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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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March 10, 2015

Family Room Makeover Reveal

The other day as my daughter was happily chattering away to me about all of the latest in her 2nd grade world, my ears perked up when I heard a familiar phrase. She was describing how a friend felt about something (obviously my mind was wandering just a bit!) and she said with great emphasis “Mommy, she doesn’t just love it. She LOVE loves it!” And I had to smile.

family room painted console table atthepicketfence.com

Everything comes full circle doesn’t it? I vividly remember those years when as a young girl we were all trying to figure out how to decipher our feelings about boys. We’d be at a slumber party, giggling and dancing to ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’ and plotting out who’s bra was going to end up in the freezer in the middle of the night, when inevitably a boys name would come up.

And everyone knew what question to ask…”Well, do you mean like, that you LIKE like him?” Because we all knew what it meant if you LIKE liked someone.

So, I’m going to giggle and blush and maybe even threaten to put your bra in the freezer and tell you that not only do I LIKE like my family room makeover, I LOVE love my family room makeover!!

Here it is BEFORE the great painting extravaganza of early 2015…

cherry bookcase before

And here it is AFTER!

built in bookcases and fireplace makeover atthepicketfence.com

Before

family room before2

 After

painted built in bookcase in family room atthepicketfence.com

Do you LOVE love it as much as I do?

We had planned to have custom shelves built to sit on top of the existing cabinets but after getting a few estimates and reviewing the budget we opted for these instead which we installed ourselves. I actually think they keep the space feeling more open than true built-ins would have.

family room built-ins painted white atthepicketfence.com

Everything in this room just feels so much lighter and brighter.

white french country styled fireplace makeover atthepicketfence.com

When it came time to add accessories back in, I had a chance to start fresh and that included mixing in a few new pieces with old pieces. Faux mercury glass lamps from WalMart were topped with shades that I had stored in the attic.

family room makeover atthepicketfence.com

And white scroll-y iron sconces (also pulled out of storage!) helped fill in the big wall and look perfect next to new framed art.

lamps and sconces vignette atthepicketfence.com

And I’m in total LIKE like these polka-dot drapes.

polka dot drapes atthepicketfence.com

It was really hard to get to the place where I was ready emotionally for this change.

I had to break-up with my cherry cabinets and fireplace. I told them “It’s not you…it’s me.”

And then there was room for a new love.

family room makeover atthepicketfence.com (2)

But not just any love.

french country simple fireplace decorating atthepicketfence.com

This is LOVE love! 😉

Vanessa signature

 

P.S. Wanna see what else was part of the painting extravaganza of 2015? Check out my built-in china cabinet makeover here!

built in china cabinet makeover atthepicketfence.com

 

55 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Home Tour Tagged With: decorating, DIY, furniture makeovers, Makeover

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gilly @ Colour Saturated Life says

    March 10, 2015 at 3:15 AM

    It’s fresh and bright and beautiful! And I just love all the styling! I can see why you LOVE love it!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 9:02 PM

      Thank you so much Gilly!

      Reply
  2. laura@top this top that says

    March 10, 2015 at 4:07 AM

    i love a girl who loves! You took me back to not such fond memories of childhood sleep overs when I found out my bra was targeted, when i found out I pretended to be sick so i can leave. Not my bra!! 🙂

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:49 AM

      LOL Laura!

      Reply
  3. Barbara from 21 Rosemary Lane says

    March 10, 2015 at 4:50 AM

    Oh it is gorgeous Vanessa! What a difference paint can make! Your room has such a beautiful “airiness” about it. Perfect for welcoming the warmer months. Thanks too for the memoies of those good old slumber party days. I remember doing the freezing bra thing as well.
    Wishing you a wondefrful week!
    XO Barbara

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:50 AM

      Thanks so much Barbara!!

      Reply
  4. Laura says

    March 10, 2015 at 5:30 AM

    Vanessa – so pretty! But most importantly, I love that you LOVE it!! Take care friend, Laura

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:50 AM

      Thanks girl!

      Reply
  5. Peg says

    March 10, 2015 at 5:54 AM

    Yes, I do love it as much as you do!! Fantastic job! Love, LOVE!!

