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How to Nest for Less™

Parents’ Family Room Makeover

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I have to say this is one of my favorite makeovers to date. My parents left for a week in Jamaica to celebrate their anniversary and I completed the room transformation in just 7 days. I’m basically the best daughter ever, right?

So let me back up a bit… My parents’ family room is really more like a den. It’s a smaller room off the kitchen with dark built-ins and wood trim. And plaid couches. Yes, amazingly awesome blue and yellow plaid couches.

old family room parentsOh, and did I mention the yellow flowered chair? Yep, now you can see why my mom asked me to help with a makeover. Here’s another shot of the fabulous plaid couches and yellow tables…

OLD PLAID COUCHESSo my parents’ only request in this room makeover was to keep the bookshelves natural wood. While 3 different interior designers suggested we paint them bright white, I was 100% fine with keeping the bookshelves dark (which is why I ultimately was given the green light to makeover this space myself over the designers!).

So here’s what the room looks like today…

family room parent makeoverThe biggest thing that helped brighten the room was actually a minor adjustment: taking off the middle doors from the built-ins. The doors were shutter-style and made the wall seem much darker. Plus now we’re able to have 2 more shelves on each side to spread out their overgrown book collection of literary classics, Lance Armstrong biographies, romance novels, and popular diet fad books from the 80s.

Even though we kept the built-ins dark, I wasn’t afraid to chose navy blue couches for the family room. The white walls and creamy yellow carpet really balance the space.

family room blue yellow makeoverSince we chose a smaller couch and loveseat, we were also able to squeeze in an extra chair in the corner near their french doors.

family room parents houseLove the nailhead trim on this piece, not to mention the yellow, green, and blue striped fabric. My parents’ house is very colorful so this was an upscale way to infuse her color scheme.

family room chair makeoverI purchased some new tables for the room as well from the local big box store Weekends Only. I seriously searched high and low for the perfect tables and then found this set: coffee table and two end tables for $195. And the wood pretty much matches perfectly.

family room navy couches
family room navy yellow makeover
family room den makeoverIt was a lot of fun styling these bookcases. I organized the books by the Dewey Decimal System… just joking. I just categorized them like any normal human. I also added 2 baskets on each side for extra storage of odds and ends.

family room built in bookshelvesI also added a bunch of personal touches. Lots of family photos and awesome bicycle bookends that I found on Amazon. Told you my dad had a thing for Lance Armstrong. My mom also has a lot of blue Spode blue dishes in her adjoining kitchen so I carried that into their family room design.

family room bookshelvesI even cleaned out their lower cabinets for them (yeah, I’m pretty much the best kid ever). I used baskets from Spectrum Diversified Designs, Inc., the same ones I used in my coat closet makeover. LOVE them. Now all of the grandkids’ toys are organized.

family room storage ideasOn the mantel is an old painting that my parents have had for years (use what you have, right?). I evened out the rest of the fireplace mantel with two large plants and blue ceramic lamps I found on clearance at TJ Maxx.

family room brick fireplaceIt’s funny, when the shutter doors were on the bookshelves you couldn’t see that there were outlets back there. For the lamps we just drilled little holes in the side of the bookshelves for the plugs to fit through. Since their home is older and doesn’t have a ceiling light, these lamps really helps brighten up the space.

On the right side of the built-ins sits a new upholstered chair. LOVE this medallion fabric. All the furniture is from a local STL store called Carol House. You basically pick the style of furniture and the fabric, then it takes about 8-10 weeks to come in.

family room denThis chair is super comfortable and the perfect place for Papa to sit with the grandkids and read books.

family room medallion chairOn the right side of the room sits the navy loveseat with yellow accent pillows. There’s a subtle pattern on the pillows, just hard to see from far away!

moms family room makeover
family room makeoverWe also added a deep bin from TJ Maxx to store more toys. Yes, the grandkids have taken over. But as I’ve mentioned before we have Sunday dinners over here almost weekly and we need to keep them entertained.

family room navy furnitureI added two little storage ottomans from Overstock on either side of the fireplace for extra seating. We just pull them down as we need them. I also covered up that old brass fireplace surround with a floral screen. Yeah, that brass fireplace is a project for another day…

family room parent makeoverWe still have a couple updates we’d like to make:

• brass fireplace surround
• new corner TV stand
• plantation shutters

But for now I’m so happy with how this makeover turned out! And I’m glad we listened to our gut and didn’t paint the woodwork or the brick. It works with my parents’ style and the end result looks amazing… well, at least in my own opinion 😉

FAMILY ROOM MAKEOVER

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Comments

  1. Annie says

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    Casual, colorful and comfortable…love it Erin! I am laughing about the brass fireplace. That project has been on my mind for ages……

    Annie

    • howtonestforless says

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      My mom texted me on Monday night and sent me a photo of her fireplace… she ripped off the brass surround! Guess it’s been on her mind for ages too 😉 Guess I have a new project for this weekend!

  2. Jenny says

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    It looks great! LOL at the Dewey decimal system. You had me there for a moment!

    • howtonestforless says

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      LOL! 😉

  3. Tina says

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    Looks Great! Love the chair from Carol House!

    • howtonestforless says

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      Thanks!

  4. Debbie says

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    I think you did a great job! It looks good.

    • howtonestforless says

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      Thanks Debbie!

  5. Denise says

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    You did a great job! Love everything except…….that table with the scalloped trim, did you get rid of it? I so want that in my cottagey-farmhouse. I don’t like the coffee table or end tables. Just personal like/dislike. Really love that occasional chair and fireplace screen and the blue/white china. I collect that. Need to stop, running out of space…..

    Yeah, seems like everyone paints the wood white now. I did too, and some of it I regret. Though I did leave the heart pine paneling alone~~

    • howtonestforless says

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      My sister is using the yellow tables in her new home so they are at least getting a new home!

  6. Debra Barton says

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    Love this make-over , because it REAL! Using things that are already there and incorporating new stuff to the room. Not everyone can afford a complete make-over and I for one don’t want to get rid of things that are meaningful to me and still purposeful! I too like the wood and glad you kept that!

    • howtonestforless says

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      Thank you!!

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