We are currently working on a vacation home project for some lovely clients. We helped them with the living room and dining area previously and now they have asked for help refreshing the much used family room.

We did the design concept phase of this project as a long distance, virtual design project. We sent the initial concept options via email, and delivered physical samples of fabric and rug options, and then reviewed them with the clients via phone to discuss preferences and refine the design.

The architectural style of the home is a cape and quintessentially New England. We have aimed for a casual, comfortable elegance throughout the spaces, and have taken our color cues from fixed finishes in the kitchen which is open to the remaining public gathering spaces. Sea glass aquas and blues mix with sand and whites, oak floors add warmth, while seagrass pieces add texture and a touch of nature.

The color used throughout the main rooms is Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray (which is not at all gray, and not to be confused with Horizon which IS gray…) It is a complex gray-green/blue color that perfectly grounds the fabric colors throughout.

The family room, originally a brighter yellow with red and blue accents, was scheduled to be painted the same Horizon Gray, and the upholstered furniture was slated to be passed on to other uses.

The clients wanted new, comfortable furnishings with plenty of seating for their extended family, and a casual coastal feel that would be sophisticated and flow well from the updated living/dining area.

The family room wish list contains:

• New seating (sofas and chairs)

• Retain the large media center

• New rug

• New coffee table

• New side tables

• Retain the small round dining table, as it gets used for desk space when working from home

• New fabrics to recover existing cornices, reupholster ottomans, and add pillows

Our starting point, as always, was to determine a layout so we could define the needed pieces. The current configuration includes comfy seating for 8 plus 2 ottomans and dining/desk chairs. Here are a few of the options we considered…

Every layout has pros and cons and ultimately we arrived at a hybrid - using the third layout but flipping it so the pair of chairs were near the entry. We suggested replacing the round table with a better work surface that would have a bit of storage and would sit flat against the entry wall.

The cornices will be raised a few inches to the ceiling break so that we can add a few inches of fabric for better proportions, and the media center will be painted in an accent color to give it a sophisticated new look.

The next step was determining fabric and rug options. We looked at several fabric combinations, but here was the initial concept:

And here are some of the fabric combinations we offered:

We finally settled on the blue and green contemporary blossom fabric below as our main pattern and set out to build a supporting cast of solids, geometrics, and textures for the remaining pieces.

Our final fabric, rug, and upholstery selections have been decided so that the upholstered pieces could be ordered since that has the longest lead time.

We are looking forward to seeing this coastal casual family room all installed and ready for the family to enjoy for years to come!