Makeover: Family room in Port Washington, $743
Sandra and Jim Neuwirth wanted to transform the family room in their Port Washington home from dark and drab to family-friendly.
When they moved into the four-bedroom split-level house in 2002, Sandra, 40, a stay-at-home mom, was responsible for most of the decorating, but Jim took on the family room. He wanted to give it the feel of an entertainment center where the family - they now have three sons, ages 3, 5 and 8 - could hang out. Up went heavy red curtains, to mimic an old-fashioned movie theater, and a 55-inch flat-screen television. Ultimately, Sandra Neuwirth couldn't live with the darkness of the room, and she enlisted the help of designer Lorraine Waitz Gropper of Room Lifts of Port Washington.
Waitz Gropper had two goals - to lighten the room's look and to incorporate some of Sandra's Moroccan heritage. "She had all these beautiful things in a closet," Waitz Gropper said. "I get a thrill when I can do things for less," said the designer, who used many of those objects in the renovated room. She also suggested pulling the couch away from the wall, an idea that the couple wasn't comfortable with at first.
"I told them to live with it for a while," said the designer, and after a few days, they were convinced. Now Jim, 44, managing director of a research firm in Manhattan, loves sitting in the room to watch TV while the boys play.
The makeover went into full swing by painting the brick wall white and replacing those red curtains with a silky chocolate-and-gold fabric. Here's the rundown of the transformation.
BASKETS ON WALL, existing
These were cloth-lined baskets Waitz Gropper made into hanging frames.
PAINT FOR BRICK WALL, $40 (one can)
A coat of Linen White semi-gloss paint from Benjamin Moore was all it took to update this brick wall. From Alpers Hardware in Port Washington
COUCH, existing
Moving it away from the wall gives the family more wall space for artwork and also gives the room a more cohesive feel.
AREA RUG, $130
(8 by 10 feet)
The chocolate brown and lighter colors complement the sand walls and cocoa curtains. From Wal-Mart in Garden City
POOFS, existing
These are from the family's travels to Morocco.
COFFEE TABLE,
existing
ACCENT PILLOW WITH CIRCLE DESIGN, $25
It picks up colors from throughout the room. From Target in Garden City
TWIGS AND VASE, existing
These add height to the corner of the room.
MIRROR, $25
From HomeGoods in Port Washington
WALL COLOR, existing
The walls were in good shape, and the sand color went with the new decor.
WINDOW TREATMENT, $83
Curtain rod is left over from the previous look. The new chocolate and gold silk-look curtains ($75) and clips ($8) are from Country Curtains in Manhasset.
CHAIRS, existing
These were moved from upstairs. "When people come see the room, they think we've bought all new furniture," Sandra says.
ACCESSORIES, existing
Items, like the serving tray, candleholders and serving pieces, were taken from other rooms in the house - or, in some cases, from inside a closet.
CORNER TABLE,
existing
This carved beauty also is from Morocco. It is one of a pair. The other is in the living room.
THROW PILLOWS IN CHAIRS, $20 (for two)
They're blue - a nice complement to the chocolate chairs. From HomeGoods
ARTWORK, existing
This was scattered throughout the house. The designer brought them together in the family room.
CANDLES and HOLDER, $20 (for three)
From Bed Bath & Beyond, Manhasset
