Family Room Makeover (Before & After)

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This Family Room has been ten long years in the making.  Almost eleven, actually.

And I’m still not finished. ;)

Am I ever? No. 
But that’s okay. I enjoy change and I’m a thrifty decorator so it’s all good!

I’ve been telling y’all about this “doozy” of a room for a long time now.
You know, “the cave”. 
Promising to share for many months…and now I finally am.

The CAVE….that is was.

Wait til you see….just wait. Doozy is an understatement as you’ll soon find out.

By now you’ve seen plenty of “after” shots. Now it’s time for some “befores”.

These are our french doors looking back towards the screened porch.
See the very green trim on the door outside? We changed all of that to white.
But that’s for another post.

Look how dark and dated it was…

Family-Room-Makeover-Before-French-Doors-makeover-diy-roommakeover-artsychicksrule-artsychicksrule.com

And now.

Family Room Makeover - After Back French Doors - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

Family Room French Doors Before and After

Looking towards the front windows (I had to crop out my hubby ;) I don’t think he’d have been pleased if I left him in this photo)
But you get the idea.
DARK cave.

And what’s with that door being pale, oak-y stained with those other walls stained dark?
Just no.

Family-Room-Makeover-Before-Front-Wall-makeover-diy-roommakeover-artsychicksrule-artsychicksrule.com

And now.

Family Room Makeover - After Front Wall - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

Family Room Makeover Front Windows

Told ya it was a doozy!

We’ve changed all the doors, all the hardware and well, basically everything else!

How about this gem?

Family-Room-Makeover-Before-Looking-To-Kitchen-makeover-diy-roommakeover-artsychicksrule-artsychicksrule.com

I probably should have prefaced this to say…. we had just moved in, literally, when I snapped these photos.
So excuse the mess everywhere! ;) Plus, I had no plans to start a blog almost eleven years ago or I’d have taken better photos. ;)

After, with part of that wall removed.

Family Room Makeover - After Wall Out - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

Family Room Makeover Kitchen Wall

NIGHT and DAY. Right?

Family-Room-Makeover-Before-Wall-Out-makeover-diy-roommakeover-artsychicksrule-artsychicksrule.com

We removed that dark paneling and happily found drywall behind it!
(see our new doors over there in the corner?)

Family-Room-Makeover-Before-Back-Left-Corner-makeover-diy-roommakeover-artsychicksrule-artsychicksrule.com

Same far back corner now….

Family Room Makeover - After Back Corner - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

Patching the walls, getting them ready for paint.
See that cord plugged into the wall up by the fireplace?
Those were the odd outlets on each side of the fireplace I’ve mentioned before.
My husband wired lights there soon after this. (the ones that started out brushed nickel but I later painted with Oil Rubbed Bronze in this post here –> “Many Uses of Oil Rubbed Bronze“.

Family Room Makeover - Before Front Left Corner - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

Aw, GI Joe…naked. lol
What a mess. Just look at the wall. ;)

And same corner now.

Foyer Looking to Family Room - artsychicksrule.com

Looking into the Laundry Room (remember, we just moved in)
Isn’t that vinyl floor fabulous?

Family-Room-Makeover-Laundry-Room-makeover-diy
I am in the process of making some (more) changes in the laundry room so I’ll be sharing that room again soon.

UPDATE: See our brand new laundry room, here, Coastal Farmhouse Laundry Reveal!

First change up. New paint and carpet….

Toshiba Exif JPEG

Much better.

And same corner now…

Family Room Makeover - After Back Right Corner - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

We ripped up that carpet a couple years later and added this hardwood.
That was our first time laying wood flooring.  (I keep saying WE but it was really my husband who did it…I was his “go-for” on that job :) )

Family Room Makeover - After Back - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

That beach sign was originally in my guest bath…and not pointing towards the beach.
I’m happy to report it’s now finally pointing in the direction of the beach in it’s new location.

