Kid-Friendly, Pet-Friendly Living Room Combines Style and Function

Prior to the makeover, this modestly-sized family room looked more like a college student's rental than the home of stylish, young parents. From the beige walls to the lack of a solid space plan, homeowners John and Kelly Greenway turned to a designer friend to reinvent the space as a colorful, casual place to unwind with son Cooper and rottweiler pup Bernie.

Using the cool, coastal climate of Southern California as inspiration, the bland, beige room was transformed into a colorful, casual place to relax, watch TV and play games. To put the 15x18' space to good use, it was divided into two functional zones: a place to lounge and another area for playing games and casual dining.

The dining and game area is the first thing you see upon enterting this space. This works well for entertaining, since guests can walk right in and take a seat when joining the family for lunch or dinner.

John and Kelly's twin sofas are arranged floating style in the center of the room flanking the fireplace. This adds symmetry while also creating a cozy, intimate feeling. It also allows for proper traffic flow around each of the sofas into the surrounding rooms.