Meet Layla Palmer:: The Lettered Cottage

by Kimba on March 23, 2009

If you don’t already know her name, you will. Layla Palmer from The Lettered Cottage is a seriously talented designer. She’s going to be famous and I’ll say that “I knew her when.” And now, so can you.

I’m so excited to have her as an advertising partner on ASPTL. Her pretty button is over on the right.

Maybe you’ve already seen her blog, The Lettered Cottage, where she shares her design brilliance and the process of renovating her Alabama cottage. If you don’t already stop there regularly, I’m sure you will now.

Have you seen her online design consultations? You’re about to and they are fantastic! I’m going to show you a few pictures of my family room as it is right now. And then I’m going to show you what Layla and her computer full of magic did with my room.

I have struggled with this room since we built this house almost a year ago. When we designed it, we intended to purchase a new sectional sofa shortly after moving in. We want to fit lots of rears on the couch to watch basketball games.

With the economic uncertainty, there’s no swanky new sofa coming to our house anytime soon. So I’ve been trying to make this room work using what we already have. But I got stuck. I couldn’t get the old image out of my head and see something new.

That’s where Layla comes in. She did a virtual consultation on my family room and showed me how to look at what I already have in a totally new way. She turned my blah family room into a room I adore. Wanna see?

I think I hear angels singing! Why on earth didn’t I think to turn that green sofa the other way? Just goes to show you that anyone can get brain block.

She took the exact dimensions of my room and the furniture that I already have and figured out how to make it all work together. I’ve never really liked those leather chairs but now they work perfectly where she put them.

The only completely new thing in the room is the big coffee table that’s going to be made out of an old door. I have a lot of floor space and that table is going to pull it all together. Everything else is a reuse or an update of something I already have.

Did you see the wall treatment that she recommended? It’s called board and batten and we’re going to use it on two walls to combat the “ocean of drywall” effect that you get on long walls with few windows. Layla showed me this post to explain how we’ll do it for minimal cost. Hubby get the nail gun! Over the next few months, I’ll post updates as we implement Layla’s design.

Layla is an absolute joy to work with. She’s full of wonderful ideas and she knows how to work a budget. I told her mine was basically $0 and she worked with that beautifully. Her consultations are worth every single penny. You can see the options by clicking here. She has packages from a simple question about paint color or what to do with a flea market find to a full-blown virtual consultation like you see here.

Do you want to see more of Layla’s design work? Here are some of my favorites:

Stairwell redesign
TV corner redesign
Hallway redesign
Ceiling consultation
Ford kitchen redesign

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{ 282 comments }

← Previous Comments

1 The Hopkins Home March 23, 2009 at 9:06 am: Wow! That’s an amazing transformation – I’ve been a fan of Layla’s since I stumbled across her blog a few months ago. Have fun with your “new room”
2 Andrea P. March 23, 2009 at 9:12 am: Wow Kimba – I have several room that could use attention like that. Thank you for letting us take a peek at your “new room”!
3 Pink & Green Mama March 23, 2009 at 9:25 am: Love the new room design Kimba! Where was this when I was making scale models paper pieces of all of my furniture to fit into this house when we moved last year?! Thanks for sharing.
4 Wendy March 23, 2009 at 9:28 am: I used Karla’s board and batten directions to make over my bathroom. Go here to see the finished bath. The board and batten make the room.

http://wendysfavoritethings.blogspot.com/search/label/boys%27%20bathroom

Here is a link to Karla’s blog.

http://itsthelittlethingsthatmakeahouseahome.blogspot.com/

Her home and blog are both fabulous!
5 amy March 23, 2009 at 9:30 am: yep!

read her, love her, need her help on my kitchen desperately!

you gals are too generous!
{pick me!}
amy
6 Jennifer March 23, 2009 at 9:33 am: enter me please!
7 Rachel March 23, 2009 at 9:35 am: Wow! That is cool!