I’ve shared the photo below before (and how we attached our TV) in this post here –> “Black Friday, Not This Time (A Family Room Makeover)”

Family-Room-Makeover-Before-Fireplace-makeover-diy-roommakeover-artsychicksrule-artsychicksrule.com

And now…

Family Room Makeover - After Fireplace - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

Family Room Makeover - Front Left Corner - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

And just for fun…how it looked before I changed my decor this last time. (one of many times! ;) )

Family Room Makeover - In Between Makeover - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

See why we needed to get rid of the large entertainment center? Too big for this room and it always felt cramped.
I had a terrible time with furniture placement.
So, so, so much better now that we’ve mounted the TV over the fireplace.

Family Room Makeover - Front Right Corner - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

There’s one of the light fixtures beside the fireplace…that used to be an outlet. Much better with a light than an outlet!

Family Room Makeover - Antique Dresser - #makeover #diy #roommakeover #artsychicksrule artsychicksrule.com

My pretty antique dresser and mirror that came to me painted metallic blue.
I stripped it, repainted it, sanded and refinished the top and added new hardware. (that looked more original than what it came to me with)

So….I can very happily say the Family Room is no longer “the cave”.
It’s a place that we very much enjoy spending time in.
And since we’ve added the faux board and batten, it’s even brighter than before.

See you later this week with the “how to” on the board and batten we did in this room!
(Edit-see the board and batten tutorial –>> “Faux Board & Batten Tutorial)

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38 Comments

  1. I love your family room ya’ll did a wonderful job. I love the board and batten it brightens the room so much. I’m trying to talk husband into doing it in my livingroom. Sometimes he’s a hard sell. I can’t say enough about how much this room looks wonderful. I will be waiting for the how to on the board and batten. Love the room great job.

    1. Thank you Sheila!
      Mine can be too…but he has figured out by now I don’t give up too easy! He’s a pretty good sport with the ideas I come up with!
      Just keep at em! ;)
      Thanks again!! xo
      Nancy

    1. Thank you Christy! What a difference, right?? I told ya! I’ll have to have you over someday so you can see it in person! :)
      I don’t think the old owners would recognize it!
      xo
      Nancy

  2. I am sitting here with my mouth wide open, in shock! I can’t believe the difference, literally NIGHT and DAY! Dark to light, drab to fab, just WOW! So beautiful, I adore everything! Excellent job, 11 years is a long time, but this room is sooooo worth the wait!

    PS looks like GI Joe had a rough night! ;)

    1. Haha Thanks Laurie!! I just said last night…it’s hard for me to believe looking at the photos again. And I lived it! ;)
      And haha!! Yes it does…I’m sure he did with my son playing with him!
      xoxo
      Nancy

  3. What a beautiful makeover! I love the beautiful soft colors. Very, very nice. Definetly worth the wait. Congrats on all your hard work.

    1. Thank you so much Melissa! It’s daunting to look back at the photos now, I’m just so happy it’s done. :)
      xo
      Nancy

  4. It’s just beautiful! All that hard work really paid off. You give me such inspiration – I love that cottage, laid back style! Blessings to you and your fam! :)

    1. Hey Marie! Yes, it’s crazy how different it is now. And opening up the walls (the other one is the one that attaches to the dining room) didn’t happen on the first “update”. We had to work our way up to those renovations!! lol But I’m SO glad we bit the bullet and just did it. It makes all the difference in the world.
      xo
      Nancy

  5. Wow, don’t you just love looking at all of the old photos to see how far you’ve come? Pat your self on the back for a job well done friend. I wouldn’t have known it was the same place if the photos weren’t linked! Sharing and pinning:)

  6. Wow! What a difference! I’m impressed that you had the vision to see the potential in that room when you bought the house. Eleven years ago, especially, I probably would have passed on a great house because of such a dark paneled room!.

    The room is absolutely beautiful now. You did a fabulous job! xo

    1. Thank you Karen! :) We definitely needed vision when we walked through this home for sale all those years ago! Every room needed updating (and our master bath still does…one day!)
      xo
      Nancy

  7. holy smokes nancy what a change love every thing about it the colors the furniture every smidge…you could throw nakid gi joe on the floor and i would like him now ha ha xx

  8. I love everything you did and all the colors.
    Except for my taste I would either remove the dark blue armoire in the corner
    Or maybe even turn it so it is angled in the corner and then give it a white wash.
    But love all the rest.
    Lots of hard work for sure.

