This is My Family Room

Let's start the home tour!  When I thought about posting pictures of my family room, I told myself that I will not constantly comment on all the things that I haven't done yet, the things that I want to do or plan to do.  But now I realize, so what??  That's the entire reason I started this blog...to chronicle different updates and changes in my home.  So I will over-analyze, tell you what I am dying to change, and solicit your advice.  Please, please give it.  I'm not breaking new ground in design here, I realize it's more homey than anything.  And no I'm not running it down, I like it!  It's our family room, it's supposed to be cozy and comfortable...but I do think it could use some oomph.

So this is the view as you enter the family room.

I love love our navy walls, and you will hear more about that in a minute.  But first I have to address the boat in the room~ the big brown leather sectional.  Okay, it is not my idea of beautiful.  It is not exactly what I would normally choose (especially against the dark walls).  But I confess that in my hospital bed after giving birth to the Peeps, I begged for this couch.  Pleaded with my husband to GO GET ME THAT COUCH!!  At the time we had a 1 year old white microsuede sofa that was not meant for a home with 2 dogs.  It was disgusting, embarrassing, and the thought of bringing my precious baby home and laying him on that horrible dirty couch was more than I could bear.  So in my hormone haze, I begged for a baby-wipeable leather sectional and there she is!  And I'm stuck with her easy to clean self for a few more years.

These lamps get more compliments than anything else in our home.  I bought them close to 10 years ago at Marshall's and they've been re-wired twice.  Oh look, it's my profile picture.

These barstools are 11 years old, and they were dirt cheap to begin with- $10 at Garden Ridge.  My husband nearly fainted when he saw me spray painting them a few months ago (they used to be green)...He cannot fathom why I would be rehabbing 11 year old $10 chairs.  Why not?  Haven't found anything else I love.  The cushions are a recent purchase from Pier 1.  Love!

We could talk about the pillows, but I have a whole other post about the pillows.  Suffice it to say, these aren't my forever pillows, but LOOK!  The Trina Turk beauties made a big move.

I just realized that the mirrored tray on the ottoman completely disappears in these pictures.

View from the other side of the room.

I'm pretty crazy about these curtains too!  We used to have ridiculously expensive plain white grommet drapes from Restoration Hardware and they did nothing for the room.  I found these panels in a clearance bin at Tuesday morning for $16 a pair. Very very soon I am having them lined and piped with either a green or orange linen band on the leading edge and hem.  What do you think?  Which would you choose?

Other side of the room.  This room faces due east so it is incredibly bright in the mornings, but by 1:00 I'm turning all the lamps on.

These books are usually just crammed in the shelf, and it doesn't bother me in the slightest but I thought you'd appreciate a little effort here.

Oh and the little succulent!  Did you know that you can pinch off each tiny nodule (is that the word?) and replant them?  I'm going to have a little succulent farm in my front yard soon.

Oh hey dartboard!  Funny story...we weren't planning on having kids.  So when we moved into this house three years ago, this was going to be a gameroom of sorts (that's what you have when you have kids?  Oh...well I just had a husband).  I was even in the market for a fullsize Golden Tee!  Yeah, I know.  So the dartboard was the first purchase and then I got pregnant.  Yet the dartboard remains.  I really don't know what to say.

I really love this chair and will be very sad when/if I ever have to part with it.  Yes, it's the old chair and a half from Pottery Barn.  We bought it almost 12 years ago, it was originally red and has been through a few additional slipcovers.  It is the most comfortable thing in the world and I spent a lot of Sundays curled up in this thing doing the crossword puzzle and drinking coffee with my beloved old dog Marley.  Memories.  

I switched out the back pillows for these cable knit ones (also from PB).

Problem area #1...

This area (sans dartboard) needs a little something, right?  A big plant?  I don't know a thing about indoor plants.  What looks nice?  What looks normal?  I really wouldn't even know where to begin with buying a big plant....but maybe that would look nice?

I wanted to put a big X bookshelf there, but then what about my little ikea number in front of the weird window?  A bench there?  Some input here would be awesome.

*UPDATE*:  Vintage Brass etagere scored for $40 at Salvation Army.  Come to mama.

The rug is a fairly recent addition, although the one before it was very similar.  Love the coral-y orange color.  I ran across it at a random store in Richmond, VA over Christmas and it was a deal!  It's still on Shadesoflight.com if you like it.

Oh dear....I guess I have to show you the dreaded TV wall.  It's not that terrible (why does everything look so much worse in pictures?), but a few months ago we bought this monster TV (that we LOVE LOVE.  We are major TV people.) and so now the tiny little console isn't great.  Umm...neither is the broken Bose sub woofer.  Who are we, Sanford and Son?

I've always loved this one, but it's too tall.

Very surprised by how much I adore this mid-century console that Emily Henderson remade on Secrets From a Stylist...and it's looong.  Very nice.

I have so many ideas for the future of this room, yet in so many ways I'm a little stuck and would love to hear some opinions from new eyeballs.

*UPDATE*:  She's here!

In the next few weeks...

New woven shades for the windows.  I'm ripping down the horizontal blinds with great pleasure!

In the next few months...

A large seagrass rug to cover the majority of the floor (layered under the existing rug).  I love my seagrass rug in the living room, and I also hate the tile floors (why Florida people, why?) so it's a win/win.  Which brings me to

In the next few years...

Where to start!  I'm currently hoarding money for hardwood floors of the very dark variety.  Which means the navy walls probably won't work anymore, right?  Might bring in the pale grey/blue from the living room and get my navy fix from this gorgeous thing.

I'm sorry, why again am I talking about the next few years?  I was about to launch into what I want to change about my kitchen and we aren't even talking about the kitchen.  Yet. 

Okay, let's hear it!  I really want your feedback...something like "those lamps are stupid, ditch them and get _________" or "you should totally move that ______ over to where the _____ is".  Also, plant geniuses pipe up here!

Baylor Says...

Baylor and I pulled into the parking lot for our Wednesday night dinner date last night and he said "Oh, you forgot to clean the kitchen today.  We have to go back home."  I did forget to clean the kitchen, but I don't appreciate hearing it from a toddler.