Recent Project: Renovated Family Room

It's amazing what a new paint color, a new fireplace, new windows, new furniture arrangement, and new television and sound system can do for a room!  I recently helped a client transform her family room so not only does it look better, it has more natural light and functions better for entertaining or staying home for a quiet night of watching television!

Below you can see the wall color was updated with Benjamin Moore's Revere Pewter, a pretty soft gray.  We wanted to make sure the room color didn't feel cold and sterile, which some grays can do.  So we were in search of a "happy" gray... Revere Pewter was the result.  The color makes for a really pretty backdrop to my client's furnishings.  The new gas fireplace puts off some serious heat and looks great too.

This project began when my client discovered that the weight of her existing fireplace, which was improperly installed by a previous owner, was pulling away the wall.  The entire wall and support structure for the fireplace needed to be rebuilt.    This gave us the opportunity to rethink the placement of windows and fireplace design. 

Below is a picture of my client's family room before the renovations began.  Notice the television and cabinet are blocking the fireplace.  Two chairs are in front of a sliding glass door that never gets used and the amount of natural and artificial light was poor.

Below you can see we added two windows to either side of the fireplace.  We also had the sliding glass door removed and added two windows on the sofa wall.    Pretty sconces by Circa Lighting were added above the fireplace along with recessed lights in the ceiling, which were all placed on dimmers.  Accent lights, such as floor lamps and table lamps are used for ambient lighting.  We added a glass coffee table to visually lighten the space and reflect some of the natural light.  

I learn something new on every project since each project is different.  For this project, I learned about the Sonos sound system.  Sonos allows you to manage your music from your phone, tablet or computer.  You can play music from satellite radio, Pandora, iTunes, or your private music collection through your wireless speakers.  It's an amazing product!  

Below you can see we placed an eclectic arrangement of personal photos on either side of the television for interest.

Below is a BEFORE picture of the room near the kitchen.

Below you can see the knee wall remains but the rest of the opening was removed which opens up the space.  The antique desk was added to provide a place for paying bills and using a laptop.

It's so fun for me to look at the before and after pictures of this project!  I love transformations.  If you would like help transforming your home, please contact me!

Fall Out of Summer

It seems as if summer was going to continue well into October but I think we've finally turned the corner.  It's that time of year when fun, vibrant colors give way to warmer, softer tones.  Hot summer days have transitioned into cooler temperatures and the leaves are just starting to show a hint of color.

The bright colors and fun fabrics in these images remind me of the great summer spent on the water with family and friends.

House Beautiful

McLay Family Vacation 2013

However, as we approach the holidays, I'm ready for the warm colors of fall and the coziness these images evoke.  

I love the simplicity of this dining room with the pop of color.  The gourds are a simple yet effective way to set a Fall table.

Houzz

Who wouldn't want to wrap up in a blanket with a hot chocolate and enjoy the vibrant colors of the leaves and the lake view on these porches?

Houzz

Southern Living

I love the knit pillows.  It's a great texture to add to the space and provides a very homey feel.

The bobbin ottoman and patchwork print is a great way to bring color and pattern into the room.  

I can help you make your home cozy and inviting!  Contact me here.

Enjoy the season!