Decorating on a dime after the holidays

The tree is down. The lights are all put up. Everyone survived the busiest time of the year. Now my resolutions are underway. As always, I hope to give more in my love as a social worker and now in my current position as a stay-at-home mom of three very busy little boys. But a new resolution will make my hubby, Scott, happy because it’s about quality not quantity in the dollar sense – to brighten the small family room in what I like to call our Homewood bungalow.

Over the years, with no true decorating expertise, the design obstacles I have faced in my home have really made it my own, which makes for a good reflection of us as a family and a home. With that in mind, I set out to tackle a room with only two walls as it opens into three other spaces, with a post-holiday budget in mind.

Below are my simple must haves for this project, all which you too can do.

Color. Those paint coordination chips at Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams are there for a reason, and pairing together paints is easy. My Hubbard Squash Yellow and Liberty Pewter Grey have worked in more than one area in our home. With that being said, stick with a main color you like and pair it with accent colors on a swatch already chosen for you.

Practical furniture. With three little boys, new and costly furniture is most likely not the best idea, although strolling through a good furniture store or antique store is one of my most relaxing hobbies. Still, my couch is easy and versatile in a warm mocha brown.

Pillows. I spruced up the room’s two gray rattan style chairs with new seat cushions and throw pillows, an easy and inexpensive way to change it up. My friends might tell you I have a decorative pillow-buying problem! I might agree, but if you are at places like Homegoods or TJ Max, it’s a problem that won’t require medication.

Focus. One focus area for me was the rustic cedar mantel and surrounding bookshelves on one of the room’s full walls. I painted the shelves with one of my accent swatches to highlight special family pieces, accessories and photographs I put on them; the color also leads the focus back onto the other areas of the room. For the mantel, I found tall inexpensive, elegant candle holders and framed a print my mother-in-law had found at an estate sale.

Splurge for what matters most. I wanted my other big focus to be the entryway from the family room to the kids’ room/TV area, so I budgeted for custom drapes to lead into the space with a dramatic sense of style and fun. I set up an appointment with a design consultation at Calico Corners. After she brought some rolls of fabric to my house, I had decided on a yellow and gray Ikat fabric; it became a fun texture and color for the space and brought together the colors I was already working with. I didn’t break the bank with huge furniture, but the custom drapes make a huge statement and help me bring the room together.

So in the end – and for less than a grand – my room is done. Pillows, fun accessories, custom drapes and displaying my favorite artwork equal a happy hubby. In addition, our happy family room is inviting, comfortable and a place where we can be ourselves.  Most importantly though, it’s where I can focus on family.