Family Room - Needs Color and Personality
newtexasmom
Hi,Its been a year since we moved into our new home. But couldn't do any of decoration projects as we were tight on budget and also i was busy with my little one. Now that i am finding time to take up small projects one by one and collecting ideas from people here, i would like to show some pictures of our family room to see how i can get some color, design and personality into the room.I don't want to over crowd the room with lot of furniture as i need room for my kids (4 & 1) to move around. Also, my main tasks is to get thehigh ceilings decorated. Here are some pictures.As you can see the last 2 pictures here are the recent ones where we added a tapestry(Authentic Indian with bead work and embroiderry) on the center wall next to the fireplace. You can check out the site at www.novahaat.comAlso the wall in the back of the family room/or hall way has been re-decorated with some nice doll collection made from a particular ancient art called KONDAPALLI BOMMALU (Wooden toys) which are again from India.I might change the iron candle wall holder from there as it doesn't go with the theme and i have nice wall prints of some village folk art which i intende to put in frames in that place to complete the look and theme.Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
catwoman708
My first thoughts: The only things that stand out in the room are the area rug and the item over the mantle (and it seems out of balance). Nothing else in the room really stands out, and everything is getting "lost". In a large room with tall ceilings and walls, things you put on the wall need to be large and bold, easily seen from across the room. Most of the items you have up are items that need to be viewed from up close to see all the interesting details.The furniture looks cozy, but the color is bland and blends into the room/walls. You need some overall color and boldness. I'd suggest a coat of paint. Any color, even a neutral like beige or khaki would add a little life. You might try using some of the colors from the area rug for the walls, throw pillows, and window treatments. Then I would pull the furniture into a cozier group or "L" shape around the fireplace, but where you can still see the TV. And the TV looks small and lonesome. If you can afford a large bold TV armoire it would add a lot of "drama" and interest to that wall, and give you extra storage. You could put a decorative item or silk greenery on top of the armoire to add height to the room. (And why is the coffee table sitting by itself in the corner? Put it in front of the sofa, in line with the fireplace, and put one large item on it that your little ones can't harm, like a huge, colorful, 3 wick candle on a charger plate.)The low, wide, rectangular art you have over the fireplace mantle is nice, but doesn't work there, it draws the eye down and side to side, making the area appear "squatty" and out of balance. A tall rectangular piece of art or a framed mirror would be more in balance (or the beaded Indian wall hanging) and draw the eye up and out, in keeping with the armoire height. I'm not sure what is on the mantle, it is too small to see in the picture or from across the room. Something bolder and more defined might work better, possible large heavy candle sticks with colorful candles, a bold floral arrangement, a beautiful, colorful vase, or piece of sculpture.The items that have a lot of small detail need to be in a smaller room or hallway, where people can be up close to them. The dolls are lovely, but you just can't see them. I'd move them to a bedroom, hallway, or a little nook, where people can walk up to them to see the detail.You need to accentuate the windows with something, even a sheer swag over the top, with a decorative rod or hooks. Then maybe some silk greenery or "sun catchers" in the windows up high. Once you get a coat of paint on the walls, the furniture arrangement more "pulled together", a taller armoire, and tall, bold painting or mirror over the mantle, the room will start to take shape, even if you don't have much on the walls. Then you can add more artwork and decorative items as you find them, or as you can afford them. So far your shopping list:Paint.An armoire for the TV.Large, bold artwork and/or mirror(s).Misc. decorative items like silk greenery and floral, large candles, something bold for the mantle.Window treatments.
newtexasmom
Hi,Thanks for your suggestions. I do think you are correct about the TV and i need to get some kind of Armoire or entertainment center for it.But the room is only 18X20 and it doesn't look so huge even though it has nice open high ceilings.I can clearly see the Tapestry and the pieces over the mantle when i sit in the room or across from my kitchen and breakfast area. I have 2 tall candle holders and 2 brass vases on the mantel.My only confusion is, you say the rectangular piece of art on the mantel doesn't work there. But the tall tapestry won't fit it the space as you can see from the 3rd picture that the balcony of the top floor kind of narrows the width of the wall above the mantel. This piece that i have actually fits well as it will become too small to be hung on the wall where i currently have the tapestry.The dolls on the back wall are in a hallway.So when ever people walk in from entry hallway to the kitchen or family room they can view them upfront very closely. I do not have a separate living room to entertain guests formally. I did put some pillows with the covers matching colors from the area rug in all of them.So, that part is taken care of now. And i also moved the coffee table to the center.So, i think now the empty space next to the wall where the TV stands now is the big issue which has to be filled with nice unit to hold it.Any suggestions as to where i can find some nice & cheap armories / entertainment centers?Also, i am looking for some nice display on this unit as i have lots of picture frames to display of my family.Thanks anyway for all your helpful ideas.
