This navy living room is centered around an oversized sectional sofa—the perfect spot for the whole family to gather. Navy walls paired with blue, pink, and green accents and a thoughtful mix of natural wood tones create a cozy, traditional coastal atmosphere.
When we moved into our new home, the living room wasn’t the first space I planned to renovate. Yet because we spend so much time there, it quickly became a priority. I grew tired of the golden walls and longed for something bold and blue—Benjamin Moore Hale Navy felt like the perfect choice. With a large wall of windows, white built-ins, and generous door openings, this room could easily handle a strong paint color.
Below are the before photos from the real estate listing, which show where we started.
My original mood board for this living room laid out a Phase 1 plan that focused on paint, window treatments, gallery art, bookshelf styling, and hiding the television cords. Key items included:
- Paint the walls Hale Navy
- Remove blinds and add white curtains
- Create a gallery wall behind the sofa
- Style the built-in bookshelves
- Mount the TV and conceal cords
- Add lamps and decor to the console table behind the sofa
- Place a mirror and select decor on the console table along the back wall
I also made a Phase 2 list for items to tackle later: add a large plant to the bare wall by the built-ins, incorporate an end table beside the sofa, swap the ceiling fan for a more stylish fixture, find or build a coffee table, add two swivel chairs, and consider painting the built-ins and trim in a crisp white. I did complete a couple of those right away because the space didn’t feel finished without them, and the rest will come with time.
We brought our sectional from the previous house, and it fits this room perfectly—I had measured before we bought the house to make sure. After about six months of tweaking, here is the finished Phase 1 living room makeover.
I love how the room turned out. It feels welcoming and comfortable, and even though the girls have their own TV space upstairs, they prefer gathering here. The sectional comfortably seats the four of us for lounging and watching TV, which was the main priority when arranging the furniture.
One of my favorite vignettes is the console table behind the sofa. It’s the first thing we see from the kitchen—the entry point for most days—and it sets the tone for the room. The white table lamps are especially useful: they provide warm mood lighting and include USB ports in their bases, which makes charging phones convenient while relaxing on the couch. We’re fortunate to have floor outlets that allow the lamps to be plugged in without visible cords, though a close look reveals a cord tucked under the left side of the console table.
We reused a media console from our previous home in the corner beneath the large mirror. It holds some of our DVDs and photo albums for now, and the mirror helps reflect light and add scale to that wall. Although that storage could be relocated to the built-ins by the mantel, it still looks intentional where it is.
The gallery wall to the left of the room quickly became another favorite. Wood frames pop beautifully against the deep navy paint and add warmth that balances the cool wall color. These frames were actually purchased for our last house, but they adapted perfectly here.
Styling the built-in bookshelves was a fun part of the makeover. I used a mix of books, vases, natural textures, and a few faux plants to create depth and seasonal interest. Seeing them every day still makes me smile.
This truly is our favorite room at the moment, and we use it daily. The large sectional, layered textiles, and curated accents make it feel polished yet lived-in.
A view from the front door offers a direct look through the living room to our private backyard. I don’t share this angle often, but I appreciate the connection it gives to the outdoors. Removing the blinds and adding white curtains brightened the space considerably and introduced a soft, layered texture that complements the navy walls.
Beyond the large windows is a screened porch, then a lush, wooded backyard—an inviting view from the sofa. The combination of the deep wall color and the bright natural light creates a peaceful balance that I love.
Thank you for taking this tour of our navy living room makeover. With Phase 1 complete, I’m excited to continue decorating other rooms in the house—the office and the girls’ bedroom are next on the list.
Living Room Sources:
- Wall Color: Hale Navy
- Sectional Sofa (Twill fabric, Parchment color)
- Blue Linen Pillow Covers (Midnight)
- Pink and Navy Embroidered Pillow Covers
- Fawn Pillow Covers
- Blue Vintage-Style Rug
- Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig
- Basket for Fiddle Leaf Fig
- End Table
- Lamp on End Table (with coordinating lamp shade)
- Plant on End Table
- Console Table Behind Sofa
- White Table Lamps with USB Port
- Console Table Baskets
- Books on Console Table (assorted titles)
- Brass Turtle Accent
- Plant on Console Table
- Leather Chair
- Blanket Basket
- Wood Gallery Frames
- Media Console on Back Wall
- Wood-Framed Mirror
- Blue Vases (similar)
- Decorative Dogwood Stems (similar)
- Bookshelf decor: dried grape wood branch, vintage-style candle, wooden beads, green book collection, faux trailing plant, faux spider plant, faux paper whites, sunburst gold frame
- White Curtains
- Curtain Rods
- Frame TV (displays art when it’s off)
More Posts You Will Love:
- How to Decorate a Console Table Behind a Sofa
- How to Decorate an End Table
- How to Choose & Style Throw Pillows
- How to Hide the TV Cords Behind the Wall