The Week of (Nearly) Zero Dollar Decorating: the Family Room

Yesterday I showed you the big switcharoo we did with the living room.  All the toys came out, and in went some of the furniture from the family room, like the red leather chair, the Expedit, and the two leather cube ottomans.

All the toys went into the family room.  The family room does not look very different.  It went from this:

to this:

The silver mirror and the toys in their cube storage moved into the family room.  This is working out nicely, as we all like to hang out in here.  

The toy kitchen also moved in here, along with some art the Mister and I bought on our first vacation together in Montreal twelve years ago.  

George the cardboard steer moved from the spot over the tv to the far wall between the painting and the curtains.  

Nothing says young and hip like faux wood grain elasticized oilcloth tablecloths. Also, why do all my pictures look crooked?  Its like I have a peg leg. 

Inspired by Centsational Girl's lego table, I made a lego table for the boys.  Kate used the 30 inch square Ikea Lack table with nine Lego plates; I went for the cheaper version and used the 35 inch rectangular table ($20) because it would only need six plates ($30).  Mine doesn't look as nice but it still works.  We put the legos in cheap tupperware bins from Target.  I tried to get the boys to sort the bins into colors but that suggestion was met with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.  

This was not exactly zero dollar decorating, but it was the only item I bought for the room, and the boys LOVE it.  Totally worth it.  The only issue is that the brightly patterned persian rug is fabulous at hiding stray pieces of sharp pointy legos for unwary feet to step on.  

I realize that it is much easier to do zero dollar decorating when you have amassed a large collection of curtains and furniture and other decorative items that you are hoarding in the attic.  Its not like I am showing you how to decorate an entire room from scratch using only twigs and belly button lint.  My challenge to myself for the past few weeks has been to figure out the best use for the spaces in our home, and to accomplish the decorating of those rooms using what we already own. 

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I have absolutely no idea why my header has disappeared.  Or how to fix it.  Do you?