Family Room - Before & After

I love before and after's. I really, REALLLY love them. I like to see style change (let's face it, no one likes going into a house stuck in 1994 hunter green and rose chintz) and I like to change the space around me (a lot).  I was sprucing up the family room yesterday and was thinking about how many changes it's gone through in the few short years we've lived here. So, I started digging through the photo archives to see what I could find.

Before - sort of:
So-the best before I could find was after I painted the builder pinky beige walls (seriously a week after we moved in) Restrained Gold by SW.  This room gets the morning sun, so it was really bright and cheerful. I loved it and never thought I would paint over the gold. Everyone who came in the house complimented the color.  I could never get the pictures to do any justice to this color - it always looked limey yellow.

This room was also a challenge for me to decorate at the time - I had enough furniture for an itsy bitsy cape cod with 1000sq ft. This house has 3500sq ft. It drove me nuts for about 2 years until I had pack ratted acquired enough furniture.

Originally we had the single Ikea Ektorp sofa and chair - but we were finally able to get the Ektorp sectional (which, by the way, will fit inside a Honda Odyssey with back seats taken out, with room to spare!). I love it and it holds up to our rowdy family.

I was pretty happy with it all...sort of. But then one night, the Mister took a walk around the neighborhood at night and commented on how many yellow/red rooms he could see through the windows (don't you love peeking in glowing windows at night?). And the wheels started turning. I was over the yellow and red trend - which was difficult because it carried me through my last two houses.

After (or more like Today): (because let's face it, this whole re-decorating decorating thing really doesn't end, does it?)

You know how after a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you either take a deep sigh of relief and smile to yourself every time you walk into the room ... or you shudder and think ohhhemmmgeee, I have to paint this all over? Well, I was the first one. It's feels calmer and like a beach house...I'm still thinking of a few things that need some attention. Isn't it funny how some paint can transform everything?

Now. I realized after shooting these pictures that my windows are filthy. I hope you liked the transformation!

xo-Chris

Linking up to:

The 36th AVENUE

Between Naps on The Porch: Metamorphosis Mondays

Be Colorful: Motivated Monday
Making The World Cuter Monday
The Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday