Last week we showed how we arranged our kitchen using mostly furniture and items we already owned. This week we’re sharing the upstairs: a bright, spacious family room that has windows on all four sides. The light and views of surrounding greenery make it one of our favorite rooms.
We planned this room to be a large shared family space where everyone could spend time together, rather than dividing it into additional bedrooms. It functions beautifully as a combined family room and workspace, and it’s practical too—having adults and kids on the same floor means the kids don’t have to run upstairs or downstairs in the night to find us. The light-filled space is great from morning through evening.
That large double window with a transom above sits centered in the room and naturally divides the space into two halves: a living area on the right defined by a big area rug, and a workspace/art zone on the left. For scale: the gray rug is 8×10 feet and the sofa is 93 inches long, so this is genuinely a roomy space—each area occupies roughly half the width of the room.
Many readers who live in smaller homes have told us they prefer larger shared living areas and smaller sleeping quarters, and we agree. Having big shared spaces downstairs and upstairs—plus the large deck—really amplifies the feeling of space. It’s a layout that encourages togetherness without sacrificing comfort.
The left side of the room is a long desk for art and homework, plus a dedicated desk for working on a large monitor. Our other computer is a laptop, so it moves freely to other spots like the kitchen table or the deck. The long work surface is built from two drawer bases, iron legs, and a countertop, creating a flexible, durable workspace for both kids and adults.
Almost all the furnishings came from our previous homes. The few new purchases were the office chairs, a couple of storage baskets, and a new TV we didn’t own after moving. Everything else was repurposed and, surprisingly, fit together with minimal shuffling.
The lounge area was transformed after painting the walls Pure White, refinishing the floors, and arranging our furniture. The result is a calm, beachy living room that feels cohesive even though many pieces never occupied the same room before. The sofa, rug, wall-mounted bookshelf, and bean bags all came from various spots in our previous homes but work well together here.
We positioned seating to face the only available wall for a TV without blocking windows. It wasn’t the most glamorous decision to let a TV shape the layout, but it’s worked out—especially for cozy evenings watching shows together. We did invest in a Frame TV. It sits close to the wall and accepts a magnetic bezel, which helps it read more like a piece of art when turned off, though we often keep it powered down because the screensaver art can look better in photos than in person.
We also upgraded the room’s climate control with a mini-split unit for efficient heating and cooling. After multiple estimates, professionals recommended this solution to make the room as comfortable as the rest of the house. Function won over form, and it’s made a noticeable difference—especially with so many windows.
Under the TV we modified an old console by adding a bottom shelf of plywood. That provided practical storage for two felt baskets that now hold board games we often bring outside to the deck after dinner.
Access to the upstairs deck influenced furniture placement too. We kept a clear corridor to the deck door by placing the sofa where it both defines the living area and creates a natural path outside. Ideally the rug would be slightly shorter so it doesn’t come close to the door frame, but it’s a small compromise for now.
I was hesitant about placing a shallow wall-mounted bookshelf in a high-traffic area, but it’s been a smart choice. It uses an awkwardly narrow wall effectively and so far there have been no collisions—its shallow depth keeps it unobtrusive while adding useful storage and visual interest.
We have a large pendant light on order for the ceiling junction box centered on the main window. We wanted to live in the space through a warm month before choosing between a fan and a fixture; so far the room stays comfortable without a ceiling fan, which lets us opt for a decorative pendant.
The workspace half is a combined kids’ art desk and a grown-up office desk. Since the house is smaller than our last one, we consolidated functions rather than having separate rooms. The long desk uses two Ikea drawer bases with iron legs and a countertop to create a wide, practical surface. It’s worked surprisingly well—even through periods of distance learning.
The adult desk is an older piece we’ve had for years. Before moving we pared down files and digitized or discarded much of our paper so we don’t need extensive filing cabinets. A printer tucks neatly beneath one of the drawer bases, and lesser-used files are stored in a bedroom for now. This practical minimalism keeps the workspace functional without clutter.
Sitting at my desk now, I appreciate looking out at greenery from two sides. The view is a daily mood booster—and a constant reminder that repurposing familiar furniture can create new, comfortable spaces. There’s still open floor area on the workspace side, and we may add a second rug or other pieces later, but for now we’re happy to let the room evolve naturally rather than buying to fill empty space.
Some pieces, like benches tucked near the stairs, are simply holding space for now. They’re items we kept and might repurpose elsewhere later—there’s no rush to replace or rearrange. Overall, the upstairs living area feels welcoming, functional, and flexible, and we’re grateful that so much of what we brought with us works so well in this new home.
Now excuse me while I stare out the windows for a bit—maybe I’ll take my laptop out to the deck for a while instead.