Our Family Room

I've received a lot of inquiries recently about how I can have four boys and a white living room.

Well, the truth is, the boys really don't spend much time in there. (Perhaps it's the room's lack of TV and video games). The true "hangout" in our house is the family room.

This room is uber kid-friendly. The carpet is flecked, which means it hides a multitude of sins. The sectional is deep and comfy with durable fabric. And, every piece of wood furniture has dings and scratches that have accumulated over the years from little hands banging various objects against them.

But, here's the thing... I really want to lighten this room up! There's a lot of wood and not much natural light, which can either make it cozy or dark and depressing, depending on one's mood. 

I can't bring myself to paint all the wood, so I'm taking baby steps toward a lighter, brighter room. I recently painted the walls Benjamin Moore's "Mayonnaise." I fell in love with the color when I visited French Blue in Napa.

Tough to tell in these pics, but the one below shows the original beige paint...

And, now covered in "mayonnaise"...

Later this week, I'll be taking the next baby step by having the baseboards and trim around the windows and entryways also painted in mayonnaise. I intend to keep the inside window trim stained.

I figure I'll live with the painted trim for awhile and then determine if I have the guts to paint the built-ins and perhaps the ceiling. The paneled wall will stay stained.

I'm also having some pillows made for the sectional in these fabrics...

Hoping they'll be ready soon.

What is your preference? Stained trim or painted white? Would you have already broken out the paint roller years ago, or are you a little chicken like me?