Let's see: 1) Really sit around the whole room -- in every chair and seat. Look. Look. and Look Again. How do you want the room to feel? Warmer? Cooler? More Open? More Cozy? b) Really write down any issues with the room at this point ... seating for how many? tables? shelving for storage? Is the room too dark (or have dark corners?) too light? c)HOW do you want the room to work for your current needs? TV? Reading? Conversation? 2)Measure Everything. And write it down. Really. Measure the room, walls, windows and doors. AND hallways -- too many folk have bought a wonderful sofa/armoire/shelves -- only to find that their perfect item won't fit through the front door or down the hallway! :) 3)Start collecting inspiration photos from all kinds of sources. Really examine photos -- and decide WHAT and WHY something takes your eye .... color? shape? texture? arrangement? 4)Find a starting point. Usually start with a larger item -- like a sofa. Then decide on your needs for additional seating options -- chairs? loveseat? 5)Keep an eye on your local stores -- and search your local Craigs List. 6)Find the next item -- usually a rug or additional seating. Choose one -- and then -- look for the other one. 7)Once the main items are in place -- look again. What tables are needed? 8)Lamps. Lamps. Lamps. Table ones. Standing lamps. Always have lighting options! :)

Being your first time here, you may not have expected the replies you got about your daughter's two rooms. Don't be offended. We mean well. I tend to agree, tho. And not to get personal, but how do you and your hubby have any intimate time together if you're sleeping in the LR? I would at the most, give your daughter the larger room so she does have room to play, but would take the advice of others to store the toys in the same room. Maybe it's time to go thru them and donate the ones she no longer plays with? Kids only play with half of the toys they own, anyway. Involve her in choosing which ones to give away and explain that she is helping kids who have no toys. Make it fun and help her learn that being charitable is a good trait. I'm sure if you google, there's an article on how to do that because I've read about it. That being said, I think you did a bang up job on the white furniture. That is my taste exactly. Shabby-chic and cottage-y. I am single and on a disability budget and my home is about your size. So storage is critical. I do all my furniture shopping at thrift stores. I bought a dresser that I use as a buffet, yet I keep my tools, gardening stuff, plastic storage bowls and seasonal linens in the drawers. I also bought a tall handmade shelving unit with cabinets below for storage and an old console with cabinet type doors for extra counter space in my kitcken (up against a wall) and storage for my crockpot, platters, bowls, mixer, etc. That one I painted but have yet to paint the other two. Rule #1 - paint before you get it in the house and start using it or you will never get around to painting it due to the dilema of where to store all the stuff inside while it's being painted...lol. I've also found new curtains, quilts, pillows, shower curtains, and even Ralph Lauren bed sheets at thrift stores. Target donates lots of stuff to Goodwill. Most of my decorative kitchen stuff and household knicknacks came from thrift stores. Lamps are always cheap and can be spray painted. They make textured metalic spray paint if that's your taste. Just do a good tape job first. They always have lamp shades, too, and many of them are new. I've gotten wall mirrors and done paint treatments on them to make them look shabby chic. You can repurpose sheets to make curtains, pillows, and even a shower curtain if you're handy with a sewing machine. I also got my two sofas from the thrift store. One for $40, the other a pull out bed for $50. For the first one (red checkered...UGH!!) I bought a white slipcover from Uglysofas.com. They sell Pottery Barn slipcovers pretty cheap (they call them Brand X since they can't advertise where they came from). I guess they're seconds but there was nothing wrong with mine. The 2nd couch was actually in perfect condition. It came from a hotel remodel so there were several, along with club chairs to match. I liked the fabric, so it didn't need covered (but I still do...I like the white better). Do you have a Restore Store (Habitat for Humanity) near you? They have soooo much stuff for remodeling, including paint. I buy my drawer pulls from there (which are very expensive at big box stores). Yes, it takes some digging around to find the quantity you need but they really update older painted furniture. And my store has started a thrift store section with furniture, mirrors, lamps, etc. As for paint color....I like the sage green but that's just me. I see you have a blue and pink pillow, so you could pull off that. However, paint isn't cheap so if you can live with the sage, live with it for now and work on making a sanctuary for you and hubby and a nice new LR. Ohhh...i forgot to mention. Are you familiar with Pinterest? If not, you MUST check it out. I've gotten so many decorating ideas from there. It's all visual. Pic, pics, and more pics. You just type in 'shabby chic decorating' for example, or 'cottage bedroom'. I search by color since i have a beach cottage color scheme. So I type in 'aqua shabby chic.' Just saying....if you are thinking of blue, they use blue in your search. You have to sign up to use it but it's no different than signing up for this site. And there are no ads, no spam, nothing !! It's addictive tho....trust me. Looking at beautiful picture is so inspiring. And then you can pin a pic to your 'board' so you can save it. It's like a virtual scrapbook. I LOVE IT !! Well, I've rattled on long enough. I do love your taste and wish you the best in your decorating !! Bonnie This post was edited by brit5467 on Sun, Apr 20, 14 at 22:00

