They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home but when you are a family raising kids, I would say that the living room gives the kitchen some competition. Perhaps it could be considered the backbone of the home. So much time is spent there, especially as homes with open concepts become the norm. No longer are we separated in different rooms, instead we flow from space to space.
We have some dear friends that we have been doing life with for more than a decade. We have kids that are similar ages and have enjoyed serving together in many different ways. They constantly open their home for events and functions and we have spent countless hours together in this living room with them. Over Christmas, the gas fireplace that they use nearly everyday exploded. Glass flew everywhere and sent the family asking questions about the safety of their home fireplace. Experts weighed in and what they found was that something like this is extremely rare and while the fireplace didn't technically "explode" {had it done that, the whole insert would have blown out and landed across the room}, the glass had failed over time.
The need to replace the fireplace sent this family into complete remodeling mode with a desire to update the room of their home that has become such an important space for this family of five. While my friend knows what she likes and what she doesn't, she often doesn't trust herself to make decisions on design and I offered to be a hand to hold and thought my readers might be interested in going along on the process of updating a 90's living room. So they have graciously opened up their space once again, this time to all of you and we will be working together to complete a new design that this family can continue to grow into as their family evolves and changes.
Updating a 90's Living Room in a Model Home
Nearly 20 years ago, this home was the model home of the neighborhood. The family initially purchased the home across the street and about ten years later, when they heard that this house was going on the market, they snatched it up before it went on the MLS. The family entertains often and loved the open floor plan and created a space that could easily be opened up to host dozens of their closest friends and family at a moments notice. It gives me a heart attack to think about, but this is her strength and I appreciate the people in the world that have hospitality as one of their character traits.
It's always damp in Seattle but it's mild so it's a bone chilling cold that has many of us warming up in front of the fireplace on those cold dark days that seem to last for about 9 months out of the year. Ever since the fireplace glass broke, the family has been freezing! It's always so nice for them to curl up on the hearth {it's always where I sit when I come over} or by the fire and the room gets heated nicely with the gas fireplace. Now that they haven't had it, they have been in the habit of turning up the heat. Only problem is, turning up the heat requires the whole house to be heated, no longer just one room, so their bill has doubled since not having a working fireplace!
The river rock fireplace and the built in surrounds are functional, and remember, this family likes function, but it's not ever been something they have loved.
As I mentioned, the TV is a new addition to the home decor in this house. They aren't quite sure how to work around it, if they want it mounted or if they want a console table to put it on. They have always been a little annoyed that the white trim doesn't carry out into this room. You can see how the baseboard on the TV wall is oak and the other trim that butts up to it is white.

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