Welcome or not?

The Front Hall may seem like an unlikely candidate for a "high priority" room, especially if you've seen the pictures of my house and said, "Why did you buy that place again?"  The house has potential and I think the front hall does too.  Since it's the first room I see every day when I come home, it's kind of like the introduction to our house.  I would like the introduction to say "Welcome home" instead of "Look at how ugly much potential I have."  So up next the Front Hall (or Foyer if you're fancy or British).

Does your front hall welcome you home?

Family Room Reveal

I am so excited to show off our new family room!  For reference (and because I love this part), let's look at it before...

Yuck!  I know.  And yes, I did peel all that wallpaper off by hand.  You can read about my tips here.

And now after...

Love the way the faux built-ins turned out!  They are just standard Ikea shelving units.  I have a plan for that remaining open space, but its a secret for now...

I love it!  We split the sectional, which was formerly a U-shape in our old house, in order to give us the matching "chair" and so that it wouldn't block the lovely brick fireplace.

It's such a relief to have it finished (well almost... that pesky coffee table needs painting still).  I can't even express how amazing it feels.  Hubby and I have been enjoying the room a lot!  I can't wait to have a fire in that fireplace... it's wood burning!  Now we can finally have people over without having to appologize for the "reno" mess and lack of seating.  Look at all that seating!  We can fit 8 people on that couch comfortably.  Time to start planning some parties.  I plan to enjoy it for at least a few days hours before pestering hubby to start the next room.  Just for fun, here are some more pictures of the new room... yay!  Love it!

and yes, Teddy makes another appearance...

Did you notice the shelving in the back right corner?  We fit it perfectly between the wall and the "bump-out" for the duct work.  Looks custom and built in, but was just a happy accident!  I love it when that happens!  Hope your Monday is filled with happy accidents!

Family Room Preview

It has been rough going living in the new house without any finished areas to just relax in.  I feel like when we first move to a new house it feels like you're living in someone else's house until you get enough of "you" in it to make it feel like yours.  This room will be a huge step towards making it our own and I know it will be a huge relief when this room is done. 

I am so excited to show you the progress so far!  We are getting really close.   For now, I wanted to show a quick preview of the room "almost" done.  Yes, Teddy snuck into the picture... isn't he a cutie?

Amazing I know!  I'm so happy with how to bookcases came out.  Don't they look fab?  Just in case you forgot... here is the "before"

I am so happy, I could pee.  Please ignore the glowing yellow pine table... this is a hand-me-down that I think will work in the space because it's nice and long, but I have to paint it... I'm thinking RED (shocker!) but I'll have to work up some courage before I tackle that paint job.  More photos this weekend... I can't wait!