Lifestyle With Melonie Graves

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As part of the BHG Live Better Influencer Network, I am privileged to share awesome tips and inspirational ideas using Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart products.  I will receive compensation for my time and effort to create these posts.  But as always, my opinions are my own.  The convenient shopping links I will provide for you will help support the blog, at no additional cost to you.  I hope you find some inspiration here today!

A new furniture arrangement can make a huge difference in an old space. This month, the Better Homes & Gardens Stylemakers were asked to share some tips and tricks on how to refresh a space in our homes, on a budget!

I chose our Game Room for this project. This room has been our children’s main play area since we first purchased our home. We’ve never really done much with the space because we’ve always wanted the kids to feel like they had full run in the room. But as they have gotten older, our Game Room has become a more heavily used area by our entire family. So I wanted to give it a “family friendly” refresh, without breaking the bank.

So, here’s a quick look at what I had to work with, and a few simple and affordable solutions for completely refreshing this space.

Game Room Before at Christmas
Game Room Before
Lots of empty space to fill and make better use of in the room.

Tip #1 – Paint

There is NOTHING like a fresh coat of paint to transform a room! Even if you don’t want to change your paint color, a fresh coat of the same color can dramatically improve the ambiance of the room…especially if it’s been more than 5 – 7 years since it’s been painted.

In my case, I was looking to completely refresh all of the common areas in our home this year with a fresh, new color. This is definitely not an easy decision, and many factors need to be considered when choosing a paint color, including fixed architectural design elements like flooring and cabinets, and even which way your home faces. Our home has a lot of windows facing the south. So, I wanted to stick with a warm color like the custom color in the before pictures, but with less yellow undertones, that compliment lots of natural light. I very quickly got what I call “paint paralysis!” Even with my 0limited amount of)training in redesign, I just couldn’t make a decision. So, I consulted with a paint color specialist that I trust, and selected Benjamin Moore “Edgecomb Gray” to update the common areas.

A fresh coat of paint can go a long way!

Tip #2 – Rearrange Furniture Placement

Don’t be afraid to rearrange your existing furniture! Sometimes it may take a different set of eyes to help out, so don’t be shy to ask a friend. You’ll be amazed at what a difference moving a table or sofa can make! The right rearrangement can sometimes even make your room feel bigger!

By moving the kid’s pool table into the center of our Game Room, I made additional room for a highly desired space for us to play board games! For a little over $300, I added an entirely new and functional seating area in the room. Who’s ready for some chess or Monopoly?!

I also moved our existing TV Console from the Theater Room into the Game Room. We are planning on mounting our Theater Room TV on the wall soon. So rather than getting rid of the console, we repurposed it into this space. It’s perfect for storing board games, DVD’S, and dog toys!

The Better Homes & Gardens Aiden Metal Dining Table has been a “game changer” in this space. (See what I did there?) 😉
I opted for 4 for the matching Dining Chair with Wood Seats. They are on clearance at the time of this post date!
These Gold Pillar Candle Holders were the perfect size for the console. I like to use Flameless Candles upstairs so that the ambiance of the light is still available, but with added safety for the kids!

Tip #3 – It’s all about the ACCESSORIES

Accessorizing a room is my absolute favorite part of a redesign. This is when I feel I can be my most creative, and bring out the personality of the space, and in this case, our entire family! Room accessories that are both functional and appealing to the eye are always a hit. Let me show you what I picked out!

I started by adding a rug that many of you will recognize from our family room (it’s featured in an older blog if you’d like the details)! When we redesigned our family room last year, we rolled up the rug, but it was still in great shape. We weren’t ready to get rid of it just yet, and I’m so glad we didn’t! It’s a great rug, and it worked really well to help cozy up this space.

Next I added these adorable pet teepees I found for the dogs, and styled them with some SUPER CUTE accessories!

The Love Pillow offers has two sides, with a completely different design on the back! The Rosette Ivory Plush Pillows are also a favorite in our home.

My Fur Babies are long past their “curious” phases. So I was able to add some extra sparkle to their teepees with these fairy lights! Make sure to double check with your Veterinarian before adding ANY decor to your pet’s living spaces…safety first! 😉
Charging Station for the kids, complete with comfortable and cozy throw pillows, including the Angora Faux pillow , available in several color options.
No more asking for the Wi-Fi Code! This Tabletop WIFI decor takes all of the guess work out of “chillaxin” in the Game Room.

This project turned out to be a TON of fun, and we are ALL (even the fur babies) enjoying the updated space. For a full tour, make sure to check out my YouTube video!

Until next time,

Love & peace.