OMG. I love that Fireplace!

Oh I'm so happy to see those plaid sofas go.

Great examples on how to emphasize the ceiling without making it feel cold and isolated. It feels inviting.

Love the terra cotta colored pillows, too.

I'm a little confused. Did they put in TWO tv's to avoid the problem of having 1 TV in a central location?

I actually liked the first one better (not to say that I liked it that much).

Wow, so much better. Not getting the two-TV thing, though...especially when much of the seating is facing away from them. If you're truly going for negative space (which I agree is a worthy goal), don't wreck the effect by putting multiple screens in what would otherwise be a serene, pleasing space.

What a delightful update!

Personally I don't see the issue w/ dual TV screens - If it makes the homeowners happy, Why not?

Because its stupid and ugly and you can't watch two shows at once anyway. Its conspicious consumption at its most pointless.

Also painting the brick all over and not doing dark grout would be less busy.

And if the wood beams were just a dark paint fine but if they painted stained or natural wood, I think that's going to end up worse than the before in a short while.

I like the wall/ceiling color though but dark beams would look better, I think.

I'm dying to know where the mirror over the fireplace came from!
lovely transformation though..I like how airy it is now.

If its a media room I fail to see how more than one person can comfortably watch a dvd on those screens, if its a den or living room that is fine but not for a "media" room.

How is this really a media room? Most of the seating has the person's back or side to one of the 2 small TVs? Lovely space, but I wouldn't call it a media room. In fact, I'd skip the TVs.

WOW. I really like the green and cream that were used. the room looks fresh but also feels cozy.

It's obvious that one of the screens is for playing video games, haters. You don't need sound to play Super Mario Bros. Although it will be difficult to do with the couch facing the other way. Well, it looks nice anyway. Good job.

I liked the first one alot better. The other one feels already dated in a bad way and I think they have completely ruined the fireplace - those dark lines are just ugly.

Even 'updated' it still looks dated apart from more modern tvs.

I too think I like the first one better. At least it was comfortable and unpretentious.

Smart, smart, smart.
Dark grout on the fireplace and larger(spacing) contemporary shelving. Would not have thought to do that.

I love it! I didn't even notice the two televisions until I read the comments, so I don't think it matters too much. And yes, clearly for video games.

I like the dark grout-- it gives it a bit of Moorish stonework feel.

Carrying that color up the ceiling was smart. I always say vaulted ceilings are like walls anyway! Love those oversize nailheads, too.

If it's a media room, embrace the media. It looks stupid to have the couches facing away from the tv's. If it's a conversation room, remove the tv's. It's a pretty and bright room, but nothing original.

As someone who has struggled with making a long, narrow room work for both conversing with guests and watching TV, I appreciate this arrangement. It doesn't put the TV front and center, and it makes good use of the space.

The before photo is basically every house where I ever went to play with friends, growing up. I don't like the green or the dark grout in the fireplace in the after photo, but I do like the basic changes to bringing the space up to date.

Really wish before and after photos would run side by side.

My husband and I like to watch different shows at the same time - I'll watch something while he watches football on the tiny picture-in-picture in the corner of the screen. With this set up, he could have an entire tv devoted to football.

I also dated another guy years ago that had 3 TVs in his LR (one nice one and 2 old ones). His buddies would come over on Sundays and they would have multiple games on - just like a sports bar.

Why not two TVs? Especially in a family with Gamers.

The sound, I imagine, is an issue.

But also, one of the screens could be web-enabled, no?

That said, (and I loves me some House Beautiful), this After looks oddly dated to me, or surreal, or something...

A vast improvement, very sweet and sunny, but still something not quite right... (imho!)

While he was in college my husband had a roommate and they both had large tv's that sat side-by-side in the living room. Was it attractive? Absolutely not (their installation wasn't as well thought out as the above image). But this arrangement saved hours of arguments. Each guy could play his video game on his own tv and still enjoy the comfort of the couch. When a girlfriend came over, she (or the couple) could watch tv, dvds, etc and the other tv can still be used for muted gaming.

Like I said, not necessarily an attractive solution but my husband swears he wants to get back to it someday.

I definitely prefer the "feel" of the second room - much airier, more modern, and brighter (though in terms of brightness, not having the first one in sepia would be better for comparison). That said, I don't actually LIKE any of the new things they put in the room. Mostly, I think painting the shelving and the room is where the bulk of the improvement was made. The actual furnishings they put back into the room I'm not crazy about. I agree that I don't like the dark grout, but I do think painting the fireplace was a big improvement. Now I would like to see accessories/furnishings that don't look so "designed" (and I agree that they look dated as well) but that fit the personalities of the homeowners. For example, the row of flowers in identical vases on the mantel and the matching plates and the mini cyprus trees all look very Target catalogue to me, as does the electric guitar in the chair and the use of two TVs to fill in space. I'd prefer some real plants and meaningful art to fill those spaces instead.

Yes, the second room is certainly much more modern than the first. However, there is something to be said about the first room; perhaps there is something familiar, comforting about the old media room. But, as for the makeover, I am really loving the bright walls! Green is, I think, my new favorite paint color!

The fireplace looked much better before. I'm not fond of the lime green (or whatever you'd call it) on the walls ceiling. Neither do I like the stuff on display - especially not the flowers on the mantelpiece. Not feeling this.

walls and ceiling

With the exception of the plaid couches and diagonal lines on the walls next to the fireplace I like the before picture more

This space would be best served by a complete remodel. Both the before and after are victims of bad 70's track home architecture.

eh

I'm not a big fan of the two tv's? Are you trying to do a new version of 3D television? The colors are a little too green for me.
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I would have liked to have seen the two photos shot the same way, the "after" clearly is meant to emphasize the tall ceilings where in the "before" you can't even see them. But overall, any type of update that is clearly 20 years over due is a good one. Well done!

Where's the rug from?

You can tell who doesn't really like or understand more modern activities and uses by the comments. The two televisions make good sense for using one for surfing the net or playing games while the other can be used for movies/TV/whatever. Why not one giant tv?....because you'd have to have a split screen enabled LCD to use it for all of the functions above, which would be expensive, and you couldn't split the sound or even use wireless headphones to do separate activities.

They could have done so much more with this space- doesn't do anything for me.