Family Room

So our family room started off with a couch (or two, depending) and the television.  It was my sister Lisa who suggested I switch the furniture from my living room to my family and I LOVE it.  My family room is the best day time room.

It has a beautiful view of the mountains and backyard and it's sunny and open.  The living room is just better for night when you can have a big(ger) fire and get cozy on the couch and watch a show. Before the big switch I always stressed over how to get people to use the living room.  It was a big room and it just sorta sat there and looked pretty (sometimes).  Now we probably don't use our family room as much but on a Saturday morning when we have time to sit and enjoy our cup-o-joe, it's wonderful.....especially when we have weekend guests.  We put the piano where the television used to be and it's wonderful to listen to my kids play instead of having a big ugly TV staring at you.  Above my piano hangs a guitar.  I can play one song.....kind of.  But I enjoy having it available to visiting musicians. The painting over the fireplace is one I painted while in the Fine Arts department at Sonoma State University.  The green curtains are from Anthropologie.  The orange pillows were a dollar each at at garage sale and the bright colored throw over the brown chair was my Great Aunt Mildred's.  It was the one thing I asked for when she died and it helps keep her in my thoughts.  I used to have a small coffee in here but recently replaced it with the ottomans.  This makes it easier to wrestle on the rug.

Three-point-O loves the train table that Dan built for him last Christmas (mimicking the design of Pottery Barn).  It lives in the space between (cue Dave Matthews) the kitchen and the family room.

You can see our color coded book shelf which has really encouraged good reading habits.  I love my green pottery barn chairs, mostly because I bought them 75% off since they were floor models.  The lighter printed one is totally faded, but in an even amount.  Just don't turn over the cushion.  It actually matches my bedroom duvet, or it would have if it wasn't 27 shades lighter.  Our floor rug is two pieces of white shag that were professionally attached and then bound.  There is a cushion carpet pad that is a foot smaller underneath so the whole thing is very plush.  The man at the carpet store said it was completely stain resistant.  WTH does this mean?  I will tell you it has spots all over it that I am visualizing being removed completely when the carpet cleaners visit next month.  I would still choose this color.  It really looks great and balances my white cabinets in the kitchen.

Re-evaluate the way you currently use your home.  Are there areas/rooms you especially like but don't use?   Switch it up!

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