Family in the family room

Heya! How the heck are ya?

I finished up a project the other day that was a LONG time comin’ – and in the end it only took about an hour to complete. I don't know why I put it off for so long!

When we had our corner fireplace covered up with a more lovely corner fireplace (confused? Go here.) last fall, it meant I had to change up what was on the wall to the left of it. I decided to go with a small gallery wall because…well. It’s the only thing I could think of. ;)

I already had a mirror up there. All the art I had was too small or too big. And there was something missing from this family room that was really bugging me.

That would be pictures of the family.

:)

I picked up the frames on a trip to IKEA last fall and they hung with the beautiful IKEA inserts for months:

(The Christmas family room.)

I went with the IKEA frames for a reason – I wanted the wall to be more streamlined, so I wanted each frame to be the same. And theirs come with a mat, all for a very decent price. (I think the largest ones were $11?)

Like in my office, I just hung them here and there till they were right. Yes, that means there's a few extra holes. Holes schmoles. Just make sure you cover them with the frames. :)

So this week I finally got to filling them…with photos from Thanksgiving.

I’m so on it!

But you see, our Thanksgiving was extra special. I’ve been meaning to tell you about it for months now, time just got away from me. 

We spent the week in our very favorite place, New York City, for a very special reason -- my hubby’s marching band participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!!

It was just the BEST week. All around, we just had a blast. We brought both the kids, and some of our closest friends were there (who work with the hubs) and their kids. It was a week we’ll all treasure forever.

So I knew I wanted to fill this wall with memories of that week, even though they are a little out of season. Here’s my stepdaughter and I at Thanksgiving dinner:

The kids at the parade! (Brrrrrr.):

I was so proud of my hubby (for numerous reasons!!), but he worked with the Fox News staff and the band was asked to perform LIVE on the morning show. It was SO EXCITING!

This was hubs and the Bub afterwards in front of the studio:

We were all pretty giddy. And tired (they had to be there at 5 a.m.).

We have a “regular” Italian place in Little Italy that we visit at least once each trip. They know us at Da Nico and we know their incredible food:

(You can tell by our happy faces.)

I had to include this shot of my hubby as they passed us during the parade:

Giddy. :) :)

And of course, I had to add one more of my favorite shots from the parade:

I thought it was fitting. :)

I also included a family photo (I forgot to take a close up of it) to complete the wall:

Yes, there’s a gigantic Christmas tree in our family photo, but I don’t care. :)

My plan is to change up this wall a couple times a year. Maybe a summer version and a winter version? We’ll see. Knowing me, these will still be up this Thanksgiving.

Because the frames were finally filled, I had to address the mantel. It has sat in an between state since January 1st when I put away all the Christmas decor.

I made a few tweaks today and got it presentable. The lantern is filled with a few rattan balls and other filler, the little bowl is from HomeGoods (found a couple of months ago), and the owl was a Meijer find last year:

   

The candlesticks I’ve had foreva and are from Goodwill. I LOVE that little bowl – it’s got every color I use in this space – blues, reds, greens.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE THE NEW MANTEL?:

And now I have some family in the family room to go along with it!

It’s about time!:

I’m still running through ideas for above the mantel. I see it in white, with some kind of wall treatment. I just don’t know for sure what yet. I won’t touch it till it comes to me. :)

And yes, the chair is angled that way because the TV is on the opposite wall:

I love looking back to see how this room has changed over time!

Here it is early last year with with a few thorns in my side:

I worked with it and made it a cozy spot, but the TV was squished next to the fireplace (I was always afraid the cabinet would become firewood), that corner fireplace was just impossible, and the closed off furniture placement made the room feel so small.

Now it feels like a completely different room!:

Well, I guess it is a completely different room. ;)

I’m getting an itch to repaint this room too! I LOVE this color (Sisal by Ralph Lauren, Home Depot) and it’s served us well, but it’s been this way since the day we moved in. (It was the first room I had ever painted!)

It sure was a lot easier to paint without molding and furniture everywhere though. I may talk myself out of this. We’ll see.

So there you go – my family is finally in the family room. And I have Christmas photos up on the walls.

SO with it. :)

Did you see us in the parade? I didn’t walk it – I was the crazy proud wife in the stands screaming her head off. You know. That one.

P.S. I get asked about that ceiling fan a lot. To see more about it, go here.