I recently had the pleasure of helping a family in Stillwell pull the finishing touches together in their stunning, newly built home. Where does one start when designing for a family with four small children? Keep reading to see how we did it!

One of the first steps in our design process is to determine how you currently use your space. How do you live and move throughout your home on a daily basis? What will your future needs be? In this case, my clients wanted a design style that would stand the test of time and furnishings that would stand the test of four growing children.

With insight on how this space will be used going forward, we created a space plan. As with all of our projects, from complex new construction builds to selecting new furnishings, like this project, a space plan is created. This to-scale floor plan allows us to account for every inch of space and ensures that the new furnishings are sized perfectly for each unique space.

Surrounded by lakes and marshlands, the endless windows and open floorplan allows for beautiful views from every seat, in every room. While leaving the windows open with uninhibited views was important to my clients, the rooms needed to be softened from the hard surfaces, dark woods, and metal accents. The transparent fabrics I chose for the windows have a see-through effect yet also add dimension and a bit of shine. My clients agreed, the Roman shade treatments are perfect!

Keeping in mind the immediate needs of this family and predicting how they will use their great room in the years to come, an upholstered ottoman was chosen in lieu of a traditional, hard surfaced coffee table. Most coffee tables require dedicated floor space; this comfy cushion on wheels is a safer choice for their wobbly-walkers and can easily be pushed around, rearranged, and used for additional seating. The leather swivel chairs balance the open kitchen and great room, pairing perfectly with the island seating and blending with the surrounding softer furniture pieces and window treatments.

Many memories are made with the family around the dining room table. This dining room needs to accommodate eight people on a regular basis. The farm table in a rich finish blends effortlessly with the home’s existing woods and metal accents. Eight chairs can seem like a lot of vertical wood when you’re trying to maintain your window views! Using a bench seat steered us clear of that design dilemma and turned out to be the perfect character to compliment the farm house-style table.

So many memories will be made with the family around the kitchen table, too! This kitchen island will see many meals and see lots and lots and lots of homework. For seating we chose durable brown leather bar stools with brass nail head trim that are super comfortable and perfect for many years of daily use.

The warm tones in the kitchen cabinetry continue on to the wood flooring and flow throughout each room in this bright and open main level. The contrasting colors of the different granite on the dark countertops and lighter kitchen island are tied together in the form of a glass tile embellished backsplash.

Is your great room lacking greatness? Does your family room go unused? It’s amazing how new furniture can change the feel and the function of your home! You don’t need to spend weekend after weekend shopping different furniture stores–stop by our design studio!!! Call us for a complimentary design consultation; we’ve got all of the latest designs and styles, upholstery and fabrics at our fingertips and available for you to peruse.