    : )

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:51 AM

      Thank you Peg!

      Reply
  6. june says

    March 10, 2015 at 5:54 AM

    Took my breathe away when I opened your post today! Gorgeous and so light and airy. Love all the little details too and the fun accessories. So happy that you love your decision to break up with the cherry. It was beautiful before but wow your room just really pops now.
    May I come for tea?

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:51 AM

      Awww thanks so much June! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Cindy says

    March 10, 2015 at 6:07 AM

    WOW! This is just beautiful!!! I love everything about this room, and you did a beautiful job:) I’m really liking that buttery yellow on those chairs. I just might have to rethink my game plan for the Great Room.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:53 AM

      Thank you Cindy!

      Reply
  8. martina says

    March 10, 2015 at 6:15 AM

    WOW Vanessa I LOVE LOVE this makeover too!! The lighter and brighter look is fabulous. Beautiful!!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:53 AM

      Thank you Martina! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Melissa @ DaisyMaeBelle says

    March 10, 2015 at 6:29 AM

    Wow! What a difference a little (lot!) of paint can make! So fresh and bright! I LOVE love it right along with you! Life to the full! Melissa

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:53 AM

      Definitely A LOT of paint Melissa!! Thanks girl!

      Reply
  10. Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says

    March 10, 2015 at 6:43 AM

    It really does look so fresh and bright. Great job. Gorgeous room and beautifully accessorized.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:54 AM

      Thank you Marty!

      Reply
  11. Lisa @ Lisas Creative Designs says

    March 10, 2015 at 6:48 AM

    Beautiful! I am a freak for polka dots. Love the drapes and the shelving!

    Reply
  12. Carmen P says

    March 10, 2015 at 6:50 AM

    Holy moly! It’s fabulous!

    Reply
  13. Susie @ The Chelsea Project Blog says

    March 10, 2015 at 7:05 AM

    So very, very lovely and comfortable for the family. I love, love, love the polka dot drapes, too. Great redo!

    Reply
  14. Debra@CommonGround says

    March 10, 2015 at 8:05 AM

    totally amaze.ing!! looks like a completely different space!

    Reply
  15. Becca says

    March 10, 2015 at 8:35 AM

    WOW, Vanessa … it’s gorgeous! I love your new shelves … and the lighter and brighter feel. Your vignettes and “goodies” are always beautiful! A wonderful change for the new season! LOVE!

    Reply
  16. dee says

    March 10, 2015 at 8:39 AM

    B E A U T I F U L !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very well done, such a clean and crisp feeling 🙂

    Reply
  17. Pam @ diy Design Fanatic says

    March 10, 2015 at 9:06 AM

    Looks Beautiful Vanessa! Your family room looks so light and bright and ready for Spring!

    Reply
  18. Claire @ A Little Claireification says

    March 10, 2015 at 9:18 AM

    Wow! I for sure love LOVE it. Looks beautiful Vanessa!!

    Reply
  19. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    March 10, 2015 at 10:57 AM

    Ooooh yes, I LOVE love it, Vanessa! : ) It looks fantastic lightened up.

    Reply
  20. Elizabeth@ Rustic Maple says

    March 10, 2015 at 1:43 PM

    Very pretty! I really like the soft new look (I’m not saying love because I don’t want to infringe on your new love relationship lol.)

    Reply
  21. Paige.Rose says

    March 10, 2015 at 2:29 PM

    I’m seriously in LOVE, not just love, but LOVEEE hehe with the way the white looks & the polka dot curtains with the cute painted furniture !! I love the bright white, cream & yellow accents most of all! This is my new favorite spring living space for sure!!

    Paige.Rose

    From,

    http://www.TheQuaintSanctuary.blogspot.com

    Reply
  22. Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says

    March 10, 2015 at 3:09 PM

    Seriously LOVE love what you’ve done! Everything looks so fresh and clean and AMAZING! Pinning and sharing!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 9:07 PM

      Awww..thanks so much Jane! 🙂

      Reply
  23. Sissie says

    March 10, 2015 at 4:00 PM

    Looks beautiful. I love all the changes you’ve made.

    hugs
    Sissie

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 9:06 PM

      Thank you Sissie!

