SFGate

by garlough

Family room ideas

We have recently opened up our kitchen and family room into one open room. The room is 23 x 20 total, roughly 460 square feet. The cabinets are a knotty pine, the hardwood was just put in and is a cherry coloured hickory. The couch is new, a soft grey colour, with new paint on the walls, Benjamin Moore Pikes Peak Gray 2127-50.

Now here is where my questions come in...
- the burgundy lazy boy chair is going, but I'm not sure what kind of seating to replace it with; I'm thinking 2 chairs, with an oversized ottoman but not sure of colour or style; I have 2 children, age 10 and 13, so it has to be comfy enough that they'll actually use it (rather than 4 of us squeezed on the couch!)
- I would like to put a fireplace with mantel in the corner where the TV is, but again, not sure what colour to go with; should I go black mantel, black chairs, black tables so it all fits together? I want a fairly traditional mantel, but I want the room to have a more modern overall look, because we originally had lots of pine, with a country look, and I'm looking for a change
- on the kitchen side, the countertops will eventually be changed (hopefully to granite) so the green will not clash with the blue/Gray on the walls; what cool our of granite would look best? And what kind of window treatment should I go with in both rooms?