Here’s the second half of Farah’s home makeover (see our first post for the mom cave). HomeGoods generously offered some product to help refresh a home, and we asked if we could pay it forward by transforming someone else’s space — and they agreed. After seeing Farah’s family room, we couldn’t stop at the mom cave, so we refreshed that area as well. Here’s the family again to jog your memory.
Here’s the family room before the makeover:
And here’s the same room after the makeover:
The room started as a fairly blank slate, and we were fortunate to work with many of Farah’s existing pieces — the sectional, recliner, side tables, wood frames and coffee table stayed. Our goal was to add defining accessories and bring kid-friendly function for Laila without sacrificing grown-up style. Small changes made a big difference.
One of the most impactful edits was painting the walls a warm artichoke green (Benjamin Moore’s Nantucket Breeze color-matched to satin Behr). The hue gives the room a soft, candlelit glow. Layering in new table lamps and a textured rug helped the space feel much cozier and more inviting.
Farah primed and painted the existing recliner and we repurposed a green bench that had been tucked in Laila’s room to create a dedicated play area. That lets Laila have a kid-friendly spot in the main living area without making the room feel juvenile. It’s a practical way to include children in daily life, unlike the old formal rooms that kept kids out.
We hung three white hooks with Ikea baskets above the green bench to create accessible storage for toys and gear. It’s an inexpensive solution that keeps things organized and visually light, and it cost far less than a large cabinet or console.
We moved the white bench into the kitchen near the table. Farah often pulls the table into the room and adds the bench when entertaining, so this shift keeps the family room from feeling empty during gatherings while giving Laila a daily spot of her own.
That print above the bench is a custom photo — more on that in a bit.
Here are several different perspectives of the seating area so you can see how the pieces work together:
Under the side table you’ll spot a woven basket sitting on a stack of magazines — one of two extra Ikea baskets we used elsewhere. They’re perfect for corralling Laila’s board books, so adult books and kid books can live together without looking cluttered.
We also embraced the reality that toys migrate around a room by styling a few of Laila’s pieces on a plastic tray on the coffee table. The tray is unbreakable and practical, and the small toys help show how the room functions in real life. And yes, tiny plastic bananas are delightfully charming.
That framed photo is a custom portrait we shot of Laila in the backyard holding miniature grapes. Farah wanted a berry-themed print to fit an existing frame, so we arranged a quick DIY photoshoot. Having a personal image printed locally gave the kitchen a unique, meaningful touch that you can’t easily find in stores.
For a simple, edible centerpiece idea, nothing beats a bowl of fresh green apples — inexpensive, pretty and seasonal.
And here’s a detail shot of a basket with blue shoes peeking out — just a playful moment that echoed our color palette.
Budget breakdown:
- Paint: $100 (five gallons — we recommended painting the ceiling and the adjoining kitchen to keep the space visually unified)
- Rug: $299 (8 x 10 from HomeGoods)
- Kitchen blinds: $60 (faux wood blinds from Home Depot)
- Side table lamps: $29 each (from HomeGoods)
- Blue bird accessory: $9.99 (from HomeGoods)
- Blue finial on mantel: $12.50 (from HomeGoods)
- Pillows: $55 (mix from HomeGoods and World Market)
- Custom Laila photo in kitchen: $20 (printed locally)
- Decorative remote box: $15 (from HomeGoods)
- Kitchen table runner: $12 (from HomeGoods)
- Kitchen bench pillow: $20 (from HomeGoods)
- Baskets under green bench: $22 (from Target)
- Hanging toy baskets and extra baskets: $30 total (from Ikea)
- TOTAL: $713.49 ($296 spent by Farah thanks to HomeGoods)
We approached this family room and adjoining kitchen refresh with a Trading Spaces mindset — we asked Farah to help with homework tasks like painting, hanging blinds and painting the recliner. We expected the total to be closer to a thousand dollars, so we were thrilled to keep it under that while including big items like the large rug, paint, matching lamps and a custom photograph, plus many small accessories. It was a fun collaboration with Farah and her family. Do you have a kid-friendly corner in your living room? Or tiny plastic fruit on your coffee table? We hope this inspires a few small, livable changes.