Family Room Drama

Formal family rooms are usually off-limits except on special occasions. However, the Traders use theirs as an everyday space for lounging, dining and visiting with family.

Family rooms see a lot of action--toys on the floor, dogs on the sofa, pizza on Saturday night and everybody puts their feet on the coffee table. But does that mean a family room has to be informal? Not necessarily according to Marie and Bill Trader of Hinsdale, Illinois. They believe that a family room should be filled with whatever you love, from fine fabrics and collectibles to flea market finds to children, grandchildren, pets and even pizza.

In their formal family room, the color scheme started with the rug with its combination of red, sage green, dark yellow, cream and black.

The quilt-like pattern adds another textural element to the warm space.

The oversized table was created from an old desk. They cut down the legs to the appropriate table height and altered the look with a painted antique red finish and butterscotch-colored leather top outlined with nailhead trim.