Donna Smith received her second Dream Room Award for a cozy family room she designed for an active family. The client wished to have a cozy, comfortable room off the kitchen where the family could read, relax and enjoy the fireplace together. The homeowner had previously decorated the room herself but had never been happy with the results. She also wished to update the look to a more transitional style.
Before Donna was called in the room felt disjointed, busy and not very welcoming. The major challenges in the room were:
- The room is long and narrow with a fireplace in the middle, four windows, one set of doors to the porch and two entrances, leaving very little wall space. Also, the furniture placement did not lend itself to comfort and conversation.
- The original red and black area rug was too small and the high contrast did not evoke a relaxing feeling.
- The combination of cornices and wood blinds at the windows was harsh and cold looking and did nothing for the room or the windows.
Here is how Donna pulled the room together and created the look and feel the client had been striving for, but could never get quite right on her own.
- Donna  flanked the fireplace with the sofa and two large club chairs, both with straight lines and a more transitional feel than the previous pieces. She also suggested a larger area rug in order to anchor the seating area, provide warmth in the room, and eliminate some of the dead space at each end. The large square coffee table was chosen to further emphasize the central seating arrangement.
- Donna chose an area rug in tones of blues, golds, tans and brown to contrast with the red tones in the flooring and to complement the slate around the fireplace. The neutral sofa and subtle animal print on the chairs were then chosen to allow the rug to be the dominant pattern in the room. Accent pillows in slate blue, plaid and an animal print repeat the colors in the rug.
The final result is a cozy family room that enhances the homes architectural elements and reflects the client’s true sense of style.
