Family Room – Page 9

Mantel Madness

Published on January 9, 2013March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode26 Comments

For a long time, I’ve wanted a house with a mantel to decorate. We had a fireplace in our first house, but the stand alone design didn’t allow for a mantel to decorate. But now we’ve got one, thanks to a new fireplace surround. I’ve patiently waited for the paint to cure. Now that it has, I’m in full decorating mode. Originally, I thought I’d stretch a long, lean canvas to paint an abstract landscape on. It would have worked, provided the real painting turned out as well as the one I had mentally painted.

Then, to get an idea of the size I’d want, I pulled a few frames out of the basement storage. And then I switched gears, pulling out more frames to make a layered frame shelf. Sure, one large art piece would look fine, but then I’d feel the need to fill in with tchotchkes, aka clutter. Round one, I centered a 16 by 20 white frame then layered in 11 by 14 frames and filled in gaps with smaller ones.

Don’t mind what’s in the frames, some (or all?) will change. Too small and washed out. I pulled slightly larger wooden frame out from under the guest bed and set it up front and center. More frames around it, this time including a 12 by 12 frame.

Not a winner. I really liked the black frame and mix of styles and colors.

Close, but no cigar. Needs a little more height on the right side, so the 12 by 12 frame got the boot and an 11 by 14 took its place.

Almost there; that gold vase just didn’t tickle my pickle, nor did it serve a purpose. A set of matching white marble vases balanced the ends, and holds matches.

Obviously I’ll need to fill the center frame and swap out some art in the other frames.

Also on the redo list, painting the small square frame white and the small rectangle frame black. Gotta spread out the light and dark for balance.

We also loaded up the wood box over the weekend and love the usefulness, rustic look, and warmth it adds to the room.

So what do you think of layered frames on a mantel? What do you have above your fireplace? Do you have a favorite art piece? Any suggestions for customizeable/DIY/special art to add in the frames? I’d like a mix of art, photos, and something for the small shadowbox.

Nookie There

Published on January 3, 2013March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode17 Comments

In addition to the fireplace surround, we’ve also been busy building a little nook storage. We’re still not completely done (are we ever?!), but a few of you noticed it a few posts back. It was a small project, but we think it will make a difference in the function of the room. Another dead, useless corner, we need not. Ben built a basic cabinet with a floating shelf above. To make the floating shelf, Ben attached thin strips to the side and back walls. A piece of 3/4 inch MDF on top, then a few bracing boards sandwiched between a piece of 1/4 inch MDF.

To hide the gap, he added a piece of 3/4 inch MDF. Wood filler, primer, and paint covers the seams and brightens the little nook. Eventually, we plan to add a tv on top of the cabinet with decorative items and books on the top shelf. Originally, I wanted two shelves, but it would have been too tight and cramped up to the ceiling.

Oh, and I’m testing out a paint color. I picked up many of the swatches you all recommended, and Behr’s Wheat Bread was a close contender. But being on the north side seemed to bring out the blues in every color. Instead, we moved to the next swatch over and liked Behr’s Sandstone Cove. In bright light, it reads more tan, but in dimmer light (natural on the other side of the room or artificial) it has a slight gray undertone. Here it is compared to a 25% tint of Wood Smoke.

Wood storage is necessary close to the fireplace. Right now, we’re going outside to get wood. Every time we want to start or stoke the fire. So that’s how the bottom cabinet will function, once the paint cures that is.

Now we’ve got to install the baseboard, crown, and the rest of the trim around the doors in the hallway. There it is, a quickie built-in.

Have you made any storage additions recently? I’m craving a good organizational fix. Am I the only one that gets that itch after a new year?

Surrounded

Published on December 31, 2012March 26, 2013 by Our Humble Abode28 Comments

Well, it’s the last day of 2012. I seriously can’t believe how fast this year has gone by. We’ve got a nearly complete year and nearly complete fireplace. Though we did deviate from our original plan. Ben added the border trim and we decided to k.i.s.s.; keep it simple, silly.

Down the road, if we feel the need to add more trim, we can. I spent a few days sanding, priming, and painting the beast.

The front, mantel, hearth, and both sides have simple 1/4 inch thick by 2 1/2 inch wide trim around the edges.

Once the paint cures, I can start decorating. Eek, I’m so excited. We’re still not sure exactly what large item we want above. Maybe a mirror, but I’m leaning toward a long, lean art piece.

