1. Start with inspiration
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road’ll take you there” ~ Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland
2. Work out the flow
We re-worked the side door entry to flow into the kitchen, instead of into the Family Room. We also claimed a bit of the space to create a mudroom and pantry closet. That gave us a wall for the TV and helped to square up the Family Room a bit more.
We created one gracious seating area in this very long room with multiple focal points (Fireplace and TV). We flipped the TV to the new bumped out wall, instead of in front of the windows. And, we ensured that every seat has a place to put your feet up or set down a drink.
3. Shop for the perfect fit
We designed a custom size cut-and-bound carpet and over-sized ottoman to fit this long room. We also selected or designed all of the furniture, end tables, lighting and window treatments to flow beautifully together.
4. Paint the Woodwork
I know, I know. I can hear you grunting. Unless you have original, amazing woodwork from a home that is 50+ years old, don’t hesitate to paint. Even if you have that old original woodwork, it’s YOUR home. If you want it lighter and brighter, this may be an option to consider.
5. Improve the Lighting
We flanked the room with 4 lamps to distribute soft light throughout. We switched out a dated (and too low) ceiling fan for a killer flush mount, scaled to this large room (Global Views, for those of you who’ve asked). Next, we plan to upgrade the recessed lighting to small, crisp and efficient LED’s.
6. Whitewash the Brick
We used the great texture of the brick fireplace, just whitewashed to lighten & soften a bit.
7. Art and Accessories
You’ll have to stay tuned, as that’s what we have in store for this room next!
Best,
~S
Looks fantastc. Thanks for sharing. Great info.
Beautiful room, that ottoman is lush!
Great post, can’t wait to see the finishing touches!
Fantastic! Can’t wait to see your beautiful selection of finishing touches.
Lovely transformation!
Thank you, Kimberly!
Great work as always, Sandra! Great ROI white-washing the brick and painting out the wood trim!
It’s always amazing how a few tweaks in a floorplan make the space so much more useable and appealing.
Thanks Terri – this was a big bang for the renovation buck. Better traffic flow and a mudroom. : )
Great tips, I love the white wash brick.
Nice room refresh! The painted trim really helps and a good plan will always get you where you want to go!