catwoman708
Over the mantle: I guess I couldn't tell from the pictures how much space you have (height) over the mantle. What you have there now stands out well, but seems out of scale (ratio of size and shape to it's surroundings). Something a little taller and not as wide would look more in scale and balance to the mantle. The items on the mantle appear too cluttered, especially when lined up in a row. Less items that stand out might have a more dramatic presentation and look less distracting. I can't quite tell what they are from the picture, silk flowers, figurines, candles? It may be obvious to you because you see them everyday, but if I can't tell from a picture, then it may be hard for visitors to tell from across the room. When you have items you love, especially if they have sentimental value, it is very hard to view/judge objectively how they look to others. Armoire: You might find something fairly cheap at Wal-Mart or Target, or a used furniture store. If you have a Hobby Lobby in your area, they often have a few interesting furniture pieces. A large entertainment center would work just as well, and they can be found anywhere. The bare spot to the left of the fireplace: Once you get an armoire or entertainment center in there and decorated, the bare spot won't look nearly so bare. Not every bare spot needs to be filled with stuff. To make the room appear larger, fewer pieces but in a larger scale is usually the key. Don't overcrowd the room with smaller stuff (also makes it easier to clean and keep clutter free). Instead of several smaller pieces of furniture or artwork, one larger, dramatic piece draws the eye and gives the appearance of more space surrounding it. If not, the eye gets distracted by clutter or too much detail, making it appear crowded or "busy", instead of flowing smoothly around the room with a natural rhythm.If it still looks to bare for you, the standard fix is a 6' ficus tree (real or silk), or a tall basket or pot at least 3 to 4 feet tall (can be filled with large dried stalks or decorative sticks if it needs it). You could also hang a collage of the family photos on the wall between the TV and fireplace, or get one of those folding screens that hold photos (if your little ones won't accidentally knock it over).
newtexasmom
Hi,Thanks so much for your clarification. It helps me now in getting a better idea of the things that i need to look for. I hope to send you the re-decorated pictures soon though i doubt if i have the budget to paint the whole family room now.Thanks
ju-ju
If I were you, I'd first decide on a color scheme. I personally think that neutral shades on the walls are usually best. You may want to consider painting your fireplace wall a shade or 2 darker than the rest of the walls to add a little drama and focus to it. I would also consider the option of adding to your fireplace surround with more wood and mouldings to make it more substantial and in better scale to the rest of your room as it feels alittle small in that big open space. And I would keep the small knick knacks to a minimum. Groupings of three like items are always better than clusters of stuff. And it means less dusting! Your ceilings seem to be high, so why not use those high floating windows to your advantage? Window treatments that start at the higher set of windows and flow all the way down could be fabulous, and window treatments are a great way to add some fabric, color and warmth. You already have some pieces with red. Why not add red with the window treatments? And to more throw pillows too. Look at the unfinished furniture store for an armoire (or entertainment center) that you can either finish yourself (stained to match the other darker wood tomes) or have them finish for you (usually for a relatively small fee) or even visit an ikea store or catalog. These pieces will be a better quality than something you can get at target or wal-mart. You might want to consider some larger wall art. You mentioned that you have some prints. Did you know that you can actually have them enlarged at the local copier center if they are too small. Art work is a very personal decision, so, I would make sure that the pieces are large enough for your room so they don't look lost on the walls or out of proportion with the larger pieces. And larger pieces also means you have less items to hang! You might consider adding an interesting bureau to the empty wall. It may sound odd, but, trust me a pretty piece (look for something a special in an antique, used furniture, unfinished furniture shop, a flea market, or even yard sale) offers ample storage (for games, toys, dvd's, cd's etc.) and another surface to display you interesting items. I notice an absence of any lighting other than the overhead fan. I would definitely add some table and/or floor lamps. They will instantly make your room feel cozier and more personal. Not to mention that you and everything else looks better in a lower placed light source! I know that you want a child friendly home (as do all of us with small children), but the furniture placement needs to work for you too. I would definitely relocate the coffee table to it's intended spot where you can use it. The kids will play on it, under it and around it...don't worry about that!
newtexasmom
Hi,Do you know of any window films that i can use to cover the 2 upper level windows instead of using blinds? I think blinds on the top kind of ruin the whole look.I am looking for something which will stop the sunlight and at the same time look nice but will not ruin my view outside.ThanksPavani
catwoman708
They make these stick-on clear plastic widow decorations that look like stained glass. It comes in a roll that looks like a roll of wrapping paper, you cut to fit, peel off the back, and stick it on the window. You can get them at Lowe's or Home Depot. They have a stained glass look, clouds, and several floral designs, but there is not a big selection on size.
deferredguy
Most craft stores also have colored cellophane. Michael's is in the gift wrap area. might get brittle after a while, but should be cheap enough not to cost too much to replace. I agree with the different color of wall paint. What's that in your last pic? It looks like some kind of iron grate. I can't tell if the back ground is white or if it's the wall showing through. Same question for that wall object in pics #1 and #3. Or is your flash disrupting the wall color? Sorry, it's just hard to tell...
Jetcola
Hi Busy Mom,If I were you, and I was (just re-did my fam. room too), I would move the furniture in closer to the fireplace, maybe turn that rug at the other angle...with the couch facing the fireplace, (oh and use your coffee table in front of your couch with an indian pot on it) put other pieces facing tv and you do need something great to put the tv on, something big. Love the indian theme, is that a 'working' fireplace. If not, you can take off the screen and put some big clay or brass pots inside, if it's working put them on the outside with big exotic fern or flowers. Paint will do you wonders. I bet a rich gold color would look great with a new indian themed border. Just a start.
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