Nautical Family Room and Kitchen Makeover

Designer Brian Patrick Flynn translates the red, white and blue living room and kitchen vibe of HGTV Dream Home 2021 in Newport, Rhode Island into a family-friendly common space and kitchen for an active family of five.

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December 14, 2020

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Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Before: Family Room and Kitchen

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Design With a Desk

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Rich Navy for the Win

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Snacks and Crafts

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Family-Friendly Features

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Work and Learn From Home

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Nod to Newport

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Space to Spread Out

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Comfy Top

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Secret Storage and Seating

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Before: A Kitchen With No Direction

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

An All-Americana Gathering Place

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Hard Working Coffee Table

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Piano Practice

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Kid-Friendly Furnishings

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Red and Blue Accessories

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Collegiate Inspiration

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Layers of Color

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

A Place for Everything

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Color Explosion

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Kid-Safe Kitchen Stuff

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

Traditional Design With a Twist

Inspired by the living room and kitchen of HGTV Dream Home 2021 in Newport, Rhode Island, this shared common space for a family of five in the historic Martin Luther King District of Atlanta is outfitted in shades of blue, red and brown and a mix of classic, coastal-organic and traditional styles.

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10-Light Candle Style Wagon Wheel Chandelier

Genuine Leather 81" Square Arm Sofa

Poynor Frame Coffee Table

Coalville 65" Floor Lamp

Clem Solid Blackout Single Curtain Panel

Before: Family Room and Kitchen

Design With a Desk

To keep the entire family room balanced, the central fireplace was flanked with the family's piano on one side and an open-bottom desk on the other. The lightness of the open bottom keeps the room from feeling crowded.

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Altenburg Solid Wood Desk

26" Chrome Desk Lamp

Task Chair

Square Dance 16-Piece Dinnerware Set

Rich Navy for the Win

In order to add color similar to the living room and kitchen of HGTV Dream Home 2021 in Newport, Rhode Island to the Carrols' home, a wall of windows was outfitted with rich navy drapery panels along with a blue cottage style console table with both concealed and open storage.

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Roisin 26" Table Lamp

Beaumont 60" Console Table

Nader Blanket

Genuine Leather 81" Square Arm Sofa

Clem Solid Blackout Single Curtain Panel

Snacks and Crafts

One side of the kitchen is dedicated for Nora and Micah to work on crafts over snacks and juices. The navy drapery coordinates perfectly with the blue-toned ticking stripe of the upholstered counter stools.

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Clem Solid Blackout Single Curtain Panel

Zyaire Stool

Family-Friendly Features

The pair of leather sofas are durable for heavy use by a family of five while the chenille blanket can be machine washed again and again.

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Genuine Leather 81" Square Arm Sofa

Dundee Mirror

Lonely Boat' Photograph on Canvas

Stavern Cotton Feather Throw Pillow

Poynor Frame Coffee Table

Work and Learn From Home

Addison sets up her video conferencing classes each morning at the desk area of the family room. When school hours are over, this space can then be used for mom and dad to work from home as needed.

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Altenburg Solid Wood Desk

26" Chrome Desk Lamp

Genuine Leather 81" Square Arm Sofa

Nod to Newport

Designer Brian Patrick Flynn added a nod to the coastal vibe of Newport, Rhode Island with a rowboat photo hung front and center. This also worked as a source of inspiration for pulling different shades of blue into the space.

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Lonely Boat' Photograph on Canvas

Space to Spread Out

By flanking the center of the space with identical leather sofas and an oversized coffee table, there is plenty of space to kick back and read books comfortably.

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Poynor Frame Coffee Table

Nader Blanket

Stavern Cotton Feather Throw Pillow

Dublin Upholstered Storage Bench

26" Chrome Desk Lamp

Comfy Top

The storage bench is kid-friendly thanks to an attached top that's both padded and upholstered in a neutral sand tone that will camouflage spills and smudges.

