The living/family room is where you spend the most time in the house, so it has to be functional and comfortable. Living and dining areas are usually open to each other, so the designs in each room need to compliment so everything flows visually. Just having one or two elements in the same color or texture will coordinate the overall space. You will see in these pictures that I’ve taken my family room and dining room with me to multiple houses. The family room is the first room I set up when I move into a new home, so it starts to feel like mine on day one.
Project #1 – My first home
The first picture is the one that started it all. My first home. I found the picture with the red flowers and started adding the red accents throughout the space.
As my homes changed, I found ways to add red to the walls to carry the color throughout the space, but to stay as an accent. This family room was by itself at the back of the house, so I put a little more red in here, flanking both ends of the room. The beige was what faced you as you came into the room, so it coordinated with the adjoining nook.
Project #2 – Connected living & dining room
This living and dining space was connected, with just a few feet of wall separating them. I carried the same light gray through the entire space, and then chose different accent colors for each room — the charcoal from the entry to go under the chair rail in the dining room and a medium blue for a couple of walls in the living room. I set the couch up to look out the window at the pool. A perfect reading space.
Project #3 – Upstairs living area
This was an upstairs living area, open at the top of the steps. It was just a standard tan to start, with a long blank wall. I painted it a darker greige for more warmth and put a strip of the charcoal color in the middle of the long wall with an art piece. This tied into the charcoal coming up the curved wall in the entryway, so the open space flowed. It brought out the dark color in the rug and helped break up the wall. The curtains were ombré, so they started gray and ended in charcoal. They pulled out every color in the room.
Before
After
Project #4 – Home office
The first home office had wood paneling up to chair rail height. I painted it a light gray to balance with the dark hardwood floors. And, I had to have Scarlet and Gray for my Buckeyes, so the office was red!
In the second office, I went with a softer soothing color. The same desk and file cabinets look completely different, just with paint. (Don’t worry- my Buckeye paraphernalia found a space in another room!). The curtains and chairs add some texture and finish off the space nicely.
Project #5 – Open floor plan
In this space, the whole first floor was open. I used paint to distinguish the spaces. A light tan went through the majority of the space and I added the red on each side of the fireplace and along the back strip of “wall” that separated it from the dining room. It enclosed that area while still flowing with the rest of the downstairs. The kitchen got a darker tan for some contrast and to designate its own space.
Project #6 – Upstairs living area
This was another upstairs living area, a massive room over the garage. If you don’t have gigantic furniture to fill up the whole space, cozy it up a little. I formed the furniture in an L shape and brought it out into the middle of the room, not up against walls. There was still plenty of room to use the space as an exercise area, too. Again, the paint was a medium beige with a couple of accent walls to bring out the color of the rug and accents.
Project #7 – My dining room
This is the before and after of my current dining room. It was a light sage green with cream carpet and a country/traditional look. Now, it’s contemporary and chic. New light fixture, new carpet, a warm medium gray on the walls- and a black accent wall. I’ve always wanted to try that, but never had the right space. It’s so cool. The curtains bring more warmth to the space, the mirror reflects the light and the staircase. It’s a dramatic statement that ties in with the black and white staircase when you walk in. The before pictures were from the listing when I bought the house.
Before
After
Project #8 – Living room
This is the living room opposite the dining area. It has the same consistent gray on two of the walls as the entry walls and just enough black accents to have the whole first floor of the house flow. I painted the other two walls a blue/gray to pull out the color in the rug and designate this room as its own space. Most people would put the couch up against the back wall, but I like to face the window for the view, so mix it up a little! Soft and soothing, in a room that gets late day sun, it’s a cozy spot to read and relax.
Project #9 – Basement living area
This is a basement living area. I’m not sure why people seem to like that army green/brownish color on walls. It just reminds me of a dirty diaper. So, new carpet and new paint later – it looks like a living room, not a basement. This is the same warm gray in the dining room, and you’ll recognize the charcoal strip in the middle. This still pulls out the dark parts of the rug and matches the charcoal couch. This space is open to the bar on the other side of the wall. Those cabinets are a dark oak, so I did a second charcoal strip and hung a painting that continues that color but also the warmer gold/brown of the cabinets. A perfect transition. The before pictures were from the listing when I bought the house.
Before
After
Let’s Do This!
Home is the most important place for everyone. It’s where your family memories are made. It’s your reprieve from the outside world. It’s your biggest investment. I’ve been doing this for a long time. Now, it’s time to take what I’m most passionate about to the next level and make an impact on a greater scale. This doesn’t feel like work to me. I love every minute of it. For me, there is no greater feeling than seeing the joy on people’s faces when I can help them create a home they truly love and change their lives in a positive way.
I would love the opportunity to create that for you.