Update puts family on road to modern adventure

Kim, Jay and their two children live in a funky 1970s house they have painstakingly renovated in a sophisticated and contemporary style. Things were going along swimmingly until they got to their basement. Stuck in a disco time warp with bright orange stucco walls, headache-inducing fluorescent lighting and a colossal brick-clad fireplace, this room was in serious need of an update.

The family is the adventure-loving sort, and, thanks to Kim’s job with a travel company and her love of photographing distant lands, they get to travel a fair bit. So, I geared up to give the whole family a relaxing place to come home to after trotting around the globe.

Instead of gutting the room and removing all of the outdated elements, I decided, instead, to work with the dated finishes and “conceal and camouflage.” To this end, I used plaster, paint, fabrics and wood to hide this and cover that.

On the ceiling, I ripped out the old beams and lighting and put up drywall, plaster and beautifully modern recessed lighting.

On the walls, I put up primer over the stucco (goodbye orange swirls!) and painted the whole space in a cool tone of storm blue.

I then clad the three sides of the old fireplace with a gorgeous mahogany wood, and covered the mantle, hearth and surround in a heatproof material that looks like marble, but is much less expensive. Above the mantle I installed a new, state-of-the-art plasma television for the family to enjoy.

With the outmoded finishes taken care of, I got to work on the room’s style and functionality. Kim and Jay wanted the room to work on several levels. They wanted a lounge area, an entertainment center, a storage space and a place where guests could bunk down. So, I decided to divide the room into two zones — the lounge/entertainment zone and the guest room zone.

In the lounge zone I installed a giant, U-shaped sky-colored sectional that offers a perfect view of the television and fireplace. On the sectional I threw tons of solid and patterned pillows in shades of charcoal, beige, cream and gray. I put in a creamy fireside chair, a circle-infused area rug, a glass coffee table, and, for a little pizzazz, a stunning backlit display area for Kim’s photography that can be changed around when new pictures arrive.

In the guest area, I upholstered and stacked two mattresses, adding a host of stunning pillows in all shapes and sizes. This piece can be used as a daybed during the waking hours or a sleeping solution for visitors at night. I also created a small desk area, installed plenty of rich wood cabinetry for storage, and put in a lovely glass table.

After a few final touches — Kim’s photos here and Kim’s photos there — this room was ready. By concealing the old and injecting the new, this family room is no longer stuck in the ’70s and is now ready for family adventures — of the indoor variety. Now that’s divine!

Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of HGTV’s “Divine Design.” For more ideas or information visit www.divinedesign.tv. Her column is syndicated by Scripps Howard News Service.