5 Sophisticated Living Room and Family Room Makeovers
See how designers carefully selected colors and furnishings to create elegant living spaces
Erin Carlyle
September 5, 2019
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
Living areas can be formal spaces used only for guests — or rooms that homeowners use daily. The following transformed living areas (four of them living rooms, one a family room) all feature sophisticated designs that also work practically for their homeowners. Which living room would you most like to spend time in?
1. Warm and Homey to Crisply Elegant
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple — she works in education, he works in digital technology — and their 5-year-old son, 2-year-old daughter and dog
Location: Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Designers: Jessica Geller and Virginia Toledo of Toledo Geller
Before: The living room in this center-hall Colonial was professionally staged when the previous owners put it up for sale, as this photo shows. The new owners didn’t care for the paint color or the bulky window cornices, which they felt detracted from the lovely curves of the molding. They also found the fireplace mantel’s width a bit awkward.
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple — she works in education, he works in digital technology — and their 5-year-old son, 2-year-old daughter and dog
Location: Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Designers: Jessica Geller and Virginia Toledo of Toledo Geller
Before: The living room in this center-hall Colonial was professionally staged when the previous owners put it up for sale, as this photo shows. The new owners didn’t care for the paint color or the bulky window cornices, which they felt detracted from the lovely curves of the molding. They also found the fireplace mantel’s width a bit awkward.
Photo by Jacob Snavely Photography
After: Fresh white with contrasting blue (White Chocolate for the walls and Van Courtland Blue for the trim, both by Benjamin Moore) better fit the homeowners’ urban-bohemian style. A solid smoked-walnut wood surround frames the brick fireplace. A furnishings palette of soft blues, grays, purples and browns allows the beautiful blue trim to be the star in the room. Designers Jessica Geller and Virginia Toledo of Toledo Geller custom-designed the three hexagon accent tables.
After: Fresh white with contrasting blue (White Chocolate for the walls and Van Courtland Blue for the trim, both by Benjamin Moore) better fit the homeowners’ urban-bohemian style. A solid smoked-walnut wood surround frames the brick fireplace. A furnishings palette of soft blues, grays, purples and browns allows the beautiful blue trim to be the star in the room. Designers Jessica Geller and Virginia Toledo of Toledo Geller custom-designed the three hexagon accent tables.
Photo by Jacob Snavely Photography
On the other side of the room, curtains with an ikat-chevron pattern and toss pillows on the sofa bring in a dose of purple, a favorite color of the wife.
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On the other side of the room, curtains with an ikat-chevron pattern and toss pillows on the sofa bring in a dose of purple, a favorite color of the wife.
See more of this home makeover
Find an interior designer near you
2. Cold Gray to Classy Colors
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: Keith and May Gordon
Location: Boston
Designer: Laura Knight of Colorlk
Before: The living room in this Boston condo had a sterile ambiance and felt disconnected from the outdoors. Homeowner Keith Gordon, a retired real estate developer and contractor, oversaw its renovation, while wife May worked with designer Laura Knight to select the color palette that would become the backdrop for the couple’s collection of art.
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: Keith and May Gordon
Location: Boston
Designer: Laura Knight of Colorlk
Before: The living room in this Boston condo had a sterile ambiance and felt disconnected from the outdoors. Homeowner Keith Gordon, a retired real estate developer and contractor, oversaw its renovation, while wife May worked with designer Laura Knight to select the color palette that would become the backdrop for the couple’s collection of art.
After: The windows offer a stunning view, so the couple oriented their furnishings to take advantage of them.
The city colors outside heavily influenced the interior color palette. Knight and May chose rich matte colors to complement the hues visible from each of the rooms. This room features four paint colors (Gargoyle on the walls, Rockport Gray on the low ceilings, Nimbus on the high ceilings and Winter Snow on the trim, all by Benjamin Moore).
The floors were refinished with a walnut stain.
The city colors outside heavily influenced the interior color palette. Knight and May chose rich matte colors to complement the hues visible from each of the rooms. This room features four paint colors (Gargoyle on the walls, Rockport Gray on the low ceilings, Nimbus on the high ceilings and Winter Snow on the trim, all by Benjamin Moore).
The floors were refinished with a walnut stain.
An oversize earth-tone sectional and bleached-wood coffee table bring casual elegance to the space.
See more of this makeover
Browse sectionals in the Houzz Shop
See more of this makeover
Browse sectionals in the Houzz Shop
3. Dark and Dull to Gallery-Inspired
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Holly Hollenbeck with husband Chris, a daughter and two sons
Location: San Francisco
Before: After 15 years of living in Marin County, designer Holly Hollenbeck and her family — including three children who dance at the San Francisco Ballet School — moved to San Francisco’s Alamo Square. When they purchased the home, the living room had dark blue walls and a ceramic tile fireplace surround.
