There’s a reason it’s called the family room, it’s where the family gathers together. The Kitchen might be heart of the home, but the family room is the second heart (or in chakra speak, the high heart). This room is where all the cuddle sessions happy, where dinner parties end, and where you head to after a long day when you just need to sit back and relax.
In every type of design we think that it’s about looks first and function second. But in the end, that’s poor design. Function always comes first. Whether you’re designing an advertisement or a room, the intention behind the room has to come first, always!
In the family room, having space for guests of all ages, with room to move and mingle was important. At the same time, it’s just me and my husband in this house right now so feeling cozy on the couch while we watch “Is it Cake?,” was also important.
While a low squishy couch that made you feel like you were wrapped in a cloud appealed to me and my boho tastes I knew that my parents would never be able to get off the couch. Heck, we wouldn’t ever be able to get off the couch. Instead, we opted for a firm couch in a bold color that would still make a statement. (It’s still a super comfortable couch and it’s shape makes every way you sit on it comfortable.)
As an artist, I’m not afraid of color and usually have to slow myself down. Our home is filled with color in every room. Blues, neutral greens and burnt orange are the most used colors with accents of yellows and pinks in some rooms. For this room, we already had an amazing vintage rug that we were gifted from a friend moving. The colors and design give the feeling of a Persian style without the cost. I pulled the blue from the rug to use on the couch. We had considered going red but decided it would blend in too much with the warm woods and the red in the rug and that blue would give a real pop to the room.
When deciding on wall colors I had to be intentional. Our ceilings are low, only 8-feet tall. This house was built in the 60’s so it has it’s Leave it to Beaver charms but that also puts a lot of constraints on design especially with today’s trends of high ceilings, big windows and everything being white.
I chose a white that leaned warmed–Night Blooming Jasmine–to brighten up the space and give it clean lines. You can’t image how much more light this added in a room that faces west and is covered by a big tree in the front yard. But I didn’t want to stop there, I’m an artist remember? I wanted to have another show stopper element in the room that still blended in with everything else. Insert color blocking arch.
I’ve seen these in other homes and loved creating one myself. (With just a string, thumbtack and some painters tape.) I centered it on the wall even though the couch is off-center of the wall. It made for some finagling with the hung pictures but in the end I love the Asymmetry it creates and balances the room with the window centered on the other side.
I took the color that our front door is painted–Moroccan Sky–and used that for this arch. It pulls elements from the foyer into the room while keeping everything warm and fresh. It also matches the rug and other textiles I’ve added to the room before we made these design updates.
The secret to great design is to know that it’s never ending. I would love to update our coffee table at some point, re-design what’s on the bookshelves, and reupholster the chair that was my grandmothers. But for now, this room hit all our designer goals–a place to rest after a long week, a place to gather with friends and family, and the dogs favorite corner to cozy up and get some zzz’s.
That’s what interior design is all about after all, having a room that fits your needs while inspiring you to create or rest.
