12/2/12

My Christmas Family Room

Hey everyone!  Well, I said I'd be back soon to share how I decorated our family room and here I am!  I love decorating this room, because it's where we spend so much of our time.  Our family room is wide open to our kitchen and breakfast rooms which means I get to see everything from my usual spot in the kitchen!  It is, of course, also where we watch TV, so there is the ever-present wall-mounted machine and all it's components.....lol!  I'm really not complaining here, because I truly enjoy having some TV time, too!  I'm just very happy that the TV has its own spot and is separate from the fireplace and mantel.   Until we bought our current home, it had been 18 years since we had a fireplace; and we've never had one with a mantel -- can you believe that?  So, even though the mantel is shallow, I truly enjoy decorating it!  So let's take a look.



Our sofa-recliner faces the fireplace and the TV, so we get to enjoy the mantel all decked out.

So does Abby.  Well, she could care less about the mantel decor.  It's all about the fireplace and her little heated pad.  She hangs out here every evening, usually totally stretched out facing the fire.  Even when she gets too warm, she just moves to the little chair on the left and watches the fire.  
She cracks us up!

This mantel is very shallow, but I make good use of the space I have.  I use small command hooks to keep the swags and stockings where they are supposed to be.  Wish I had invented those things!

Since this is all open to the kitchen, I like to keep the same design style going on here in the family room.  The kitchen, which you can see HERE, is all about Snow People and whimsical; so I carried the whimsy into the family room, too.  This room is where our "Grands" hang out and play when they visit, and I want it to be fun for them.

I had almost everything you see here already, and only added a few $Store items.  The wreath was just a very cheap inexpensive one that I simply added red and green mesh to along with some ornaments.

I continue to use my battery-operated candles and simply changed them up by adding some mesh and narrow ribbon.  

This has been kind of a decorating dilemma, but The Man has a plan in the works for this space -- already a DIY for 2013!  Since our home is almost ten years old, this built-in area was designed for one of those "massive" box-type TVs & not a wall-mounted version.  Thus, there are cords & such that I try to conceal with some greenery at the back.  For Christmas, I simply tucked 
in some single poinsettia stems.


I like to have some special photos here and our sweet remembrance of The Man's parents -- their 
50th Anniversary clock.  I just love the delicate chime of this little clock.

This candle smells like sugar cookies (yum!), and the little tinsel tree is a new purchase from the $Store.

Recognize these?  You can see how I used them in my Fall decor HERE.  

I like to keep our game table pretty simply decorated, so if the "Grands" want to color, play a game, or work on a puzzle, it's easy to clear the table.

I made the little quilted topper several years ago, along with a matching tablerunner that I'm using in the kitchen.  The little stained glass Santa tealite holder was a Big Lots purchase many years ago, and the small lamp just adds some warmth to this corner.

This little book is one I put together at the end of last year with all of our 2011 Christmas cards, letters and photos that friends and family had sent us.  You can see how I did this HERE.  The little tag has "2011" on it.  I plan to do the same thing with this year's cards and letters.  It's such a little treasure to open and look through.  As I accumulate more of these little books, I will probably toss them in a small basket or pretty dish.

Well, that's about it for my family room.  I hope you enjoyed the tour.  I just love sharing my home with all of you sweet, dear friends.  Hope you have a wonderful week!

Carol

I am happily linking to the following wonderful parties:

Cheri at  It's So Very Cheri for Party Time
Dawn at Creative Cain Cabin for Christmas Decorating on a Budget
Cindy at Skip to My Lou for Made by You Monday
Susan  at Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday 
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Table Top Tuesdays
Patti at Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Jenny at The NY Melrose Family for Whimsy Wednesdays
Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursdays

Katie at Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Things
Heather & Vanessa  At The Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Karen at Sew Many Ways for Find a Friend Friday
Amanda at Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading
                                             
                   Suzy at Worthing Court for Better Late Than Never Christmas Inspirations Bloghop





25 comments:

  1. It's looking a lot like Christmas. Merry Christmas.

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  2. It looks wonderful. Love your kitty loving the fireplace. We have a fireplace in the bedroom - as the heat source. I am delighted to wake up in the middle of the night and see a couple of cats luxuriating in its warmth!