      Reply
  24. De says

    March 10, 2015 at 4:38 PM

    While I love the beautiful wood it does look light and bright and those polka dot curtains are so fun and go so well with your painted cabinet. I did notice in the photos that the lower shelf is sagging in the center so you may want to add a supportive corbel underneath that one as well to avert a disaster! Nice job and certainly inspirational for those of us trying to decide whether to paint wood or not.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 6:47 PM

      Thank you so much De! Yes we definitely need to add another bracket there like the other shelves but since there is an outlet we’ve been having a hard time finding just the right one to fit. LOL! It’s on our ‘to do’ list though for sure! 🙂

      Reply
  25. Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage says

    March 10, 2015 at 5:34 PM

    I totally LOVE love it. It is so bright and cheery and welcoming. Just like you!!
    I LOVE love all the new decorating touches too.
    … and don’t you just LOVE love this weather we are having? (lucky us!!)

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 9:05 PM

      YES!! The weather has been so amazing Shannon! Thanks for the sweet comment my friend. 🙂

      Reply
  26. Judy says

    March 10, 2015 at 5:44 PM

    It lightens and brightens the entire space. I absolutely love it. Great job, my friend.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 9:04 PM

      Thanks sweet friend! Was thinking the other day about our NYC adventure. Would love to get to see you again! 🙂

      Reply
  27. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    March 10, 2015 at 5:56 PM

    I LOVE love it! Everything… the soft white, the polka dot drapes, the accents and your transformation! What a beautiful, fresh and fabulous room! LOVE! sigh!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 9:04 PM

      Thank you so much Yvonne!! 🙂

      Reply
  28. Kim says

    March 10, 2015 at 7:24 PM

    Love the dark wood painted white. Huge improvement!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      March 10, 2015 at 9:03 PM

      Thanks Kim!

      Reply
  29. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    March 11, 2015 at 3:07 PM

    I am in true LOVE, love with your makeover….so, so BEAUTIFUL, beautiful….there is no room for a “like” here…just love…amazing job, amazing transformation!!!

    Reply
  30. Deborah says

    March 11, 2015 at 3:45 PM

    Ohhhhhh, I don’t love it! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It is so bright and cheery and relaxing! GREAT JOB!

    Reply
  31. Suzy @ Worthing Court says

    March 11, 2015 at 4:10 PM

    Hi Vanessa. Yes, I do LOVE the transformation! I’m sorry about your breakup with the cherry, but wow – how gorgeous!

    Reply
  32. Bharati says

    March 12, 2015 at 10:18 PM

    wove, this is soo bright and beautiful living room makeover. Love it 🙂

    Reply
  33. Pamela says

    March 13, 2015 at 6:03 PM

    Sooo much work! I can’t imagine . Looks fantastic.

    Reply
  34. Julie {Lilacs & Longhorns} says

    March 14, 2015 at 4:57 AM

    I can see why you LOVE it! It looks amazing and you made me laugh about your breaking up with the cherry cabinets. It’s true that it is an emotional thing when you paint your cabinets. We painted our kitchen last summer and even though I didn’t like our oak it still was weird how emotional the change was. Life is strange sometimes. 🙂 Enjoy your beautiful new family room!

    Reply
  35. laura@lulasbasket says

    March 25, 2015 at 4:48 AM

    Love, love, love the white! It looks so refreshed, big and bright! Isn’t it crazy what a little paint and some accessories can do to a room! Enjoy every minute in your “new” room! xo

    Reply
  36. Vel says

    May 11, 2015 at 10:04 PM

    Really wonderful room. Can see why you “LOVE love it!” Could you share the source for the polka-dot drapes. Smitten:)

    Reply
  37. kiki says

    April 20, 2016 at 5:47 PM

    What a beautiful room! Love everything about it.

    Can you share where you found the polka dot curtains?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      April 20, 2016 at 8:12 PM

      Thank you so much! I found them on Amazon. 🙂

      Reply

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I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
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What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

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If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

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