When Anna sent photos of her family room redo, we were excited to share the dramatic before-and-after transformation. Below is her note describing the project:
I thought you might like pictures of my 1960s step-down family room re-do. The best changes were removing the textured ceiling and replacing the carpet with wide-plank wood flooring. Because the flooring is engineered wood, it could be installed directly over a concrete slab. We chose not to paint the fireplace, but removing the dark paneling and making a few other updates brightened the room and made it much more livable. The etageres beside the fireplace were found on your site and bought on clearance from JC Penney. The pillows and rugs are from Target, and the white chair was a thrift-store find that I spray-painted and reupholstered with a new seat pad. I’m still hunting for a coffee table I love, but the room already feels so much better. — Anna
Here’s the dark and dated before:
And the stunning after shots:
It’s hard to believe the chair once looked like this:
…and after a coat of spray paint and a new cushion, became this stylish showstopper:
The transformation demonstrates how a few well-chosen updates—removing heavy paneling, swapping carpet for wide-plank engineered wood, refreshing small furnishings, and using thrifted pieces—can completely change the look and feel of a room. Simple projects like refinishing a chair or adding lighter textiles make a big visual impact and are budget-friendly ways to modernize a 1960s living space.
Thanks to Anna for sharing these photos and tips. Her redo is a great example of practical design choices that improve both style and livability.