Before we started looking for our new home we came up with a wishlist of features that our dream home would have.  The list had two columns: Wants and Needs.  One of the really important things to us was a nice big area where we could spend time as a family.  A room where we could all hang out and be together (even if we were each doing our own thing) without being too crowded.  For us, this was categorized as a “need”.

At the end of our week of house-hunting we had it narrowed down to two choices (both had huge family rooms).  One was a gorgeous ranch home that had recently been renovated and had all of the bells and whistles.  The kitchen in that house looked like it belonged in a magazine.  I’m not sure what I would have done with it.  I’d have had to get a fancier crock-pot.

The other house (the one we ended up getting) was a bit outdated but had so much potential and when you listed each homes’ attributes (and ignored anything cosmetic) it came out ahead each time.  In the end we made the right choice for our family (and our savings account).  Plus, by purchasing the house that needed a little TLC, we were able to really make sure it reflected our tastes and style.  There is no denying that the ranch house, our 2nd choice, was a stunning property – but it wasn’t really “us”.  It’s not just the crock-pot, we’re not that fancy either.

Here are some before and after pictures of our current family room.

A huge difference right?  Gone is the outdated bookshelf with its saggy shelves.  It’s been replaced with a cool half-wall that mimics the shelving around the room and really opens the space up.  We also added some trim to create a faux-shelf on the adjoining wall.  This allowed us to continue our two-tone paint scheme.  It’s tough to tell in the “before” picture, but the ceiling was actually a light green color.  It’s white now and the carpet has been replaced as well.  The recessed lights were cleaned and given the proper wattage bulbs.  In the back corner (it’s hidden by the fan) is a new dehumidifier.  Kurt had the fantastic idea to get a self-draining one (we were emptying the one the old homeowners left twice a day).

Here’s another before and after comparison.  I didn’t take the photos from the same angle, but you can get a nice idea of the size of the room from the two of them.

I know we will spend a lot of time as a family in this room.  I can picture us on a Sunday afternoon this fall – Dave watching football on TV, Adam playing with his toys, me scrapbooking.  I can see the three of us snuggled up on the couch on a Friday night watching movies or reading stories.  It’s going to be awesome.