Enjoy re-doing your room. It’ll look great.
8 Becky March 23, 2009 at 9:37 am: Thank you for sharing this post. I may just have to tap into that talent with my shabby old house and it’s renovation.
Your room looks amazing. You had good bones to start with. I have a room that would be such a challenge. If she could do it and do it that well I would be forever grateful!
Becky
9 Karla March 23, 2009 at 9:40 am: Love the design plan, but even more, I love that Layla used my Board and Batten project as her inspiration! I’m totally flattered! And Kimba, I’m assuming that was you that posted the question on my project on Apartment Therapy? Nice to meet you!

Can’t wait to see the result! Very exciting!

~Karla @ It’s The Little Things That Make a House a Home
10 patty March 23, 2009 at 9:40 am: isn’t it fantastic when someone can see something brand new in the old things we’ve been lugging through life!? love the new look.
11 duchess March 23, 2009 at 9:40 am: She is brilliant & I love her blog. She did a great job with your family room (down to the fireplace reflection in the mirror). Love her & thanks for the giveaway, girls.
12 Bahama Shores Mama March 23, 2009 at 9:45 am: how fun! I’ve always wondered how they do that. I want a door coffee table too!
13 Kelly March 23, 2009 at 9:49 am: Oh, what a great giveaway! Please enter me!
14 Amber March 23, 2009 at 9:59 am: Ooooh, I’m excited about the board and batten. I’m definitely saving that link so I can find a room to try it out in in the future!

The plan for your room looks wonderful! Can’t wait to see it as it progresses!
15 S Palfreyman March 23, 2009 at 10:10 am: Love the new idea. I need her help. I have a front room and kitchen area that are so open to each other and I feel there is only one way to put the furniture. I need help!! Please pick me!
16 Wendy March 23, 2009 at 10:11 am: I love what she did with the room. Can’t wait to see your take.
17 Redelsperger Family March 23, 2009 at 10:26 am: Please, please pick me!!!! We moved into our new home 9 months ago and are completely stuck when it comes to arranging our living room furniture! I would love the help.
18 helenw13 March 23, 2009 at 10:37 am: Wow…that is amazing…count me in and I can’t wait to see you transform your space…how exciting with not much expense.
19 Ashley March 23, 2009 at 10:39 am: Great work! I love that board and batten link. We used beadboard in our dining room and it did cost quite a pretty penny. I have another room I have in mind for the beadboard but didn’t want to fork out the money. This will be a perfect solution. I may put the battens closer but this should still be much, much more inexpensive than beadboard!!
20 Amanda March 23, 2009 at 10:41 am: holy moly would I love to have a consultation! my living room is two stories high & stark white walls! so at a loss with what to do with it.
21 linda March 23, 2009 at 10:44 am: Your room redo is going to look terrific! Sometimes it just takes another set of eyes and another persons perspective to set us on the right tract. The great bones of the room are there so the rest should now be easy. I can’t wait to see the results!
22 Mind Your Manors March 23, 2009 at 10:53 am: Wow! I could sure use Layla! I cannot wait to see your room transformed!

Amy
23 Robyn March 23, 2009 at 10:53 am: can’t wait to see your completed room!
24 Heather @ Sugar N Spice Mostly Nice March 23, 2009 at 10:54 am: She truly has a gift! Great ideas!!
25 Traci March 23, 2009 at 11:00 am: Wow! That is an amazing difference, and really simple too. The furniture rearrangement is really a deal breaker in this situation. It definitely pulls the room together.
26 Sara L March 23, 2009 at 11:04 am: Sweet – enter me please!

charles and sara at hotmail dot com
27 Mandy March 23, 2009 at 11:05 am: Oh my gosh I need this so bad – we moved in to our house right before Christmas and every room is good except for our master (all the furniture that didn’t go elsewhere is in our room) I hate it!
28 aggiemomof2 March 23, 2009 at 11:07 am: I need her, I need her, I need her!
sylviarj at yahoo dot com
29 Team Martins March 23, 2009 at 11:07 am: Uhh, beautiful… that’s all I can say! I too love the coffee table and the new design.

