Family room quick re-do

16 years ago

I would like to re-do the family room on a small budget and very quickly for holidays.

I recently had the cushions covered and chose a darkish colour so I wouldn't have to tell the kids and their friends not to put their feet up, or watch out for spills!

However, I would now like to add some pillows, new curtains (one in the background is going!) and rug to brighten up the room for the adults as well.

We will be looking into painting the walls also.

Any ideas about what colours I could go with?

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Comments (6)

teacats
16 years ago
Tell us more about the room and the decor:

How do you want the room to feel? Warm and Cozy?

What about the flooring? Would an area rug help to add warm color and texture?

What about lighting? Do you have enough lighting options around the whole room? -- for example -- table lamps, standing lamp, accent lamps etc. -- because extra lighting always helps to create a warmer cozier room.

Even artworks can help -- a collage of family family photos OR larger artworks with warm cozy colors can help create the feeling of warmth too!

Your fabric choice is modern (in my eye) with cooler colors -- silvery gray and black. Your accents (like photo frames, lamps etc.) would look best in black.

BUT your furniture has warmer tones of golds etc.

First -- start with looking for an inspiration piece like the area rug. THEN look for a wall color from that ...... add artworks (photos, posters, prints) that help with the colors too. Then add cushions and curtains in some solid colors ((like black AND deep red (just an example!))
MariposaTraicionera
Original Author
16 years ago
Teacats, sorry for not giving more information.

Yes, I am trying to update and make every room more modern looking. That's my kitchen's fault,lol

We have an armoire in the same colour wood with TV and music system, and have been moving out all other "play" things like pool table (kid sized), and basically getting rid of old stereo system with HUGE speakers, old lamps and tables. There is a brick fireplace which I hope to have plastered and painted next year.

So basically this is a clean slate that I want to modernise before the holidays yet keeping the old furniture for now. We plan to get a lake home so I don't want to sell/give away my wooden chairs and tables. They're the Cargo type that was sort of in sometime in the 80s I believe. Sounds like ages ago!!

If I am going with a more contemporary look would you suggest casual type curtains or blinds? There are three longish windows to the back of that arm chair. Also, we only have a ceiling fan for now, but looking into adding some sconces and of course, a couple more lamps. I saw some Kovacs that I really liked.

On the photo frames...I need to change out all the goldish toned ones I had and look for more black/silver. Would that be okay to mix? I was kind of going for a modern art type rug and pics...what do you think?
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jerseygirl_1
16 years ago
I think you need to pick out a rug before you go any further. Look for something that will allow you to add a warm color. Is the sofa the same fabric?
amysrq
16 years ago
There are a couple of interesting rugs at Garnet Hill that might be a starting point. Take a look at the following:

Chandra Stripe
Shadow Fern
Eccentric Circles
Puget Sound

Theses appear to have the gray in them, and open up other options for color. I think a deep red or terra cotta color would warm things up. If you want to be really brave, you could go with a pale chartreuse with accents of bright red. (I know that's a reach, but it would work!)

Did you say what colors are in the adjoining rooms? I know you are a regular on th KF, but I'm not over there often enough to be familiar with your look. And I couldn't find you on the FKB. Can we see more pics?
teacats
16 years ago
Perhaps if you painted the furniture in satin black (simply brush with Liquid Sandpaper, wait until the finish goes cloudy -- and then spray paint or brush on color) -- that would update them to a more modern "Pottery Barn" type look -- and the new fabrics would work better in the room.

Add modern lighting/lamps in black around the room.

Yes indeed -- go for the rug FIRST. And the artworks!!!

And then see about wall colors etc. And check out simple curtains in the accent color (like a deep rich red) Add solid color cushions in black AND the accent color to the furniture OR as big floor cushions for the kids.
MariposaTraicionera
Original Author
16 years ago
Amy, I'm not in the FKB because we're not finished with the darn kitchen yet! Still have base moulding to install, and just got through with the flooring a couple weeks ago. A combo of DIY and GC-ing myself has caused a rather sluggish turn on the kitchen.

My plan is to eventually get some sleek, Italian leather furniture for this room, so I want to put in stuff that will look good now with the future in mind. And yes, the sofa is in the same colour material. I need another chair though. Was thinking of adding another chair in a complimentary colour (once we know what that is).

Will take a look at rugs.

Going to get my neighbour to take a few pics of the entire room. This area has been my storage space during remodelling and still contains the soon to be installed TOTO toilet.
Mari