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Holly Hollenbeck with husband Chris, a daughter and two sons
Location: San Francisco
Before: After 15 years of living in Marin County, designer Holly Hollenbeck and her family — including three children who dance at the San Francisco Ballet School — moved to San Francisco’s Alamo Square. When they purchased the home, the living room had dark blue walls and a ceramic tile fireplace surround.
Photo by Suzanna Scott
Hollenbeck painted the walls off-white to give the room a gallery-like backdrop for her collection of antique portraits. (The portrait on the far left is the one non-antique; it was painted by artist Deborah Oropallo.) Sofas covered in blue velvet and a mirror with a blue glass frame add color, as does the graphic rug.
Hollenbeck painted the walls off-white to give the room a gallery-like backdrop for her collection of antique portraits. (The portrait on the far left is the one non-antique; it was painted by artist Deborah Oropallo.) Sofas covered in blue velvet and a mirror with a blue glass frame add color, as does the graphic rug.
Photo by Suzanna Scott
Hollenbeck got rid of the tile fireplace surround and replaced it with a more traditional wood version.
The brass bar cart is vintage, designed by Milo Baughman.
Read more about this living room makeover
Hollenbeck got rid of the tile fireplace surround and replaced it with a more traditional wood version.
The brass bar cart is vintage, designed by Milo Baughman.
Read more about this living room makeover
4. Bland Beige to Chic Neutral
Family Room at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple
Location: Napa, California
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Kimberley Kay Worswick of Kimberley Kay Interiors
Before: The family room in this Spanish-style home in Napa, California, had beige walls, and while in this photo the doors are open to let in light, the homeowners found the space too dark when the doors were closed. This shot shows the previous homeowners’ furniture, which designer Kimberley Kay Worswick found too small for the expansive scale of the room.
Family Room at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple
Location: Napa, California
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Kimberley Kay Worswick of Kimberley Kay Interiors
Before: The family room in this Spanish-style home in Napa, California, had beige walls, and while in this photo the doors are open to let in light, the homeowners found the space too dark when the doors were closed. This shot shows the previous homeowners’ furniture, which designer Kimberley Kay Worswick found too small for the expansive scale of the room.
Photo by Vivian Johnson Photography
After: A new wall paint color (Alabaster in flat sheen, Sherwin-Williams) and light fixtures brighten up the space. A large sectional better fits the scale of the room, as well as the homeowners’ love of entertaining. The large chandelier adds a rustic touch and serves as a dark focal point against the room’s lighter finishes.
After: A new wall paint color (Alabaster in flat sheen, Sherwin-Williams) and light fixtures brighten up the space. A large sectional better fits the scale of the room, as well as the homeowners’ love of entertaining. The large chandelier adds a rustic touch and serves as a dark focal point against the room’s lighter finishes.
Photo by Vivian Johnson Photography
Worswick arranged some simple outdoor lanterns in the art niches. They have flameless LED candles to prevent fire risk.
The foreground of this photo gives a glimpse of two leather chaise lounges that provide more seating options.
Find lanterns in the Houzz Shop
Read more about this makeover
Worswick arranged some simple outdoor lanterns in the art niches. They have flameless LED candles to prevent fire risk.
The foreground of this photo gives a glimpse of two leather chaise lounges that provide more seating options.
Find lanterns in the Houzz Shop
Read more about this makeover
5. Divided Space to Open Flow
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: Courtney and Brendan Meyer with their son, Owen, and their cats
Location: Hadley, Massachusetts
Architect: Lynn Posner Rice
Before: Prior to the remodel, the area that’s now the living room and dining room was closed off from the rest of the downstairs.
Living Room at a Glance
Who lives here: Courtney and Brendan Meyer with their son, Owen, and their cats
Location: Hadley, Massachusetts
Architect: Lynn Posner Rice
Before: Prior to the remodel, the area that’s now the living room and dining room was closed off from the rest of the downstairs.
After: Removing the walls on the home’s first floor created an open layout. (To compare the spaces before and after, look at the ceiling line in this photo and the previous one.) The kitchen now flows into the dining room, which flows into the living area seen in the background of this photo, where the beautiful fireplace now is.
The living-dining area has become one of the family’s favorite hangout spots.
The living-dining area has become one of the family’s favorite hangout spots.
New floor-to-ceiling windows bring warm light into the living area and help nurture the room’s multiple houseplants. Contemporary furnishings also add life to the space.
General contractor: John Sackrey of Sackrey Construction
Read more about this living room makeover
More on Houzz
Before and After: 5 Inviting Living Room Makeovers
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General contractor: John Sackrey of Sackrey Construction
Read more about this living room makeover
More on Houzz
Before and After: 5 Inviting Living Room Makeovers
New to Houzz? Here’s how to create and use ideabooks
Find a pro
Shop for products
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Nothing really new in any of these designs. The large sectional in # 2 appears to need something on the backside that you see as you enter the space???
I thought #2 was spare in decorations because it was MCM or minimalist style. None of them look like a family home to me, but then that's true of any room staged for photos or selling.
Number 5 changed to an elegant , lovely space ! The rest appear to be trying too hard.