A Look Back: The Family Room

The Family Room.  It deserves it's own post.

I don't pretend to think this is a glamorous or perfectly designed room, but it is my favorite room.  It's where we cuddle as a family and relax; it's comfy and warm.  If only the name could stick!

I grew up with a Living Room and a Family Room.  Brook grew up with a Living Room and a TV Room.  So, the name is interchangeable here.  If I say for instance, "Go check the family room,"  they say "huh?"  Then, I'm forced to say, "You know...the TV Room."  Then Brook does a fist pump and we add a tally to the TV Room column on our mental score sheet.  Don't even mention the Dining Room.  They get so confused.

Here's a picture of the Family Room from the house listing:

This room like every where else received the royal treatment.  New windows, new carpet, new baseboards, paint, updated electrical, window treatments and light fixture.

And now for some satisfying before and afters:

Family Room Before

AFTER

I attacked that brick with paint so fast.  It was very red in person and very, very dirty.  I could see no other way around it.  I also had some great inspiration photos here and here that led me to think that painting it was the best option.  Now, I think that it was a little hasty.  A lot of my decisions were hasty.  I guess that's just part of learning.  But, I do wish I had lived with the brick just a little while.  I may have still come to the conclusion to paint it, but it's better being sure.

Fireplace Before

You can see in the picture above a black box sitting on the hearth.  It was a blower connected to an even larger big metal contraption inside the fireplace.  You could drag the black cord across to the wall and plug it in when burning a fire and it blows hot air into the room.  UG-A-LY.  I jumped for joy when Brook took it apart and removed it from my life.

AFTER

We had a lot of funny outlet issues in this room.  You can see below two off-white outlets just above the brown baseboard.  They had outlets in the oddest places.  Brook moved them and patched the holes so we could install taller baseboards without interfering.  Can you see why I was so eager to move on the renovations??

Facing Kitchen

AFTER

Facing Backdoor

AFTER

One of my favorite things in the room is the ceiling beams.

Cleaning, yes.  Painting, double yes.  Decorating...not so much.
I'm totally crippled when it comes to adding touches and hanging art.
The big round mirror is all I've managed to do above the mantel.

And Brook assures me each and every time I ask, that yes, we do need a fireplace cover for heat loss purposes.  But a new fireplace cover can run $300-400, and that's a modestly priced one.  I don't want to spray paint it; too many working parts. So, I'm looking into products that I can apply to the metal to give it a new finish. Next week is Spring Break for Brook so you never know what crazy things can happen around here when I get a hold of his free time.

And just because it's such a long post, here's another before and after.

Family Room Before

AFTER