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Dublin Upholstered Storage Bench

Altenburg Solid Wood Desk

Secret Storage and Seating

For extra seating and concealed storage, Brian added a farmhouse style bench to the space. When it's time for the family to engage with cards and board games, the bench is moved from the piano over to the coffee table.

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Dublin Upholstered Storage Bench

Stavern Cotton Feather Throw Pillow

Before: A Kitchen With No Direction

An All-Americana Gathering Place

The integrated table of the kitchen offers up plenty of comfy space for the family to gather for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A mix of kitchen essentials such as the bright red mixer and textured drinkware adds Americana colors to the space.

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Zyaire Stool

Clem Solid Blackout Single Curtain Panel

Russ 3-Light Unique Dome Pendant

KitchenAid 100 Queen of Hearts Stand Mixer

Hard Working Coffee Table

Fran and Milton purposely keep a TV out of the family room, instead keeping the kids engaged with one another through games and books. To store board games and card games within arm's reach, open shelves below keep the boxes at bay while books remain stacked along the top. When it's time to play, the books move below and the games come up top.

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10-Light Candle Style Wagon Wheel Chandelier

Poynor Frame Coffee Table

Altenburg Solid Wood Desk

Lonely Boat' Photograph on Canvas

Piano Practice

To work the existing piano into the design of the new space, Brian moved it to the opposite side of the fireplace and added an oversized mirror to help reflect light.

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10-Light Candle Style Wagon Wheel Chandelier

Dundee Mirror

Genuine Leather 81" Square Arm Sofa

Poynor Frame Coffee Table

Kid-Friendly Furnishings

With three kids actively using the family room at all times of the day, it was important to stick with kid-friendly furnishings. The leather upholstery is hardy and durable enough for Micah and his toy cars. Plus, it's easy to wipe the sofas clean in the event of spilled drinks.

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Genuine Leather 81" Square Arm Sofa

Roisin 26" Table Lamp

Beaumont 60" Console Table

Nader Blanket

Red and Blue Accessories

In order to add some personality and pizzazz to the kitchen, small items with color, pattern and texture were introduced on the countertops and inside of the glass front cabinets.

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KitchenAid 100 Queen of Hearts Stand Mixer

3 Piece Kitchen Canister Set

Melange 36-Piece Bamboo Dinnerware Set

Preston 16 Piece Assorted Glassware Set

Binegar Serving Tray Platter

Collegiate Inspiration

Much of the design of HGTV Dream Home 2021 was inspired by the collegiate look of the Ivy League schools of New England. A similar vibe was brought to the family room with classic library-centric touches like the deep brown leather upholstery and the mix of rich woods on the desk and the coffee table.

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Russ 3-Light Unique Dome Pendant

3 Piece Kitchen Canister Set

Le Creuset Petite 2-Piece Salt and Pepper Set

Glass Prep 2-Piece Cutting Board Set

Layers of Color

For a cohesive look, blues and reds were layered into the all white kitchen which visually ties it back into the adjacent family room

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Glass Prep 2-Piece Cutting Board Set

Hummell Stripes Cotton 19" Napkin

Telford Bread Basket

A Place for Everything

The interiors of the Carrols' kitchen cabinets are packed with organization thanks to drawer organizers. This extra deep drawer is outfitted with a board-and-peg system that allows bowls and plates to be stacked vertically in an orderly fashion without falling over.

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Melange 36-Piece Bamboo Dinnerware Set

Bistro 16 Piece Dinnerware Set

Color Explosion

If bold hues like red or cobalt blue are too intense for walls or upholstery, try introducing them with much smaller elements. This allows for a colorful look in a space without any major commitment.

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Glass Prep 2-Piece Cutting Board Set

Hummell Stripes Cotton 19" Napkin

Kid-Safe Kitchen Stuff

To keep meals worry-free, unbreakable plastic bowls and plates for the kids are used in the kitchen. Should anything get knocked off the countertop, the only thing needed is a towel to clean up any spills.

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Melange 36-Piece Bamboo Dinnerware Set

Zyaire Stool

Basic Essentials 8-Piece Kitchen Utensil Set

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