Neutral Lake House Family Room
There always seems to be that one room in a house that you can’t get just right. Especially when building a house. Sometimes visualizing how a room will look and function and then actually living there for a few years will make you realize you got it all wrong the first go-round. In our last house, I think I redesigned and rearranged our playroom no less than a dozen times and got it right just before we sold it, ha! Our neutral lake house family room was that room in this house.
It started with carpet that I thought was going to be grayer that ended up more teal, and it all went downhill from there. After three years of living here, it finally feels complete and like it should have been all along.
I swear Charlie is alive in the photo below – that dog lives to nap in the sunshine.
The first step in fixing this room was swapping out the offending carpet. It wasn’t a big space, so it was a relatively cheap fix for a couple of hundred dollars. Did I love replacing three-year-old carpet? No, but it was something that was making the room impossible to decorate around.
Next up, we moved our old sectional down here and added in a comfy oversized chair from Sixpenny. We then swapped out the ottoman, which I thought would be soft and comfy for kids, but really was just a magnet for spills. We went with a more snack friendly round coffee table that works perfectly for movie night popcorn.
I found this gorgeous rug and brought it down here for warmth and coziness. Not to mention the pattern helps hide spills and messes.
The craft/game table got a new life with comfortable leather chairs. I had wood ones over here that no one ever wanted to sit on, but now we can actually feel our rear ends after a long puzzle session. ;)
This poor plant is not doing the best, but I’m trying my best to revive him.
Painting the cabinets may have been the biggest change of all (see that post here). Everything just flows so well now and I love the lightness and warmth of the new color. Your eye really focused on the jarring blue of the cabinets and now it’s able to bounce around the room.
The last finishing touches were finding a few new throw pillows and some plant friends! I found these gorgeous new pillows at Tonic Living. I have been on the hunt for the perfect terra cotta/blush pillow to bring out the colors in the rug and everything was so coral looking, but this one was just right.
I think the only thing that really stayed the same down here is the wall color and built-in bookshelves.
Oh and I guess the recessed tv is still here too.
Ahh! It feels so good to finally have this space feel like us. Game nights and movie nights are so much cozier down here now, and I actually look forward to hanging out in this space rather than dreaming up ways I could make it work for us.
Oh, and if you want to see the before pictures, check them out here.
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Couch – Local store that went out of business
Chair – Sixpenny the color is inkcap
Rug – find it here
Table – find it here
Wall color – Agreeable Gray by Sherwin William
Cabinet color – Langdon Dove by California Paint
Table – garage sale find
Chairs – find them here
Hardware – local store and I don’t have brand info on them
Planter – find it here
Sofa table find it here
Bookcase – custom built
Wood floors – BuildDirect Engineered white oak by Vanier
Striped Throw pillows – Tonic Living
Linen Throw pillows – HomeGoods
Blue throw pillows – Find them here
Tan striped pillow – find it here
Baskets – HomeGoods
Stool – find it here
Oar – Pottery Barn from 10 years ago
Wood Beads – find them here
White stripe basket – find it here
Nevermind I found one of the earlier links and it worked! For anyone wanting it, it’s this one: https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/joss-main-skye-oriental-terracotta-area-rug-w004253254.html 🙂
This rug is perfect for the space! I know you posted a link to it elsewhere in the comments, but it isn’t working. Do you happen to still have it or the exact name of the rug? We’re decorating our family room in our lake neighborhood house and these pictures have been my inspiration! 🤩
Kelly, If you have a moment can you update some of the links on the pillows. I am searching for them and the links are expired except for the Target Ones. I know the items may be gone and that is why they links do not work but I thought I would check. Thanks
Hi Kelly! Where is the coffee and end table from ?
It’s from Wayfair you can find it linked on the shop our home page.
Thanks for replying!
I know you said you didn’t write down the carpet info for your family room. BUT I just love it & would really appreciate if you could look into that. Like what brand, pattern, color. Thanks so much!
Hi Dianne sorry I can’t find the paperwork on it!
Unfortunately the link to the game table leather chairs doesn’t work?
They are from Wayfair, sorry they change links around often or sometimes they don’t work when they are our of stock.
How beautiful Kelly! I found your blog a few months ago and have serious house envy! So beautiful! I am getting ready to order your floors after ordering many dozens of sample pieces of dozens of different floors. I found them through, of course, your blog! Thank you for that! I just want to be sure yours are whitewashed as it describes on their website? Sometimes things look so different on my computer monitor.
Hope you continue to enjoy your lovely home as I will continue to enjoy your wonderful blog!
Ours are the robin bandsawn flooring. I suggest getting a sample to make sure they are what you had in mind – thanks!
Beautiful space! I also would love the specifics on the rug as the link does not take you to the exact one. Thank you!
