Farmhouse Living Room and Library

A before and after farmhouse style living room and library, featuring crisp white furniture and bookshelves with a rolling ladder, wood floors, and black metal accents.

Floor to ceiling bookshelves with rolling ladder

A couple of months ago we decided to remove all of the carpet that was on our main floor and replace it with hardwood to match what was in the kitchen, dining room, and entryway. I had been wanting to transform one of the rooms off of our front entry into a library since we moved in, and this was the perfect time to do it.

Farmhouse Living Room & Library

I envisioned a light and bright space where we could cozy up to read, and invite guests in to visit. I really wanted built-in floor to ceiling bookshelves…along with a rolling ladder. They’ve been on my list for a long time, and this was the perfect time to go ahead and do it. (The tutorial for the bookshelves and ladder is coming soon!)

Farmhouse Bookshelves and Rolling ladder

I absolutely love how it turned out, and it’s been the most popular space in our house since! Often I’ll find my kids in there, snuggled under a blanket, reading a book…or taking a nap.

The best feature of the bookshelves, and one of the main reasons I wanted to build them, is the matching tall cabinets on each side. One holds all of our violins, on shelves that are just the right size for the case to be kept open. The other tall cabinet is for a cello. The middle cabinets hold music books and supplies, and it’s a dream. They keep everything totally organized and in their place, and that makes me so happy!

White and wood…my favorite combination!

I love love the contrast of white against wood, so I continued that with the furniture and rug. Originally I was thinking I’d go with a small sofa and large chair, but in the end, I chose a large couch and two matching ottomans. They fill the space so well, and I love that there’s a place to put your feet. That’s important when you want to sit down and read!

I made a giant chalkboard for the last open wall, and I’m totally in love. It’s 8 feet by 4 feet, and fills the space perfectly. I’m envisioning so many different ways to style it for all the seasons and holidays. It also adds to the overall contrast I was going for, and crisp white lines.

Simple farmhouse touches

For the rug, I knew I wanted jute. At first I was going to go with a natural jute–which is brown. But then I came across this white jute rug, and knew it was just the perfect thing. It’s more of an off white/cream than a true white, but I love to mix white and cream together, and it’s exactly right.

Galvanized metal is always a favorite, and a tall olive bucket filled with white flowers added the simple farmhouse charm I was looking for. The greenery of the flowers along with the greenery in the wreath bring everything to life.

In the corner I have a black clock, cream throw, white side table with a metal lamp, and a basket filled with my favorite grain striped and ticking pillows.