You could do a lot here! Go ahead a go with the pine look. Just make it more cottage feel. Like, keep the futon, but cover the cushion with a lighter color. Like white. Paint the TV stand a light color also. (quick day project. The kids could help!) Then, I would do a whole wall off shelving. And paint one wall with chalk paint. You can pin art projects on the chalk wall. Or make a clothes line look that hangs on the chalk wall. On the ends of the clothes lines add spools. You can buy a bag of them at hobby like for like a dollar. Also, look on Craigs list for shelving. You would be surprised what you can find. If you go with lighter furniture as I suggested you wont even need to paint the walls. Also, you can get a rug made of cork or something of that nature under the craft table so the kids can go after it without worrying about the carpet. And get rid of the curtains all together. Open the space up and keeps it fresh. Hope you like some of my ideas...

Is your cable set in that corner. Or can you move the tv

This is a idea...crappy just through it together

Put the table in two different areas for you to decide what you liked better

You could also just keep you shleving you have now by the table and do the craft wall by the piano

I would definitely paint the tv cabinet. Also, the green mats on the wall art appear dated. The window valance and fish throw do not relate to anything in the room. I like the cottage feel suggested by Janelle. Or, a beach theme. I think blue-grey and coral would be nice accent colors for this space.

Thanks! I never thought about painting the cabinet, but that's an idea worth considering. The only thing in the room that can't be easily moved is the wall shelving above the craft table.

Well since you're surrounded by doors I'm going to suggest you spruce things up by putting in some glass doors! And they can even feature "spruce" if you'd like! ha! We create etched glass doors in a huge range of price, in unlimited designs .. all available in whatever privacy level you need! The sky's the limit, but here's a few suggestions!

Been looking for "cottage" examples since I'm such a visual person. Janelle, can you snag a couple photos as examples? Also, would you paint the center white or a color? Ironically, the futon originally had a navy blue cover and I felt like it was blah and outdated so replaced it w/ the brown that I like in theory, but in the room it's too close in shade to the carpet. It never crossed my mind to do a beachy or cottage-y theme w/ the original blue. I really like that idea....

Ooo it would be nice if you still had the blue cover. :) I would paint the TV cabinet off white. Or even distress it. Its actually really easy. You can find people actually doing it on YouTube. Just type in distressing furniture. Keep the shelving then and you could add some shelving underneath for the crafts supplies. Google New Cottage Style rooms. And click on images. Tonight I'll add some of my favorite I have saved.

Love to see the after pictures

Thank you for the search idea. Don't know where I've been but I never knew that style had an official name. I've long admired rooms styled in such a manor, but didn't know what I was admiring. Will do my best to post after pics. I probably won't start the project until the kids go back to school though. Have to take full advantage of the last few days of summer! :-)

Maybe the TV unit where the three pics are, center of the wall. Sofa opposite 1/2 way into the room. Place the piano in the center of that same wall that it's on. It will feel better.

Cottage is my favorite style. :) comfortable and happy. Can't wait to see the results

Ok, finally got around to tackling this project. Pics below show what I have done so far. I painted the cabinet a creamy white and love it. Took out the glass window in the cabinet door and replaced it w/ a chalk board that I will write on when I remember to buy chalk! I'm still working on the craft/homework area. I bought the cork boards thinking I could paint the frame black and hang them above the table. Not sure about that idea yet. I'm debating between that and the clothesline idea which I like as well. Also would like to find a different storage system than the plastic drawers.

While I like the progress I've made, something still feels off so critique away! :-) Maybe there is just too much big furniture for the size of the room? I know when I can eliminate the play kitchen it will feel less cluttered, but that has to stay for now. Should I leave the tree? Does the valance look odd? I took down the blinds but still am not satisfied w/ the door/window area. Maybe a very light and airy drapery would be better than the valance? For the most part, I've shopped my own house for the project, so I've kept the budget low, but I don't want the room to look thrown together and mismatched. There's a fine line between delightfully cottage and strangely mismatched.

We've done a bit of shabby shriek in our house. Thing is you don't need to pay for distressing when you have kids. To speed it up, temporarily move out breakables, move the couch in front of the piano to protect it, and let the kids ride bikes or sword fight etc in the room, just once. Otherwise let it happen naturally. Show a photo board of the new cottage look to the kids and ask them which pics they like. Shop at vintage shops,garage sales,thrift shops etc and let your look evolve naturally. Put real flowers in the room. Already a great improvement.

Sooooo nice! Thanks for coming back and sharing with us. I would love to see that plant in the corner and fill in that space......just move it to the corner it is by. Maybe the lil pony????could go where the plant was, too. Or the pony could go on the other side and the basket could go beside the futon? Or there might be room by the cabinet and the plant. Soooo many choices!

Very nice! I would suggest trying to balance the white of the cabinet. Maybe through pillows or window panels. LOVE the chalk paint idea!

One small thing, add a cord cover at the desk area for the under cabinet light. Paint it the same color as the wall. It will camouflage it. Also cord cover that is coiled for the other cords and tie up under the desk.

Will try to take pics today and post what else I've done. I like the changes. Thanks everyone for your input!

Love seeing updates! Thank you!