Sharon’s Surprise Design Dilemma
When we heard that Kristin and her sister wanted to surprise their mother Sharon with a family room makeover for her birthday, we couldn’t wait to get crackin’. Here’s Kristin’s letter:
My mom and I are both so impressed by your keen eye for design of all styles and this great service that you offer. My mom has talked about contacting you several times to help her out with their family room and adjoining kitchen… however, my sister and I thought that we would beat her to it by contacting you first as a surprise birthday present for her! So I snuck over to my parents’ house to take a few pictures of the family room that she really wants to make over. My mom wants all new couches, tables, lamps, and a coffee table. The only things that have to stay in the room are the TV, the TV hutch, and the media storage unit (in between the couch and love seat). The paint is another huge issue (it’s a drab pinkish beige) and they are desperate for a new color. She has also been stuck on window treatments for YEARS!! My mom’s style is mostly traditional and she likes warm wood tones and a very cozy/casual feel. THANKS SO MUCH! My mom is the most amazing woman I can’t wait for her to have a room that’s comfortable and relaxing for her… and I promise to send after pics! – Kristin
We think some new furnishings and accessories along with the perfect paint color will swankify Sharon’s family room in a snap. So without further ado, our comfy cozy family room mood board:
Here’s the mood board breakdown.
1. Our color palette is soothing and fresh. We’ll introduce more of the warm wood tones that already exist in the tv hutch and media cabinet that Sharon would like to keep, and we’ll also bring in a peaceful cream color in the upholstered pieces and some pops of pale blue in the form of some chic accessories to keep things interesting. As for the walls, we think a super subtle silvery blue (try Satin Sheets by Glidden) will balance all the brown tones in the wood and on the fireplace (while making them appear even richer by comparison). The color will also work well with the warm tan color on the walls of the adjoining kitchen. Designer Tip: It’s great to use some subtle cool hues (like the silvery blue we’re proposing for the walls) in rooms that have an abundance of warm tones (the brown wood furniture, the overhead beams and the fireplace stonework are all rich, warm hues) to keep everything looking balanced and to bring out the best in both color families.
2. This steal of a couch (on sale for almost half price) along with this discounted loveseat would look great with our new color palette. By introducing a large cream colored piece or two, we’ll keep things light and bright to balance the deeper tones of the beams overhead, the stone on the wall, and the tv hutch and the media cabinets in the corners (that could otherwise come off as “heavy”). And depending on the actual measurements of the space, Sharon might want to purchase two loveseats instead of a couch and a loveseat if she’d like a little more breathing room in her space. The symmetric and uniform effect will be really pleasing to the eye.
3. This cozy and serene table lamp (for under $40!) will add more of our airy blue accent color to the space while providing some ambient reading light for those lazy Sunday afternoons.
4. This rich toned wood side table (on sale for $70 off with free shipping) will add more warm tones to keep the wall and the accent colors in perfect balance. And with two practical drawers, it’s a great way to control clutter in a totally attractive way.
5. This über comfy cream slipper chair from Target will inject more of our soothing cream color into the space to unify the seating area and keep things cozy and casual. To further define the seating area, a nice 5×8 area rug situated right on top of the existing cream carpet (perhaps a sisal or this wool honeycomb rug in capuccino) might make the couches pop more thanks to the contrast. But Sharon might like the monochromatic feel of the couches on the slightly darker cream of her current carpeting so the area rug idea is totally optional. Whatever floats our birthday girl’s boat.
6. This pretty blue vase would look great on the hearth of the fireplace, and at under 35 bucks, it’s a family heirloom that anyone can afford.
7. These warm honey-toned window treatments from Ikea are what started it all for us. They’re traditional with a twist, and as soon as we laid eyes on ‘em we knew they’d frame out the large sliding glass doors in the family room with style (Sharon should hang ‘em high and wide for maximum light when they’re open and to make the the glass doors appear even bigger to balance the jumbo fireplace). They’d also work if carried into the adjoining kitchen’s sliding glass doors (we love using the same window treatments to tie different rooms together and keep the whole floor plan feeling balanced and cohesive).
8. This stunner of a coffee table is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. And we want it bad! But we’re happy to share it with Sharon on her special day because it would be absolutely perfect for her space. We immediately knew we wanted a square coffee table for her family room since there’s so much space in the center of the room, and the tone is perfect with her existing pieces while the x-detailing around the side is chic as can be. And for anyone else in need of a fabulous square coffee table, it comes in a plethora of colors and finishes, so be sure to check it out for yourself.
9. This eye-catching fireplace screen is an homage to Sharon’s old coffee table. Her daughter mentioned that she liked the “bistro look”, and the scrolly iron work of this piece would really be a show stopper in the space. It actually comes in a patina-ish green color, but if Sharon finds that it looks out of place and should be more blue, she can always paint it a pale blue color for a true DIY stamp in her new space.
So there you have it, Sharon’s surprise birthday mood board chock full of cozy, comfortable style to update her family room in a flash. What do you guys think? Do tell. Is that coffee table not amazing? How about that fun fireplace screen? And if you’re in need of a custom moodboard of your own, just click here to get started.
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Comments
I love that you worked with the natural wood elements in the room – my parents have a similar living room, and while I would paint the wooden beams to blend in, my mom loves the cabin feel of wooden beams and won’t part with them. It’s great to see how you can make elements like that work in a room.
Absolutely loving the ideas you came up with for this space! I just added that fireplace screen to my Christmas wishlist :)
I would say go for painting the stone fireplace white or updating it in some other way. I think that would provide major impact to updating the room. It might seem like a tough project, but it is probably easier than you think.
Sweet! So glad you and your momma are loving the moodboard. We can’t wait to see pics! You promised…
xoxo,
Sherry (& John)
You guys did a fabulous job on this mood board! My mom and I have been planning to redo her entire house and this has really given me inspiration for the living room in their home. Thanks for sharing. Keep ‘em coming! :)