Taking Down the Wall of Contention to Create a Family-Friendly Mega Den

The Liebs never use their formal sitting room. Literally. They moved furniture in over two years ago, and haven't set foot in the space since. The family room, on the other hand, has become an adult hangout, a kids' playroom, and a cluttered and cramped mess. Something has to be done about the wall separating the two rooms, but Art and Jen can't decide what. They've nicknamed it The Wall of Contention. Anitra has no qualms about knocking that wall down to create one supersized space that will have something for everyone. She gets Jen over her fear of color and creates the Mega Den's new mood by having the family spread the comfortable color of blue jeans on the walls. An outdated built in wet bar is partially demo'd to become a funky freestanding beverage station with high end details. To class up the room's built in bookcases, Anitra and Joey build custom doors from scratch, using a salvaged steel gate cut in half and encased in mortise-and-tenoned lumber frames. Anitra adds appliques for extra style and a touch of Old World elegance. Mikey and Art reclad the fireplace in slick stone tile, and Anitra uses tape and paint to whip up a stenciled rug with one-of-a-kind flair. Finally, with wood reclaimed from another Mega Den, Jen builds large panels that become the doors that hide secret hidden storage. And Joey takes it over the top by hand-painting the entire wall to look like an old side-of-a-barn billboard that features the name of the family dog for that extra shot of personality. They may not have ever used that sitting room before but the Liebs may never leave it now that it's a Mega Den!