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Home Decorating Remodeling Design Dilemma

Update to my Outdated Family Room/TV Area

last year

Hello, I'm trying to figure out how I can update this outdated space. It looks nice, but it doesn't serve a functional purpose with today's widescreen televisions. The cabinet in the lower right houses stereo and other sound equipment to pump through the house as well. The area in the bottom is a gas fireplace and the area on the bottom left is shelving. So this area serves a function but does not have the clean, chic look of today's modern updated homes.

I'd love to keep the fireplace if possible but open to ideas. Just trying to make this look chic and modern.

And help would be awesome.

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Comments (14)

Susan
last year
I’d remove the light-colored framing. Drywall the middle section, update the gas fireplace with logs/embers/slab surround (what is the hearth material? If still available, maybe use that for surround)/mantel (wood or painted white like the shutters/trim). Frame and paint the shelving niches and either keep the glass shelves or finish with wood, trim them out, install doors to enclose the lower shelves, and paint everything white.
Susan
last year
Oh, then the tv will move to the side wall.
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Photo#1: A new runner and no mat at door. Photo #2: Push the sofa and console/ottoman into the living area a bit. Notice how it is encroaching on the entry area? Also, move the gray chest some one else because I see a bench behind it which could use a pillow. Over that pillow you can hang art, or a small mirror... Photo#3: The matching end table to coffee table, move it to the chair. You don’t need it at the sofa because the coffee table is large enough to work for 3 people. Lastly, style the console top…is there a plug under the sofa? If not, and the cellar ceiling is open have one installed so you can use lamps, which are needed for both the sofa and lighting the entry. As for your windows, do the exact application as I suggested yesterday for the dining room. BTW, are the pillows a done deal? I think you could do better. : < }
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The first thing would be furniture placement in the room. Without furniture placement, you cannot decide where to put the tv. Right now to me the best place would be the lower right side of the fireplace, but honestly you need to place furniture in the room to make that decision. What size tv will you be working with. Are you buying a new tv? Are you using furniture you already have? will you be buying a sectional? sofa and chairs? what furniture best fits this room needs to be decided. So many questions :-) Post all dimensions, walls, windows, doorways. If need be draw it out on paper and post a picture.
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circonium
last year
Is the top part recessed or does it protrude from the wall? I can't tell from your photo.

I'm not a designer, but my first thought would be to keep the bottom part, put new doors on the areas flanking the fireplace, and paint it. Then drywall over the top part (assuming it's recessed) and hang the TV.
Olychick
last year
last modified: last year
Unless you want to rip the whole thing out and rebuild the fireplace, I would probably cover all the area behind the tv (the whole upper part) with drywall or paneling, and add two plain solid doors to the bottom cabinets, all painted the color of the surround. Center the TV.

Then I'd move on to furniture arrangement and get the furniture off the walls and onto the rug a bit. Maybe pull the rug back toward the couch/sectional (?) if you need the couch farther away for TV viewing. Angle the chairs, move everything in a bit. It looks a bit like you have all the furniture pushed off the rug to prepare for a dance party in the middle :-) You might need a larger rug...hard to tell the room size from the photos.
lucky998877
last year
I would demo it and make a plan for something new. It takes over the whole room, the pretty windows flanking the fireplace pretty much disappear.

Maybe consult a designer? The current huge rug with no furniture on it is like a dance floor in the middle. See what a fresh pair of eyes can come up with :)
Susan
last year
I assumed you moved all of the furniture out of the way to take the photos
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
close it in, leave a nice access panel behind tv. put doors on other side of lower cabinet. until we know your style that is as detailed as we can all get.
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last year
Some inspiration
decoenthusiaste
last year
last modified: last year
Not sure a "clean, chic look" will suit the leather seating, tufted hassock, the two chairs and your other pieces. It looks to be a bit southwestern in style, except for the marble looking hearth. My goal would be to get the TV arranged so the furniture could come off the walls and anchor onto the rug. I would want to remove the excess protrusions that leave the cabinetry recessed, and I can understand not wanting to disturb the stereo system. How high are your ceilings and how wide is the space between the two windows? You've showed us two walls; may we see the rest of the room and furnishings?
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last year
Or even crazier from wall to wall using natural light from windows. :-))
everdebz
last year
You could change upper trim to match the lower, unify it. Then question is do you have items you'd like to place there?
Wayzata Dream Home Great Room · More Info
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
This shouldn't be too hard to create
petula67
last year
If the framing allows, I'd consider removing the partitions in the top section to leave a single wide, recessed space where you could mount the TV. Keeping the TV recessed (rather than drywalling over the opening) might possibly help reduce glare and reflections on the screen.
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
@petula67 Thats a really good idea. Then you might have the option to also hide it when not in use!

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