Family Room Project

Summer has finally arrived and with it some much needed R&R for my family.  I have loved this past school year so much.  We have been super busy and productive, but I have also been looking forward to some down time spent with my kiddos.  As I go "off the grid" for a while, I wanted to leave you with some images of a very fun project I worked on this past year.  

For this client, I was asked to create a modern eclectic space to function as the main gathering area for this young, super hip family.  A couple of things to note: The walls were already painted this rich gray tone which I thought felt very sophisticated and which the homeowners really wanted to keep.  Also, the TV was already placed over the fireplace in the space.  I know many of you are not crazy about this placement decision, but I have to tell you TV's are part of our everyday lives, and I think a decorator's job is not only to make the space beautiful but to make sure it is practical and works for the people who live in the space.  So, after working on furniture placement, I really felt the TV was in the best possible placement for the flow and function of this space.  As usual, I did not take any before pics (I have got to get better about this - more on that later this summer).

Here are the afters: One important mention is this client is not afraid of color.  So, I added fabulous pops of color with pillows while keeping the base tones of the upholstered pieces neutral. 

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This is a view from the open kitchen looking into the family room and the backyard beyond.  Our goal was to maximize seating in this space while maintaining and open airy feel.  One trick to accomplishing this is to use an open airy coffee table.  This gives you visual floor space in the center of the room where your eye tends to land; thus, the impression of more space. 

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One of my favorite features in this room are the window treatments.  We selected a gorgeous embroidered fabric. 

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By creating tonal pattern, we have added interest and texture but have not created a color direction with the draperies.  This gives flexibility should my client decide to change up the color in the space in years to come.  Look how gorgeous these are up close. . .   

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We added a pair of taupe ottomans that can be used as overflow seating during a party or to kick your feet up when paired with one of the swivel winged backs or the sofa for lounging in the space. 

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I just love the color accents of the pillows: pink velvet, the metallic chevron woven as well as the Schumacher Chiang Mai in Alabaster color way.  These pillows paired with the fun mix media artwork my clients found on Etsy really make a statement. 

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My clients were so much fun to work with on this project!  And I just love how it came together.  Enjoy your summer.  M.

A special thanks to Jean Allsopp's for photographing this space for me.  As always, I loved my time with Jean who is one of the most talented people I know!