Brighter, Lighter, Still Cozy

I am extremely familiar with this space and I have been wanting to tackle it for a while now. This den belongs to my parents and I have so many wonderful memories in this room. They purchased this home when I was in the 7th grade and I felt like we were the Jeffersons, we were moving on up! (if you do not get the reference google is your friend!) When we first toured the house during the house hunting process, I told my parents this was our home. I even memorized the address as further proof that they did not need to look any further. 

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I remember all of the family gatherings, church meetings, celebrations, and television viewing that went on in this room. When I look at the before pictures those are the things that come to mind. I feel warmth and coziness, I see my family. I can hear the lectures we received when we made a mistake, the family choir rehearsals with our unique renditions of Kirk Franklin classics, and my parents calling me from upstairs to bring them the remote that was located mere feet away from them. I can smell the delicious meals that were prepared in the adjoining kitchen, the smells my brother brought home from football practice, and the cologne my father sprayed prior to leaving the house for church. I can see my mom over in the corner working on her genealogy research, my kids making a mess in the middle of the floor with their blocks, and the moments my husband and I shared cuddled up watching movies when we were just two teens in love. Those are the feelings that I wanted to ensure we all still experienced after the room makeover. 

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We were on a strict budget of less than $500 including paint, paint supplies, the ceiling fan, rug, curtains, pillows, picture frames, wall clock, and accessories. Thankfully, they had a lot of pieces that we could repurpose on the shelves. I love being able to incorporate our family memories, travel mementos, and photographs in the decor in their den. Their wedding photo is my absolute favorite item on this shelf. 

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I am grateful that my parents gave me the opportunity to makeover this room for them. Every time I walk through the doors to visit I feel a sense of calm and peace knowing that the warmth and coziness of this space remains and so many more memories will be created here.