Sorry about that they change the links around a lot – try this! https://rstyle.me/+mD9kgZGCrUMuNG-g7XuZ4A
Would you mind letting me know which rug you used exactly? The rug link goes to Birch Lane but not a specific rug. Thanks so much! If been on the hunt forever but haven’t found anything and yours looks like it would be ideal!
It’s the Dryden Terracotta I think :)
No it’s not!!! Not even close… why can’t you give more specific info on the rust coloured carpet? Love to know the exact name and supplier please
Hi Sharalin here is the link to the rug https://rstyle.me/+Z-0HpkQBnZmEHXLfSGqLeA Just an FYI every time this rug sells out the link changes so it’s hard to stay on top of. This post is over a year old so I haven’t updated it in a while.
Kelly, Thanks for updating the link on the rug. Cyber Monday has it on a great sale price.
Yes I noticed that! Such a good deal!
Sorry – at the time that name pulled up the correct rug, but it looks like it’s a different pattern now. Hope you found it via Kelly’s link!
What is the exact rug name? I cannot find it on your source. I just love it.
It’s so beautiful! Could you share what the countertop is?
This is a beautiful basement! I am seriously considering ordering the gorgeous rug. Can you tell me more about the vertical wood trim on your staircase? I would like to duplicate it on my basement steps to give it more character. Thanks for any info you can share…..width/size of wood trim pieces/ how far apart etc. Thank you!
It’s beautiful! I was just wondering, what kind if lighting fo you have? I don’t see lamps or ceiling lights.
What a beautiful room. Your posts a a breath of fresh air during this crazy world right now. I look forward to them each week!
I have to say that I thought your before shots were stunning as well as this set up with pastel different colors. Sometimes I think we all just want a bit of a change. This is a beautiful room and looks cozy and very comfortable. But it might be fun to stick a couple of dark navy or charcoal gray pillows on that beautiful couch of yours.
It looks beautiful Kelly! And Charlie… one of my dogs loves to nap in the sun too. He’s so cute ? thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Lisa, I like sunshine naps too!
Excellent refresh of that beautiful space? Would also love to know the carpet pattern and color. I have 200 yards of carpet to decide on for our basement and it’s so helpful to see actual room views.
Hey Jill I don’t have any info on the carpet I totally forgot to write it down when we installed it. Sorry!
Where did you get your neutral living room rug. It looks very large, just like I’ve been looking for. I think your home is gorgeous – that view is to die for. Thank you for sharing your home with us.
It’s actually carpet that was inset into the wood floors – thanks!
Can you please share the inset carpet brand, style and color? Quite beautiful! Thank you!
It is indeed stunning. Question: Is that the Younghouselove “magic” carpet? (the one that goes with everything?). Also, betting your plant gets too much sun in that spot. Anyways, love what you’ve done, especially the cabinets.
Hey Liza, it isn’t that rug I think that one is a bit more colorful. I think you are right it’s getting too much sun there because we have had an unusually sunny winter! Not complaining :) it’s been happy there for the last 2 years but I may move him until spring and the light changes a bit.
Beautiful and functional … you always hit your decorating out of the park! Can’t wait to see your parent’s finishes!
I’m thinking the round woven tray on your coffee table is from Home Goods. I’ve been looking for a larger tray
And came across a unique one at Home Goods. I decided it wasn’t big enough so regretfully walked away. Dumb dumb dumb?. Lol
Yes that was a HomeGoods find!
Looks very restful,if only I could take my eye off the magnificent view!!! Well done all the way around.
Thanks!
It’s beautiful, Kelly! May you and your lovely family make lots of special memories in that wonderful space. :-)
Thanks so much Dori!
Sometimes it takes time to get it right – but how do you compete with that gorgeous view??? I had a similar problem with a rug that I bought for our computer/reading/music room. The first problem was that it was supposed to be a more taupe color – it had a ton of green in it. The texture was so nubby and rough it was hard on bare feet. But the worst thing was it was shedding this horrid black silty stuff. I know it was natural material, but really? I was afraid that the hardwood floor was damaged it was so rough. I guess if I wasn’t such a neat freak and cleaned under the rug I might not have noticed. The room doesn’t even get used all that much but I couldn’t keep it. So after less than 3 months we rolled it up and my husband hauled it out to the garage. I didn’t want to trash it in case someone else could use it, but felt guilty donating it. That was a year ago, and I still haven’t replaced the rug so I am on the hunt for something that will work – perhaps just a cotton based material.
Natural rugs can definitely be tricky with the shedding! Good luck finding a new one.
I just took those blue pillows back to Target bc they were so big on my standard size sofa. Much better on a sectional! Love them though. The cabinets are my favorite. Well done!
They are oversized! They do work well on a sectional though :)
Kelly, it looks wonderful! I love how it all just flows (perfectly) together, like you mentioned. So relaxing and still so bright and pretty for a basement. Love the leather chairs and that tan + white swiss cross pillow!
Thanks so much Natalie!
Kelly, Love the look! You have such an eye for what goes beautiful together!
Thank you!