This wall had been empty for 12 years. Truthfully, we never knew what to do with it. It’s smack dab in-between our family room and kitchen, which makes it a very high-traffic area. I’ve attempted all sorts of tried-and-true design techniques here, and nothing has really worked. Until NOW! We turned this spot into a modern Family Command Center, and I’m already feeling more in control of life. 

For a while now, I’ve been seeing “family command centers” pop up on Pinterest, but they tend to be rustic in style—which is hard to picture in our more modern aesthetic. But once we put the house back together post-renovation, I knew we needed to incorporate some command center techniques into our own home. 

The result is a bright, organized space where we can communicate easily and efficiently about what’s coming up, what needs doing, and where we’re headed. I’ll share all the design details—but if you know me, you know it all started with our WHY.

 

Our Pain Points Become Our WHY!

More than anything, we needed a drop-zone: a place where the kids can leave their shoes, jackets, and backpacks upon entry. We don’t have a mudroom, and most often, the girls are coming in through the garage and piling into the living room-kitchen to collapse on the couch or pillage the fridge for a snack.  

Information is shared half as casually as Travis & I trudge in behind them, tripping over their shoes and lugging tote bags full of nondescript (yet somehow critical?) parent-stuff. Naturally, when one of the kids tells me “Mom, coach said he needs parent volunteers for snack duty,” the details get lost in the shuffle. 

Days later, it’s go-time and I’m racking my brain: 

• Which one of the girls actually said that? 
• Wait, what day is snack duty? 
• Does another kid on the team have some bizarre food allergy? 
• Ohmigosh, why didn’t I write it down?? 
• (Oh yeah, my hands were full, and I needed to start dinner.) 

With all of these thoughts happening on top of each other, it’s a wonder anything gets done. Can any of my fellow parents relate?

 

Our New Family Command Center System

With our new modern Family Command Center, we have banished such chaos! Now, we have a written communication system for scheduling which empowers the girls to communicate with us clearly and directly. Each of the girls gets their own schedule board where we list any after school events. 

Rachel has swim practice, Emily’s in the running club, and we enrolled Natalie in a tumbling class that she loves! Now, when these activities happen to land on the same day, it doesn’t catch us by surprise. Trav & I can coordinate drop-offs and pick-ups—and when we know it’s gonna be a busy day, we’re able to reach out to ask another parent for help well in advance. 

With the acrylic organization folders, all of the additional information is all in one spot. Plus, if we’re racing to make it out the door on time, I know exactly where we stashed that liability waiver that’s inevitably required for some extracurricular program. And we’re not handing it over all crumpled after digging it out from the bottom of a backpack. 😂

No matter how digital everything becomes, each of the girls’ schools still sends flyers home with important information. Having all the info sheets, permission slips, and paperwork easily accessible next to their schedules is SO handy! 

• I have one acrylic organizer with folders where the girls can keep their homework, project due dates, fundraising flyers, and spirit week schedules. 
• The second acrylic organizer contains folders with delegated chores: bathroom duties, kitchen duties, room clean-up requirements. 
• Parent hack: there’s no such thing as “I didn’t know!” when all the information is in one spot! 

 

Staying On-Time and In-Style

Integrating this space in our home’s style was so important to me. If it isn’t beautiful or joy-inducing, it’s less likely the system will stick. But so far, we’ve loved using it! The acrylic features feel modern, and the little brass elements integrate perfectly into our existing decor. 

It’s so much sleeker and more us than a chalkboard would be. Here are some of the details in our modern Family Command Center:  

The Acrylic Boards

We picked up the dry erase boards on Etsy. I really like this option because you can select your hardware colors, so if brass isn’t your thing, you can go with black or silver. The shop features multiple calendar styles, in different sizes, fonts, and colors. I prefer the clear acrylic because it doesn’t break up the wall, making the area feel too busy—and shows off this gorgeous paint color! 

The Clock

We always kept a clock in our kitchen that we loved and relied upon. With the renovation, there isn’t any wall space for it—but we really missed our old faithful! The Family Command Center became the perfect space for it. Although, it was in the kitchen so long that I still catch myself looking to the old spot to check the time! 

The Bench

I also added a Studio McGee x Target bench. It’s a comfortable little spot to sit, and I always advocate for incorporating extra seating into a family room design. It’ll be great to have when our family entertains, and I like that it incorporates the same wood as our clock for a cohesive design.

The Hooks

We installed three hooks in our Family Command Center. One is for backpacks, one is for jackets and one is to hang a plant. This adds a three-dimensional element to the wall, and brings nature inside. There’s something subconscious about the incorporation of life into a scheduling space: even within order, there is still room to grow. ❤️

 

Putting Pink In-Command 

One of my favorite features in our modern Family Command Center is the arch that contains all of the scheduling information and defines the space. We decided to copy the arch from the living room into the dining room to give the illusion that this is also an archway, a continuation of the same design. 

The paint color we used is really fun! Say hello to SW 6058, Likeable Sand. I was a little hesitant because I worry about things looking too pink or feminine—I’m usually more of a blue person and don’t like to design too ‘girly.’ Our new kitchen tiles are mauve, so lately I’ve been stepping outside my comfort zone. 😉  

Once I examined my bias that pink = for girls, I was able to see that this is really just a beautiful color by itself. And it ties into our Loloi rug and kitchen tile perfectly. I knew it would be a design win!

Already, our modern Family Command Center is a total triumph! I’ve admired this idea for a long time—but seeing it in our own home makes me love it even more. I tend to prefer a sleek, modern style with natural details that relax the look, creating a casual environment that thoughtfully meets our needs. And this modern Family Command Center does it ALL!  

Happy Day! 

Anita