Family Room Makeover

Last year I was playing cards at my friend, Gina's house, when she asked if I would help her redecorate this room...

Ummm… heck yeah, I would! I started snapping "before" pics on the spot.

The room had new hardwood floors, cool ceiling beams and a fireplace. Everything else had to go. Including this monstrosity...

Just like me, Gina is outnumbered by boys. But that doesn't mean she has to live in a man cave.

Her newly redecorated family room is anything but cave-like...

Gina had already chosen a rug, so it became the starting point of the design. The walls are painted a very pale blue, although they appear quite white in my pics.

Gina's house is very colorful, and I knew the softer palette in this room was a departure for her. We decided to have some fun with the vintage end table by painting it hot pink.

We still have some small changes to make. And, I think I have finally convinced Gina's husband to let me replace the track lighting with a new fixture. What is it with men and big TVs and track lighting?? :)

I'm doing some more lightening and brightening in my own house, too. I've shared some sneak peeks on Instagram. Details coming soon.

Have a great rest of your week!!

Before & After: Client's Home Office

I am so excited to share a before and after with you today!

I've been working on a really fun project with my wonderful client, Mindy. She and her husband recently bought a beautiful new home for their family of five. It is located in a park-like setting on a gorgeous golf course, and provides the family with more square footage than their previous house. Mindy and her husband are fun and hip and social, and we wanted to turn this neutral home into a colorful, welcoming gathering spot for family and friends.

The couple's first priority was turning the living room into a home office. It is the first room you see off the foyer, and they wanted it to function as a true work space, while still remaining cozy and stylish.


This is how the room looked when we started...

And, here it is after…

Most of the budget went toward the beautiful new built-ins and french doors. Aside from a few new accessories, we used and repurposed what Mindy already had.

Case in point, these chairs...

started out looking like this…

My clients loved the comfort of these chairs, so we updated them in a fabulous ikat fabric. Originally, Mindy wanted the chairs to be two different fabrics. We compromised by getting mismatched poufs :)

The room had no overhead lighting, which we might add down the road. In the meantime, this arc lamp from CB2 does the trick. Mindy already had the other lamps in the room. I simply updated them with new shades.

Another piece we repurposed is the desk. The size of the room called for a pretty substantial desk, which would have cost several hundred dollars. Instead, I suggested they use their old kitchen table. It's the perfect size, and its simple shape is fresh and modern.

We used an accent table that Mindy already had. The silver antlers and framed prints are from my beloved HomeGoods.

I "shopped" Mindy's house and styled the shelves using what I found.

I added just a handful of new accessories, such as the yellow pillar candles and bowl, and the trio of silver bud vases.

Of course, Mindy's children are just the cutest ever, so their sweet pictures are the perfect accessory!

Here's a shot from the foyer of the french doors and transom we added. It obviously helps make the office functional and quiet, but it also adds a beautiful architectural detail to the home.

As I created this blog post, I realized I probably should have staged the photos a little better. I popped in on Mindy at a moment's notice to take pictures, and I didn't lower the wood blinds. She keeps them partially raised so her dog doesn't mess them up.

However, the more I thought about it, the more I liked having the pictures just as the family lives. It's what my business is all about… embracing the chaos, and still living beautifully!

If you need help creating a beautiful space that can withstand the wear and tear of kids and pets, contact me.

Have a great day!!


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