Virtual Design Project: Tips For Updating A Dated Family Room

Family rooms are one of my favorite spaces to design. After all, this is one of the most used spaces in the house - where family gather to spend time together.

We were called upon to help this family update their dated family room.

The space had great bones - a wonderful fireplace, large windows, hardwood floors, and a great spacious size.

The room has two large openings flanked by these dated architectural columns. We didn't love the columns, but they had to remain for structural support, so we had to come up with a solution that would work for the aesthetics of the space, and of course, the budget.

The other two walls comprised of one with a fireplace in the center, flanked by large floor to ceiling windows, and the other wall being the main wall for the television.

BEFORE - Main wall in family room

We started with the background elements in the room.

First, the wood flooring. We recommended sanding and staining them in a warm walnut finish. The yellow tone was one of the things that makes the room feel dated.

Next we came up with a solution for the columns.

We decided to panel them out for a cleaner, classic feel.

Paneling basically means enclosing them and then adding moldings. It is a pretty inexpensive way to go versus removing them and adding structural beams.

BEFORE - The fireplace wall of the family room

The homeowners were not in love with the fireplace, and so we decided to modernize it a bit.

We recommended that they cover the entire fireplace in sheetrock or wood paneling and adding a new marble surround.

Here is the concept for the fireplace. We also recommended adding a pair of decorative sconces for some sculptural detail and ambient lighting.

We also recommended that our clients add a built-in media center with bookcases for some storage and display in the room. This will also add more architectural significance to the room.

The TV wall had the perfect niche to add built-ins

This is a rough layout of what we recommended for the TV niche area.

Notice that we added drawers and cabinets for all kinds of storage, plus open shelves to display pretty things. These are the things that will help add a personal and finished layer in the room.

I recommended that they be painted out in a warm white in a satin finish to match all the trim in the room

Here is our 3D rendering of the room's design concept.

You can see that the room has two focal points - the fireplace and the TV wall.

To make sure they are not competing with each other, we kept everything simple and low contrast. Even the wall color we kept in a soft, warm white - Benjamin Moore Classic Gray.

We dressed up the windows with two layers of window coverings - fabric roman shades in a patterned fabric for the functional layer - being able to pull them up and down for privacy and light control, and the decorative semi-opaque panels to help add height and some softness.

The artwork above the fireplace adds a bit of interest and some pattern in the more monochromatic space.

This is the furniture layout

Arranging furniture in this room was a bit awkward due to the location of the fireplace and the fact that the room has two focal points.

The best solution for seating was a large sectional. We chose a very comfy, clean-lined L-shaped sectional.

When you choose a sectional for your home, keep in mind that it is a large piece of furniture that adds visual weight to the space. The more tailored and clean the lines are, the less obtrusive it will appear in the space.

The sectional helped to bring together the two focal points.

We added a bench in front of the fireplace to help unify the fireplace with the rest of the room. Without the bench, the fireplace doesn't feel like it is a part of the seating area.

The two chairs in front of the TV area, are actually two low swivels. They were added for extra seating when the clients entertain.

We did give the clients a second option for seating with sofa and chairs as well.

This option works well too.

The sectional makes the space more conducive for lounging and watching TV with family, while the sofa option is great for when they entertain

This one gives them the best of both worlds

This third option above, gives them the lounge seating of the sectional plus an additional chair and ottomans.

We kept the vibe very casual - the rest of the space is designed to be just a bit more elegant and a bit more formal. We kept the color scheme fairly neutral with just a few pops of blue, green and a burnt orange accent.

Of course we added our accents and accessories, like a large wool rug, plant and greenery, accessories and pillows to give a finished, layered look.

Be sure to check out our curated collection of pillows from our favorite Etsy makers HERE  

Reach out anytime to schedule your virtual design session. You could be featured in an upcoming blog post with more details on how to beautifully finish your space.

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Wishing You Boldness and Great Style!

Veronica