Thanks for sharing!
30 Joanna March 23, 2009 at 11:10 am: Oh how cool! Can’t wait to see the room all finished and rearranged.
31 Kendra March 23, 2009 at 11:11 am: I always like to think I can do it by myself, but I have a couple of rooms I could use some help on! I’d love a consultation. I may have to steal that coffee table idea, too!
32 Jacquelyn March 23, 2009 at 11:13 am: Wow! Gotta love a transformation that involves things you already own! My husband and I moved into a new house last Friday, and while I’m loving the extra space, I’m beside myself trying to figure out how to establish our living room and a sitting area that connects to the kitchen as a cozy, functional space. Like you, we plan to purchase a sectional sofa in the next two (maybe three) years or so – I wonder if I could try your layout with a leather sofa on one side and a leather loveseat on the other? I seem to fall in love with another blog everyday – I found The Lettered Cottage last week and found your blog on Saturday!
33 Katie March 23, 2009 at 11:13 am: Wow, what a perfect way to help a visual learner (like me) know exactly what to do. I know what I like when I see it in magazines, but then I look at my house and just can’t “see it.” This would be a great solution! Thanks for letting me enter the contest.
34 Renee March 23, 2009 at 11:14 am: Your room looks great (and I would really like help with my long, narrow great room)!
35 Tera March 23, 2009 at 11:16 am: AMAZING!! I would love to have a consultation!
36 Sue (spbray) March 23, 2009 at 11:19 am: I love Lettered Cottage! What a great giveaway!
37 Anonymous March 23, 2009 at 11:28 am: I LOVE her blog and desing style. Our living area really needs help! It’s far too dark and masculine.

Please sign me up! I’ll provide email if my name is drawn.

“Andrea L.”
38 kaylin rose and mara anne March 23, 2009 at 11:41 am: Your room looks great! I can’t wait to see the final room in pictures! I need help in my very big living room, which is a long room on a $0 budget as well.

And your coffee table sounds fabulous!
Thanks!
39 Holly March 23, 2009 at 11:43 am: I’ve been enjoying her blog for a while…love it!
40 Abby March 23, 2009 at 11:46 am: I love the new look your room is going to have!
41 tidymom March 23, 2009 at 11:53 am: This is absolutely what I’ve been looking for!! I would LOVE help with my familyroom and my bedroom!!

~TidyMom
42 Lori March 23, 2009 at 11:55 am: I have recently found Layla’s blog and am in awe of your talent. Your room looks amazing, can’t wait to see your changes.
43 Kasey Hunt March 23, 2009 at 12:07 pm: Great giveaway!!
44 Mama Dog March 23, 2009 at 12:10 pm: I want to win! My family room needs help. Ever since we bought the flat screen TV I’ve wanted to change it around but I’m not sure what to do with it! Thanks for sharing yours!
45 Stacey @ The Blessed Nest March 23, 2009 at 12:11 pm: Gorgeous new look!! And that new coffee table will be incredible! When we move I’ll be needing some help I’m sure!!
46 bec4 March 23, 2009 at 12:18 pm: What a great redo. If I win, which room do I want help with???HMM??
47 Darcy @ lwm3b March 23, 2009 at 12:22 pm: *faints*

Oh my. Is this for real??? It’s almost too good to be possible!

Layla has mad skills. I’m off to see some of her other transformations.

