OUR FAMILY ROOM MAKE-OVER PLANS

First I'd like to explain to you what I've tried to do in this family room. My idea, was to decorate this room using a more masculine theme. My husband had recently retired and I wanted to create a room that would feel comfortable to him, but still adding a few of the things that meant something to me. I think I've succeeded because he spends an awful lot of time in there. But the time has come to spruce things up and change some of the colors, especially the walls and drapes. Below are the fabrics I've chosen for drapes and I'll also make some new pillows to replace those out- dated ones that we use now.


This first fabric, that I've chosen, is part of the Ralph Lauren Collection, from Calico Corners, and is called Moghul Paisley Champagne. I believe this will look great with all the pieces that will stay in our room and add a great deal to the decorating pallet. I intend to use the lightest gold, from this fabric, as the new wall color. Lauren's fabric, called Leopard Sand, is what I would like to use for trim on my new drapes. It will also go well with the pillows and throws that I already have in the room.

I keep ' my own' decorating books with swatches and pictures of everything I use when decorating a room. This is what I have, in my book, for our family room. I've added the little notes to show what is staying and what I intend to replace.

Shown here, is what our leather, sofa and love seat look like. Pictured is only the love seat, but the sofa is the same only bigger. They have served us well, but it's time for them to be spruced up.

My favorite chair......Sitting on it is like sinking down into butter. ;) On a cold, snowy, winter night, sitting in this chair, next to the fire, cuddled up under the Leopard throw, is the best seat in the house.

We use this trunk as our coffee table. It takes a lot of abuse and I've been thinking about painting it, and getting glass for the top. It's been very hard to clean. It's something I'll have to give some more thought.

I wanted to add a little of me to this room too, so I let my love for HORSES and COLLIES become a part of this room, as you can see in the next three pictures. I'm afraid the fireplace has been totally taken over by my favorites.

Love. love, love this picture, it's called THE COURTSHIP, and only cost me $8.88 many years ago. I bought it at a store that was going out of business.

This is a favorite grouping, but it's not showing up very well in this picture. The chess set was made by me for my husband, the Collie puppy below was stitched for me, by one of the crafters that made things for my boutique, the two prints are by artist Cindy Alverado, she is so good, the sconce/ shelf was made by another of my crafters, out of 100 year old barn wood, that came from his barn and the tri Collie was a gift from a friend. So many good memories. :)

Although I have some of the drapes taken down for the summer, you can still see the fabric that is being used for the drapes at present. As for the lamp, I am so proud of the deal I got on eBay, but that's a very long story that I won't get into now.

Both the green, leather sofa and love seat look like this. We always wanted a Chesterfield sofa, that was until we had them for a few years and found out just how much 'stuff' can get into all of that tufting. It constantly has to be cleaned out and we've even had buttons come loose and had to send for a tool to fix them. Our plan is to have ONLY the tufted areas re-upholstered in a smoother finish, keeping the bench, style seating, which we like.

Although I would love to have Lauren's Cambrook Houndstooth upholstery fabric, that I saw in his collection, to use on our sofa and love seat, the fabric I've chosen is similar, but a larger pattern, with the same colors, however a lot less money, and I feel that is will work just as well.
I hope that this post gives you an idea of what the room looks like now, and what fresh, new look I hope to bring to the room.