A Client Project: In the Works

I am often called upon to help clients who claim to have "a lot" going on in their family rooms.  Yes we all have windows, doors, and tvs to contend with and finding a furniture layout that makes sense and is comfortable is often the biggest challenge.  I was recently contacted by a family in Michigan to help with a family room/dining room.  Working with a small budget - either all from one store or re-sale (which by the way, whether your budget is big or small, I believe you can improve your space and make it more attractive and comfortable).  Here is what I came up with.  And just so you know, my clients took my shopping list and knocked the majority of this project out in one weekend.

***Most of the pictures were taken at night and are a little dark and grainy.

This is the picture that was sent to me of the family room.

Before

 My client was open to maybe replacing a piece or two of the furniture, but I first tried working with what they have.  Also, she liked that the tv was on the wall because it is easy to see from the kitchen.  However, this limits the furniture layout.  I recommended moving the existing sofa to be centered under the windows and bringing in matching end tables and lamps.  The leather chair was moved to the opposite corner of the room.

This is my proposed floor plan.

I created this mood board for the family room to bring in white with pops of color.

After

Here is how it looks now.  Please note, the curtains have not been hemmed and the correct inserts for the pillows haven't come in yet.  The mirror between the windows was over the mantle in the dining room.  I recommended that my client paint it black and hang it behind the sofa to reflect the dining room windows and light fixture - creating a more open feeling in the room.

Before

In this part of the room we have the tv mounted on the wall that needs a console, the leather chair that is moving to the opposite corner, and a chair and ottoman.  Also, I felt that the area needed more art to fill in the space. So I gave them the link to my source for free art...

After

...and this is what they came up with.  Much better!

Before

Moving on to the dining room...

We wanted to add some color and accessories to this area.  Because the dining and family rooms are connected I wanted to pull out the pops of red from the floral pillows on the sofa.  I also recommended painting the surface of the mantle white.

Here is the mood board for the dining room...

After

Here is the after with new cushions for the dining chairs, colorful art, and new accessories.  You don't see it here, but the same panels that are used in the family room are also hanging in the dining room.

I just finished up a mood board for the entry hall and staircase for this same client.  Will share details on that very soon hopefully.

Do you have a room that has you stumped?  I would love to help!  Learn more about my design services here or contact me by email.