The virtual room is fantastic! It would be so great to have direction for those slowly-but-surely projects.
48 Lisa March 23, 2009 at 12:25 pm: WOW – She does amazing work. I hope I win.
49 Junella March 23, 2009 at 12:25 pm: I really like the way Layla designed your room with what you already had. Are you going to build that coffee table yourself? You seem like the perfect handywoman! I hope I get a Mother’s day gift like your Christmas gift.
50 Kim March 23, 2009 at 12:28 pm: am so glad that you introducted this – she is amazing and I can definitely use her advise. I need so much help with my strangely shaped living room!
51 Erica Wyatt March 23, 2009 at 12:29 pm: This is awesome. This is serious like anyone’s dream to have help from a designer.
52 Heather March 23, 2009 at 12:37 pm: I love how she worked with your budget of $0 — that’s about what I have to work with as well and it’s encouraging that you actually CAN do something with nothing.
53 Michelle March 23, 2009 at 12:38 pm: Oooooh la la! What a great giveaway! I love Layla’s blog… her kitchen redo is amazing! Enter me please!! Michelle
54 Annella March 23, 2009 at 12:44 pm: Ooooh, I love her work! That gal is seriously talented. I would love to have a re-do design for my living room!
55 NeeNee March 23, 2009 at 12:44 pm: I would love a room re-do. I struggle with moving the furniture around in our living room and it always ends up back in the same place! Please enter me in your contest.
56 Michelle Grace March 23, 2009 at 12:45 pm: What a fabulous transformation! I love everything she did!
57 Ratzlaff Reflections March 23, 2009 at 12:54 pm: Thanks so much for introducing me to another fabulous blog!! I would LOVE to win a consultation with Layla!!
58 Jen - Balancing beauty and bedlam March 23, 2009 at 12:55 pm: OH MY GOODNESS!! It’s aamazing! I have had the furniture the same way for FOREVER and am just sure there aren’t other options for placement. HA – I bet she can do it!
59 Kenna March 23, 2009 at 1:08 pm: !!! I’m dying to win. You don’t even know how badly my great room needs this consultation!
60 ALVN of WhisperWood Cottage March 23, 2009 at 1:10 pm: Dang! That’s an awesome makeover! Layla is amazing!!
61 The HoneaBees March 23, 2009 at 1:12 pm: I can’t wait to see your finished project! I need her to move to my house for a few weeks to help me out!!
Thanks for the giveaway! Please pick me!!!
62 Hedgetoad March 23, 2009 at 1:13 pm: Oh, I so need help! I’ve lived in my house for over three years and have just decided on a paint color for the living room… and that’s not even the problem room!!! I’m paralyzed by indecision on everything else.
63 thehammondfamily March 23, 2009 at 1:19 pm: Wow, thanks for sharing the virtual plan. I follow her blog but didn’t know that extent of her work. She is very talented! I can’t wait to see how your room turns out!
64 Crystal March 23, 2009 at 1:27 pm: Wow! I have a whole house tha tneeds help, but specifically my small upstairs family room/kitchen/dining room. ALways good to have a fresh set of creative eyes look over what you are missing. PICK ME!
65 Kimberlee March 23, 2009 at 1:30 pm: That’s so cool! I love how it all looks, especially the wall treatment and two chairs.
66 Definitely, Maybe... March 23, 2009 at 1:34 pm: How fun! I could use a touch of Layla’s magic in our home.
67 Victoria March 23, 2009 at 1:37 pm: How cool! I could use her help!
68 Ursula March 23, 2009 at 2:11 pm: I LOVE the Lettered Cottage……thanks for the opportunity!
Ursula at uswood1@optonline.net
69 Daisy March 23, 2009 at 2:17 pm: I like the flow of the room that Layla designed. The door coffee table is a great idea.
70 Anonymous March 23, 2009 at 2:23 pm: Ohhh.. I’d love a chance to get a virtual re-design. My living room is just not working!! choose me! Layla- I need you!

Caren from LA
71 Darlene - Our Creative Life March 23, 2009 at 2:24 pm: She did great on your space Kimba! What a great giveaway! Thanks for the opportunity to enter.
72 April Z March 23, 2009 at 2:28 pm: Your room looks beautiful! I could definitely use some decorating advice and would love to win. Thanks for the opportunity.
73 Elle Pea March 23, 2009 at 2:34 pm: So cool! I spent the afternoon reading Layla’s blog after seeing her post on the Nester’s site. She is awesome, and I love her plans for your room.
74 Pajama Mama March 23, 2009 at 2:40 pm: PLEASE PICK ME!!!!! I’ve been rearranging our living area on a monthly basis for five years and never satisfied with it!
75 Amy March 23, 2009 at 2:51 pm: I love it! We’re in the same boat! After building, and expecting to furnish more completely, we’re on hold for new purchases for a while. My husband keeps saying that we’re perfect raw material for an HGTV redesign show. Layla’s personal touch is even better! Off to check out her site. . .
76 Vindiciti March 23, 2009 at 2:57 pm: Wow that looks great! I would love the consultation. Army housing is always so difficult to decorate, especially since they’re against painting and I can’t tear out walls and redo a house how I would choose for it to be.
77 Our Naquin Family March 23, 2009 at 3:02 pm: That is so amazing!!! We have a crazy living room screaming for help~
78 Erica Glover March 23, 2009 at 3:07 pm: I have everything crossed!
79 Melissa March 23, 2009 at 3:51 pm: I need help big time!!! This would be awesome!!!
80 Anonymous March 23, 2009 at 4:03 pm: That looks great! And I could sooo use her help right now as we are in the process of remodeling. Thanks! Betsy
betsyandscott@abe.midco.net
81 Melissa March 23, 2009 at 4:05 pm: Wonderful! I’d love to win!
82 Deb. March 23, 2009 at 4:22 pm: oh wow, I would love this. I am so sick of my knotty pine living room and need a professional to give me the permission and guts to paint it. thanks and good luck to all.
dazziemae@hotmail.com
83 Mrs. U March 23, 2009 at 4:24 pm: Oh. My. Goodness. Seriously. Could this lady be my dream come true??????? I am CLUELESS about decorating!! I like a million different styles, so how in the WORLD do you narrow it down to ONE??? YIKES!! And I am one of those “Let’s pick a design/color that’ll work for the next 25 years so I don’t have to change anything” kind of people. Some call it “boring”. HAHA!! They are RIGHT!!

