To give a family room an easy update I changed the layout of the furniture, put in a new carpet under the rug, painted the walls, fireplace, backs of the bookcases and recovered a sofa that had been in another room. I had the outdated attached fireplace screen removed as well. The family has two young boys so the room needed to be comfortable and still have plenty of space on the floor for the boys to play. The boys are now sharing a bedroom and one room is now a play room where all the toys went. Here’s the before:
The paint on the walls is Benjamin Moore Pale Smoke and the color on the backs of the bookcases is Benjamin Moore Slate Blue . Here’s the after:
We moved the treadmill upstairs and brought in their piano.
They are happy and I love how painting the fireplace turned out too.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I remember those years, when my family room and kitchen were overrun with toys. It was a very good day when my youngest was a bit older, and I could consolidate all of the toys in the upstairs playroom! We are now entering a different phase, and the large plastic toys are slowly being given away.
Wonderful job on the family room – I always love seeing a piano in a home, so this made me smile. I love the brick with its coat of fresh paint.
HUGE difference! love it!
Oh, my, what a difference!
I think every family battles the “plastic toy take over” at one time or another.
Painting the brick really unified that wall. I love the paint colors you selected.
Great job Laura!
xo
Brooke
Laura, NIce changes, and still very family friendly and comfortable!
Wish you could come work your magic at my house!
Yeah! They are lucky to have you Laura! The fireplace turned out great and the family now has a very nice conversation area! (And that is when people don’t want to leave). Bravo! And happy week, girlie! OX Mon
Laura, Love the way the room looks now. Isn’t it amazing how a few changes can make such a big difference! Painting the brick was one of the best things I did in the house we lived in when our girls were younger – we had a very similar looking room, too, full of toys and the stuff of daily life. The whole room looks just beautiful!
I love how you painted the walls and fireplace. The piano a great swap for the treadmill too. The furniture now highlights the lovely fireplace and bookcases.
Nicely done!!!
xo,
cristin
The new room looks lovely.
oh my gosh, what a difference!! Painting the fireplace saved the room, but everything you did is lovely. And now the Kyle painting is perfect, where before it was lost in all that brick!
Looks great! Any tips for painting the fireplace? I would love to do the same thing in our family room!
Looks fantastic!
pve
Great Job ,Laura.
What a difference.
X
V
How can I convince my husband I should paint the fireplace?
Hi Laura! You certainly updated and transformed the room for this family. I never would have thought to paint the fireplace surround that color, but it works. The furniture layout is so much better to. Thank goodness for interior designers!
Great job! Love the white on the fireplace and the paint on the back of the bookshelves.
Laura, I have the same hideous eye-sore of a brass fireplace screen, did you remove it yourself? Was it hard to do? Have hated it since the day we moved in…. Also, would love any brick-painting tips you can share.
This is beautiful! What a nice job you did!
Tricia – Avolli
Love it! thinking of using pale smoke. Does it have any little bit of green in it? I don’t want just a gray-blue. Looking for a gray-blue with just a hint of green but those like Quiet Moments have a little too much green for me.