And then I can add accessories to the mantel. For now though, we’re just happy to have a more functional, brighter, cleaner (and easier to clean!) fireplace. Black hole, no longer.

Next up, sealing the slate, then grout. And then we can cross this make over off our list.

How did 2012 treat you? Any big life changes for you? Moving to the mountain house was our biggest change. And one we didn’t expect a year ago. Heck, this time last year we were mid kitchen remodel.

I Like to Move It, Move It

Published on December 21, 2012December 21, 2012 by Our Humble Abode26 Comments

Furniture, that is. Winter has settled in and we’re using (and loving!) the new fireplace. Because of this, I had an urge to rearrange the family room furniture. To make the fireplace more of a focal point. This room has been difficult for me to arrange. One wall has a door and two windows, another a door to the living room and stairs, a fireplace on the third and then an opening to the kitchen. Here’s the arrangement we started with.

The black lines at the top are the walls in the room with a door leading to the stairs. Couch facing the fireplace, chairs and a table perpendicular to the couch and fireplace. Big open space in the middle. Initially, I really had my heart set on moving the couch, which keeping the group centered on the fireplace, like this:

I tried it a few nights ago (moving furniture by myself while Ben was at work), but our sofa is three feet deep, so it took up much of the walkway (the blue dotted lines). Right away, I knew it wouldn’t work. But the fireplace isn’t centered on the room. We’ve got about a foot more space by the windows (the blue boxes at the bottom). Perhaps the couch would fit better there?

So I pivoted the couch over there. It wasn’t terrible, but it had a few problems. Little space between, not enough for a coffee table. The walk space behind the chairs was small, which Ben hated.

But my biggest reason for nixing this arrangement: it made a long, narrow (narrow when factoring in walking paths) room feel, well, longer and narrower. Oh, and then there’s this oddly open floor space in the breakfast nook that was only accentuated by the placement.

Back to the drawing board. It seems the best place for the couch was the original position. How about moving the chair and table group opposite the couch, in front of the fireplace?

Um, not my favorite.

I like the lightness of the chairs in front of the fireplace, but I don’t like the hard lines and how closed off it made the fireplace feel.

Maybe setting the chairs at an angle, with a round table between?

Ahh, that opened up the fireplace nicely.

So far, this is my favorite layout, for a few reasons. One, the couch separates the family room from the breakfast nook and kitchen.

Secondly, the group is still centered on the fireplace, while making it a focal point. And we’ve still got room for a coffee table.

Last, it keeps walkways open, keeping traffic a-flowin’.

I just moved the furniture to this arrangement this morning, so Ben hasn’t seen it yet. We’ll see what he thinks, because he’s oddly picky about furniture placement. Heck, if he had his way, the room would look more like this:

Couch pushed up against the only wall. Not my idea of an inviting and functional room.

Now that I’ve spewed, um, shared, the layout options, I want to hear your thoughts. Which grouping did you like best? Or maybe you’ve got an idea for a different layout? Do you have a tricky room to arrange?

Grey Skies

Published on December 19, 2012December 19, 2012 by Our Humble Abode21 Comments

I’m itching to paint. A room. Something. Anything, really. Especially the family room. The peachy pink walls are getting on my nerves. To keep the room light and bright, I’m thinking of using a light gray on the walls.

Just to see what we think, I painted swatches of left over bathroom paint, Wood Smoke at 25% tint. While I like the lightness, I think the color in here seems too cold and blue. Even against the freshly painted white trim.

Rather than a true gray, I’m thinking I’ll use more of a light taupe color. Just have to pin down the one. Which is fine, because I’ve got time. As much as I’d love to paint every room, we’ve got some projects to cross off our list before it really makes sense.

In the family room, the fireplace still needs trim and paint. But the bigger task is the hall, which is an extension of the family room. Small wood trim isn’t our favorite. Nor does it match throughout the main level.

Instead, we plan to replace the trim with the same white baseboard and casement. In every room. Until we get the trim installed, primed, and painted, I think it makes the most sense to wait on paint. Unfortunately touching up any sort of paint with a sheen has proven difficult. The color is the same (from the same can!) but the sheen doesn’t match. Rather than paint the room twice (in the same color, no less), I’d rather wait until we’re ready and only have to do it once.

Has this happened to you? Do you have a favorite light taupe paint color to recommend?