know some people will do they'll do like

17:19 a like a ceremony if the relationship doesn't end well,

17:22 like a a burn a burn of the photos.

17:26 god, I'd be so down for a burn.

17:27 Feel like that could be cathartic.

17:28 I want to be invited to one.

17:29 Oh, yeah.

17:30 If you're going through something and you need moral support, we're your girls.

17:34 Okay.

17:35 Okay.

17:36 So, if you're in the back I'm Evan

17:38 and I'm taking a very important call right now.

17:42 Okay, based [music] on your photo,

17:43 I feel like this should be the I feel like this should be the one.

17:46 It might he might literally cover it.

17:49 Okay.

17:49 We're going to spread around that, right?

17:52 So, we can be like a nice

17:55 [music] halo around me.

17:55 In the background.

17:56 Yeah.

17:56 Our hooks look great.

17:58 Oh, you can see the hooks.

17:59 Yeah.

18:00 Oh, great.

18:03 [laughter] Give me an estimate.

18:04 Absolutely.

18:05 [music] Absolutely.

18:06 Absolutely.

18:08 And that's how it's done.

18:09 Like guys, when people are not hanging up their art,

18:12 well, to be fair, Evan was hanging up his art.

18:14 Mhm.

18:15 But like the hardest part is getting it framed.

18:17 Hanging it, easy.

18:19 Forget easy.

18:24 [music] That is so wild that someone made that.

18:30 It's like a cutout of Toronto.

18:32 [music] On a leaf on a maple leaf.

18:36 Yay!

18:36 I love it, honestly.

18:39 I think it's exactly correct.

18:40 Lovely.

18:41 It's cutie.

18:42 [music] Just a little cutie gallery.

18:46 So, yesterday before we left,

18:47 we were trying to figure out where all the art

18:49 was going to go and instead of doing art here,

18:52 we decided we want to do a record display cuz it's also just so practical

18:55 when you're playing a record to not put away the sleeve and have it out.

18:59 And Becky had the idea to use a cabinet

19:02 pull like so as a record ledge because we're like,

19:06 where are we going to get a record ledge by tomorrow morning?

19:09 And they're literally so expensive.

19:11 Like record ledges.

19:12 Yeah.

19:12 This is like $5.

19:14 I think it's genius, honestly.

19:15 We're genius.

19:16 We're starting something.

19:17 We're starting something.

19:18 Okay, and if you want more genius hack and like design ideas,

19:23 you should check out our Patreon.

19:24 We have our podcast called Behind the Story, and this is what Becky and I do.

19:28 We come up with smart ideas for spaces.

19:30 [music] If you were like, "Mhm, "I need [snorts] a How do I display my record?"

19:35 We might have come up with this genius [music] idea.

19:37 It's like simple, clever things that make me really happy, you know?

19:41 It's like, "Ah, it's just It's It just works." Does the ledge ledge?

19:48 [music] Oh, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

19:50 That's just a handle.

19:53 [laughter] I can't even handle it.

19:54 You heard it here first, folks.

19:56 Don't forget it.

19:57 [laughter] I feel like they're going to be like,

19:58 "Why'd you pick this No offense, but random record?" For vibes.

20:03 For [snorts] For strictly color palette.

20:06 It's literally me when I'm in uh looking for wine.

20:10 Why did you pick this kind of wine?

20:11 The label was good.

20:12 Cuz the label was good.

20:14 Now for adding the final touches, I thrifted this paper lamp,

20:17 but it was feeling a bit too white,

20:18 so I gave it a little stain of tea for that perfect [music] vintage look.

20:22 Adding a plant on the desk to replace that one that was dying on us.

20:26 We're styling some of Evan's coffee table books,

20:28 and of course, fixing that couch.

20:30 It was not broken, by the way.

20:31 The arm is just a little finicky to slide into place.

20:34 I am so nervous, yet excited,

20:35 [music] which is usually how I feel before reveals.

20:39 I hope he likes it.

20:41 Okay, no looking.

20:41 Opening the door.

20:43 Not looking.

20:44 Okay.

20:46 [laughter] Okay.

20:46 Okay, you ready?

20:48 I think so.

20:49 Oh my god.

20:51 Okay, close your eyes.

20:51 Close your eyes, and I will Okay, I'm coming.

20:56 [laughter] Okay, stay there.

20:57 Okay, Evan, remember what your previous space looked like.

21:01 Picture it in your mind.

21:03 You asked for a new space that feels refreshed,

21:06 and also works as a living and office space.

21:10 Check out your new home [music] in 3, 2, 1.

21:16 Woah!

21:18 [laughter] What?

21:18 Oh my god.

21:24 This is insane.

21:28 [laughter] No, no.

21:27 I can't I can't I can't handle it.

21:30 This is crazy.

21:31 What?

21:32 I don't even feel like I'm in the same place right now.

21:34 Like this is beautiful.

21:37 You got the record player in here.

21:38 Oh my god.

21:40 This desk though, like this is insane.

21:43 This is beyond my wildest dreams.

21:45 Like the shelves up top,

21:47 like that's like honestly what I pictured in my mind for so long,

21:49 but I just like never did it and it's

21:51 but it's like bigger than what [laughter] I pictured.

21:54 Like it's bigger.

21:56 Wow.

21:57 You got all the like film decorations.

21:58 Oh my god, I'm like seeing all my stuff right now.

22:01 Like what?

22:02 And I love that it uses like the vertical space

22:04 cuz there's so much vertical space here and like it's always

22:06 kind of been a debate like how to make the most

22:08 of it and I love how bright it feels in here.

22:10 Like it feels so big Oh my god, this lamp.

22:14 [laughter] This is so cool.

22:15 I feel like I got to like get to work right now.

22:16 Like I'm like I'm ready to work.

22:17 Come have a seat in the office.

22:19 Tell me how it feels.

22:20 Okay, okay.

22:21 Cuz I felt you were quite cramped in your past office space.

22:27 [laughter] Feels unrecognizable.

22:28 Like oh my god, it's so fresh and like I don't know.

22:34 It's kind of like a It's symbolic I guess you could say like

22:37 of like where I am and where I'm going and it's like yeah,

22:40 it's like a nice like start to [music] the new Evan.

22:43 I am so happy how this space turned out.

22:45 It's amazing that we were able to give

22:46 this place an entirely fresh look without replacing absolutely everything.

22:51 [music] And a reminder to download June's Journey for free by clicking the link

22:54 in the description or scanning this QR code that is right here on screen.

22:58 And next week I'm taking you all the way to London,

23:01 England where I'll be making over my best friend Angela's multi-purpose room.

23:05 It's an office, it's a guest bedroom, and it needs my help.

23:09 So, I'll see you there.