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Jen & Joey’s Design Dilemma

Posted by
June 9, 2009

Jen and Joey have saved their pennies to really go all out when it comes to redoing their spacious family room (which just happens to have a built-in bar and fish tank in the wall). Talk about raw potential. Here’s their letter:

We need your help with our large family room! We love Frank Lloyd Wright and it’s hard to put our taste into a category, but here’s what we don’t like: floral, clutter, overly modern, overly traditional. What we’re looking for is a great room that looks nice, but you’re not afraid to plop down on the couch and put your feet up. We love to entertain and everyone congregates in the kitchen but we need a place to move the party when its time to wind down & relax. The British Tan paint is throughout the house. We plan to purchase one or two wall mounted TV’s for this room with one or more seating areas. The fish tank in the wall is visible on the other side from the dining room and it must stay (the trim can be changed or painted). If the game table in front of the tank stays, it will need a chess or checkers set. The last little item: the bar. What can we do? The counter top ties into the trim in the kitchen, but the black/silver metal on the front has to go. What about tacking fabric to the underside of the edge? We have 3 ceiling boxes for pendant lights above the bar. We saved up to really redo these rooms right, so we’d love to spend a good amount of money and do things that will be long-lasting (i.e. invest in quality pieces). Thanks! -Jen & Joey

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This space is primed for a major makeover. Here’s the plan:

New Traditional Great Room

And now for the mood board breakdown.

1. This color scheme is warm, welcoming and neutral with rich chocolate brown furnishings, varying tones of tan in the rug and the sectional, and pops of punchy green (inspired by the chairs in the entryway). As for the new furniture arrangement, the sectional will be floated in the room so that one side of it faces that gorgeous wall of windows while the other part of the L-shaped seating area faces the left wall (which is where Jen and Joey will be mounting a large flat screen TV). We’ll then place a large area rug underneath it to instantly ground the floating seating area, and bring in a coffee table and a console table to add even more function and style from every angle.

A long low media cabinet will then anchor the large floating flatscreen TV that will be mounted on the wall, and a tall matching hutch will be added to the left of the bar as you face it for more beverage storage and chic display space. We’ll then bring in two matching bar-height tables to sit along the wall with the built-in fish tank for added entertaining space (they’ll multifunction as a place to set out snacks, play games, sit and chat, etc). We’ll then hang two long white floating shelves on top of each other to the left of the fish tank (about a foot apart from each other) to fill in that space and create a spot to display vases, lean pictures, and place candles holders for added ambiance. Then we’d love to see Jen and Joey paint the wood framing around the fish tank in a crisp white tone so it works seamlessly with the new floating shelves that will complete that wall (and tie in with the white-topped bar tables).

2. These breezy semi-sheer soft green curtains will look stunning when they’re hung high and wide (so as not to block any light) on the large bay of windows and doors at the end of the room to frame that amazing view and draw the eye to the greenery outside. And while we talking about the window wall, painting the white soffit in the same tan tone as the walls will add even more height and cohesion to the space.

3. Here’s the aforementioned bar-height table & chair set that we’d like to see repeated twice on the wall with the built-in fish tank to provide a space to chat, play games, and even set out food when Jen and Joey are entertaining. By placing two of them on the long wall it will really fill the space and create lots of eye-pleasing balance. And hanging two of these white floating shelves from Ikea on top of each other on the wall (about a foot apart) will fill out the rest of the wall not taken up by the fish tank while tying in with the white-topped tables below.

4. These two items will transform that bar in a flash. We love Jen and Joey’s idea to drape fabric around the bar under the lip of the counter to the floor to update it in an instant (it can even be mounted with heavy-duty velcro so it can be removed and laundered occasionally). We love this indoor/outdoor fabric from Waverly for the cheerful pattern, punch of green, and the durability (it will really hold up to drinks and things since it’s an indoor/outdoor material). We also think that although the bar ceiling is wired for three pendants, switching them out for one long showstopper of a fixture (like this amazing crystal linear chandelier) will add so much drama and style to the entire bar area.

5. And speaking of the bar area, this handsome wooden hutch will add function and interest to the empty wall to the left of the bar (as you face it) and will amp up the “entertaining” vibe with bar accessories, beverages, highball glasses and other drink-related paraphernalia on display.

6. To balance the piece by the bar, this similarly toned dark wood media cabinet will anchor the flatscreen TV that will float on the wall to the left of the large windows/doors across from the sectional for easy viewing.

7. This textural and chic square woven ottoman will slip right in front of the L shaped sectional to further ground the seating area (along with that fabulous rug) and add function and movement to the entire space.

8. This happy green arc lamp works beautifully with our color scheme and will add even more inviting ambiance if it’s placed in the corner to the left of the windows/doors so that it arches over the seating area.

9. This dark bronze mirror has an antique looking patina that will add an old-world touch to the room (and balance out the modern arc lamp for a truly mixed and matched aesthetic). We’d love to see it leaning on the middle of the left wall, centered between the TV and the bar.

10. These plush pillows are even more gorgeous in person. The citrus green tone and the braided jute border will make them fit in seamlessly with everything from the woven coffee table to the green-skirted bar. And snatching up around 5 of them will really break up all the tan in the sectional and instantly look casual and cool.

11. Here are the rest of the items that will make up our cozy seating zone. Our 10 x 14′ rug will add rich tones to balance the crisp pops of green and ground the entire floating seating area so it instantly becomes a room within a room. Our oversized sectional will make entertaining a breeze and accommodate a bunch of people (all while feeling in-proportion to the large room where a smaller sofa might not). And this substantial yet airy console table (with clean lines that relate to all the other furnishings in the space) will add polish and interest when it’s placed against the back of the sectional that faces the TV- plus it’s another place to set down a drink and display some stylish green, cream, tan, white or brown accessories.

Oh and we can’t forget the chess set for the new multifunctional bar-height tables. Setting a sleek white and green onyx chess set on one of them will definitely beckon guests to play.

So there you have it. A grand family room full of welcoming, chic and layered style. We can’t wait to see what you guys think- especially you Jen and Joey!

Update: We sadly can no longer find the time to take on client commissioned mood boards (we now whip up general inspiration boards instead) but if we ever reinstate them we’ll make a big announcement!

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