The first thing that strikes me is that your curtain rod is too short which is why you have to push the curtains to the side which kills the vibe in this room. Get longer rods and linen-type curtains that are fairly similar to the wall color which will give the room warmth without looking busy. Please make sure that your area rug is as large as possible because that will make this room look fabulous. Little bitty rugs do not. I would choose an Oriental rug in warm colors because it will hide little accidents, at least until you can address them. I would definitely get a sofa, so great for cuddling with your husband and kids. I would place it in front of the window for good lighting for reading but also because it gives you the best sight lines into other areas of your home. Instead of a coffee table consider a large ottoman with a lid so that you have plenty of storage space. Please don't buy a brown or black leather couch. They look dated and are so difficult to decorate around. Try beige or caramel, with two chairs in contrasting colors, perhaps a nice blue or green, colors that will be in the carpet hopefully. You can also use the carpet colors to choose pillows for your soft furniture. Find some nice pictures to put on the walls, a large green plant, a bookcase or two (books are a must in a room) and side tables for lamps. By now your room will look gorgeous and be pretty well furnished and, most important of all, will be comfortable and fun to be in.

Boy, I can really relate. Our kids are teens now, but close in age, and our house was not always neat and tidy, believe me. Legos! Say no more! Here are my thoughts, as we have (mostly) made it through to the other side. 1. You're only going to make dents into the stuff if both spouses are on board. The mess is what the adults (or one of them) can tolerate. He/she who tolerates it least is going to have to make the most effort. Don't be angry with each other, it's a process! 2. It's a beautiful piano, and you have the room for it, apparently. It's not clutter like the other stuff. 3. Try to keep at least one room/area picked up and neat, perhaps that might be the kitchen/breakfast room area. When you spend most of your time in there, it is less stressful if that place, at least, has the stuff corralled and organized (or shifted to another room). We allowed arts and crafts in the kitchen area, but it had to be put away before dinner (best as we could). 4. Enlist the kids' help in weeding out. Tell them that 30% (or more) of the toys must go! And get their suggestions. Even if you only manage to get 15%-20% into the "donation" pile, it's a start. If they have items they feel are sentimental favorites, then those items go into their bedrooms. Plastic bins, in closet or under bed. We ended up storing Legos in a credenza, in dozens of plastic bins, and Lego building was a group event in a large smooth floor area. There was lots of cooperation and competitions, and quality sibling time. I loved it, and wouldn't trade that time. It was important in our house to keep Legos separated from everything else. 5. Know that this time will pass. The toys are useful to keep the kids' imaginations active, encourage cooperation, interaction, and collaboration, and keep them off of screen-time. 6. My last thought about clean-up time and engaging the kids to help: there has to be a "place" where the kids know the toys go. Legos go here, Hot Wheels stuff goes over there in those bins, and dolls/stuffed animals go in bedrooms, or whatever. Baby stuff in the baby area. Organizing and purging is a skill, that many adults haven't managed well, so it will be a learning process for the kids, as well as the adults. Help them with tools for organizing (bins, decluttering time, thinking about how "things" can help us or become so overwhelming they aren't contributing to a happy home). And enjoy this time. The older they get, the less stuff will be around the living areas. Good luck.