Anyway, may I pretty please enter your drawing? PLEEEEASE!!!

His,
Mrs. U
84 Marci G. March 23, 2009 at 4:27 pm: That is absolutely cool!! I hope I win!!
85 The Nester March 23, 2009 at 4:31 pm: LOVE LAYLA! She’s got talent and I would love to have her come to my house, kick me out and do it up right!

She did great with your room–that woman has some mad puter skilz.
86 Mabry's gamma March 23, 2009 at 4:59 pm: I just started a few weeks ago reading Layla’s blog and she has some really great ideas. She did a fantastic job on your room. Every now and then we all get decorator’s block or have decorating tunnel vision; that is where I am now.
87 Kayla Rath March 23, 2009 at 5:03 pm: Dang. I love that girl! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win a consultation with her! Thanks for sharing your room with us — I can’t wait to see the updates!
88 Southern Fried Gal March 23, 2009 at 5:14 pm: That is so awesome to be able to really visualize it before you do it! Can’t wait to see your little extra twists on the final design!
89 princessmimi March 23, 2009 at 5:34 pm: AMAZING…..I need her!
90 Kim March 23, 2009 at 5:41 pm: WOW! Is she talented! I would LOVE to win a consultation…how generous. Crossing my fingers…her advice would be well-used!
91 Polka Dot Possibilities March 23, 2009 at 5:41 pm: Please enter me! I’d love a consultation from Layla. Your room looks great with her design. Can’t wait to see the afters.
92 Becky March 23, 2009 at 5:54 pm: What a fantastic giveaway!

I follow her blog and agree with you completely…she is one talented chick! Design advice from her would be a welcomed addition to any room in our home

Blessings
93 Bringhurst Family March 23, 2009 at 6:02 pm: Oh geez my livingroom needs help!
94 Miss(es) Canadian Pie March 23, 2009 at 6:02 pm: Amazing makeover ideas!!! You’re room is going to look gorgeous!
95 Katy March 23, 2009 at 6:26 pm: Wow, that is really awesome! What a fun computer program she has and she does it well. I’d love to have some advice.
96 Thrifty Miss Priss March 23, 2009 at 6:39 pm: It looks wonderful! You should check out http://fromhousetocozyhome.blogspot.com/2009/02/everything-room-revealfinally-done.html
she did the same wall treatment, which inspired me to do it too! I started my project last weekend and I’m loving it already! And it’s not finished!
97 Kelli March 23, 2009 at 6:45 pm: WOuld love a consultation! Also loving the door coffee table.
98 Conny March 23, 2009 at 7:02 pm: oh. wow. amazing work! I’d love some help from this talented woman!!
99 Jennifer March 23, 2009 at 7:07 pm: I love Layla’s blog! Your redesign is fantastic, and I can’t wait to see the after shots when you’re done! I would love some advice on one of my rooms!
100 Sarah March 23, 2009 at 7:11 pm: that is awesome!! I need to talk to my hubby and see if we can get a consult asap!