    1. Hi Angie!
      Thanks so much! Actually, it’s funny you say that because that’s the way the cabinet always was, angled in the corner. I repainted it a couple years ago and made it flush with the wall. It’s pretty deep and I never really liked it angled because it seemed awkward. You can see (a little bit anyway) how it was angled before I painted it blue in this post here. :)
      I do still think it’s a bit awkward in the corner, even now, but it provides a bunch of storage that we desperately need, so it stays. ;)
      xo
      Nancy

  9. Hey, I think your old vinyl flooring and my old vinyl flooring are related!

    Seriously, thanks for the tour – so much brighter and bigger now, eh? I’ve had my share of panelled walls; it’s a relief to get out from under that, isn’t it?

    Great job!!

    1. Hi Gabrielle!
      Haha!! Maybe so!! ;) Oh yes, very much brighter and bigger now! Definitely a relief…it’s a “happy” place now! Thanks a bunch!
      xo
      Nancy

  10. Wow! What an amazing transformation! I have a dark cave in my house too…. time to get busy and paint! Love all the descriptions… keep them coming! Absolutely beautiful Nancy.

  11. I really love how you transformed it! The board and batten looks great as well as the hardwood floors. Your French doors really are accented now. The shutters are perfect! I’m very interested in the placement of your flat screen TV and how you were able to put it on the brick wall over your fireplace. It all looks very light and airy with your colors now and your beautiful painted pieces! Love the open feeling you have created by opening up the wall. It all flows so beautifully! Loving your French country style that brings in the coastal! This is a room you’ll love spending time in now! Thanks for sharing Nancy!

    1. Hey Lynn! :)
      Thank you so much! And you are right, a room that we love to spend time in, for sure!
      For the TV, we had an electrician (my cousin’s company actually –local if you need one! :) ) come in an wire for us. Then my husband mounted it to the brick with the bracket.
      The wires for the TV are well hidden. They did a good job of putting them down beside the fireplace. You cannot even tell. Especially with the board and batten.
      You can read about that project in this post a bit more… https://www.artsychicksrule.com/2013/11/black-friday-tv-time-family-room-makeover.html
      We ended up putting a sound bar (which we love!) over the top later on. I would have preferred it below but we didn’t mount the TV high enough and I wanted space to decorate a bit on the mantel so it had to go above! ;) My husband said “he planned” and there was plenty of space for it below. I said…um, no decor goes there. Men! ;)
      Anyway, thanks again!
      xo
      Nancy

  12. The transformation is amazing! You did a beautiful job creating a light, airy and oh-so inviting room. Love it!!!

  13. Great job, but after I saw GI Joe I couldn’t think about anything ;) Love the light bright makeover, especially those shutters!
    XO
    Debbie

    1. Thank you Debbie! Lol, so funny!!! If I ever thought (in a million years!!) that I’d be sharing those photos on the internet for all to see, I’d have surely moved him ..and the rest of the mess! ;)
      Have a great weekend Debbie!
      xoxo
      Nancy

  14. Oh Em Gee. I can’t believe how DARK it was in there before! Kudos to you for seeing past all that and making it so beautiful! And I think I had that same linoleum from your laundry room in my first house I rented. ;)

    -andi

    1. Oh yes, it was….so dark and dreary!! Ick. My sister came over after we moved in and I was walking her around and telling her all the ideas I had. She said “I’m glad you can see it, cause I don’t!” lol
      I admit, it was tough! ;) Too funny on that lovely linoleum!

      Nancy

  15. First time visiting your blog and I love it! Your house is gorgeous and I LOVE that dresser above! Beautiful! I subscribed and will definitely be back alot more! Thank you!

    1. Hi Roxanne,

      The color on the wall is called Blonde by Sherwin Williams, SW6128. The color on the board and batten is white but I mixed in a bit of “Creamy” to soften it.
      Hope that helps! :)
      Nancy

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