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  3. Your family room looks fantastic! You did a wonderful job on the mantel. I love the little book you made of Christmas cards. I'll have to go check that post out.

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  4. Your family room looks very cozy and festive. Your cat is beautiful. :)

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  5. Your family room looks so pretty! I love the mirror with the wreath. I had a rectangle mirror last year and this year I am using a round one. For some reason, it's been harder to decorate around the round mirror. Oh well. Great job on yours and the kitty is adorable.
    -Shelley

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  6. Your family room is decorated beautifully. My hubby is fond of the black box too. Like yours our television is separate from the fireplace. I don't think I could deal with it hanging over the fireplace.
    Your home is beautiful, your family will have a truely awesome environment to celebrate the holiday season.

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  7. Love. Love. Love.

    Carol,
    Your family room is so warm and cozy and I love the color. You balanced the mantle very well, I could use your help, I am not happy with my mantle yet. Love the stockings and candles, too! Well done, very festive! XO ~Liz

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  8. So,so,Fun!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art*by*Karena*Giveaway

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  9. Hi Carol! Oh, your mantel looks wonderful and I really like your wreath. Christmas is really popping out all over your family room! Love it.
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  10. Carol everything looks so festive and merry!Thanx for joining THT. Have a great week!:)

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  11. So pretty, CAS! Isn't it fun having a fireplace/mantel to decorate?! I love the wreath and your beautiful garland. It's all so warm and inviting, and I'm sure it's one of your favorite spaces in your lovely holiday home!

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  12. It looks so lovely Carol! So many fun details! :-)
    Vanessa

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  13. Your Christmas decor is so lovely. It makes me feel festive and jolly! :)

    May you have joy and peace this wonderful holiday season my friend.

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  14. Your family room looks just beautiful, the perfect setting for the holidays! Thanks for stopping by, Laura
    P.S. You commented on the lack of snow in AZ.. A few years ago when visiting AZ it snowed in northern Scotsdale! It was warmer when we got home to Michigan than in Arizona, yikes!!! Unusual I know...

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  15. You make me want to stay at home from work tomorrow and decorate my home!!! So pretty

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  16. Carol, your Christmas Family room looks fabulous and your mantle just gorgeous! Everything looks so pretty and festive!

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  17. Beautiful mantel. I loved the apothecary jars too.

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  18. Your mantel is so Cheery! We recently bought a new tv to put over our mantel so I am struggle with decorating this year. Every night I look at it and not happy. Thank goodness for all these blogs to help give me some ideas.

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  19. Your colors on your mantel are fantastic and so colorful! Happy Holidays to you!
    xo Nancy
    Powellbrowerhome.com

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  20. Wow, Carol. Your family room looks so festive! I love the wreath and garland! So pretty *and* fun!

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  21. I so enjoyed seeing all the color you used in your decorating this year. It sure is festive and pretty. I used several of the same colors in my tree this year. Thanks a bunch for linking up to the party at the Cabin this week, hope to see you there again:)

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  22. Very pretty. I don't have a cat but my three little dogs love the fire and snuggling.

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  23. I love looking at your Christmas decorations! You did a great job; it looks great!

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  24. It's all so pretty, Carol! I love all of the colors that you combined together. I do the same thing as you in terms of keeping the decor in the family room in keeping with what's in the kitchen since our rooms open onto one another.

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  25. You've made it lots of fun for your grandchildren but also very pretty! Thank you for giving us a look at your lovely, welcoming space. :)

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I truly love to hear from you and try to respond to each and everyone. If you have "no reply blogger," I will respond in my comments section and then visit your blog as soon as I can.

Make this a great day!
Carol

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