OK, hopefully this works....Here is our living room. Our main level is all open, so I don't really want to change the paint color since I would have to paint the whole main floor. The color is Tobacco Road by Sherwin Williams. I would like to get a new rug and was thinking of a jute/natural colored one and then trying to add more color with pillows on the couch, art, accessories, etc. Although I am worried about the room getting to be too tan/brown. I definitely want to keep the couch for now, but am looking for ideas for the coffee table. Right now we have a beat up brown pleather one that I bought for when my kids were smaller and I didn't want anything with sharp edges. They are older now so I could get a new one. The dark brown chairs could stay or go. I don't really know what my "style" is and am having trouble figuring out what to do with the room and how to update it. I did most of the decorating when we moved in 6 years ago. Bonus points for PIPs or links to products
I feel like the rug should be oriented the other direction, with just the front legs of the furniture on it. The furniture could be moved away from the wall a bit too. I think the color/fiber depends on what feel you want with the room.
As far as the mantel goes, I think it is really difficult to decorate with the tv there. If you do something symmetrical, like vases or candles, it is more like a shrine to the tv. If you do anything too tall, it will be distracting while you are watching tv. I think I would be more apt to do something lower, all the way across. I have some shallow decorative bowls and small boxes that I would probably use if it was my house, but I wouldn't feel compelled to do so.
I agree with pulling the furniture in off the walls and centering it more closely to the fireplace. Then, instead of the table lamp between the two chairs, you could do a floor lamp and maybe in the corner where the chair was, a taller house plant like a mother-in-law's tongue. If you don't always use the fireplace, what about something decorative inside there rather than on the mantel? Candles, birch logs done nice, books?
What other colors do you have throughout the house? Something else you use in another room might be a good color to have in the rug and then in other accents like pillows or a throw on the couch.
Post by policegirl402 on Aug 28, 2014 12:41:22 GMT -5
I think you should have the sofa face the fireplace, better to see the tv also. With the chairs, I think you have options. You could either place one on either side of the fireplace, but pushed out a bit, not right up against the wall. I would also try homegoods for some fun chairs that appeal to you.... You said the current ones don't have to stay. You should search Pinterest, and pin rooms you like. Then look over all of the pins to see what you are drawn too. I agree with a previous comment, to turn the rug around the other way then you have it.
I think you should have the sofa face the fireplace, better to see the tv also. With the chairs, I think you have options. You could either place one on either side of the fireplace, but pushed out a bit, not right up against the wall. I would also try homegoods for some fun chairs that appeal to you.... You said the current ones don't have to stay. You should search Pinterest, and pin rooms you like. Then look over all of the pins to see what you are drawn too. I agree with a previous comment, to turn the rug around the other way then you have it.
Thanks for the suggestions! If I orient the rug the other way it will be too long and will be in the walkway area towards the kitchen. You can't tell by looking at this picture, but the living room is pretty close to the kitchen and the island. I will try pulling the furniture out from the walls more too. I do that a lot, but it seems to slide right back. Haha!
Thanks for the suggestions! If I orient the rug the other way it will be too long and will be in the walkway area towards the kitchen. You can't tell by looking at this picture, but the living room is pretty close to the kitchen and the island. I will try pulling the furniture out from the walls more too. I do that a lot, but it seems to slide right back. Haha!
Then I think you need a smaller rug. The way it is now, it really defines the boundaries of the room and makes it feel small. A smaller rug that still fits under the front legs of the furniture but is oriented in the other direction would give the illusion of length while not really cutting off the space. It needs some of wood showing around the edges.
Post by dr.girlfriend on Aug 28, 2014 13:46:32 GMT -5
Can you take a few more pics with different views? I also think the couch should be facing t.v., but it's hard without seeing what's in the room behind it (where you stood to take the picture). Sounds like kitchen? I like when people do a console table behind an open couch like that.
Also, the tv above the fireplace has to stay for now, but any ideas on accessories for the mantle would be great!
I wouldn't try to put stuff on the mantel. Maybe some low bookshelves or a chest or something on either side of the fireplace to balance it out a little, and then you could decorate the tops of those? But first I would decide on how the couch/chairs are going to be placed.
I don't love these choices, but they have a similar setup with the high windows.
Here are a few more photos that give a better idea about the layout in regards to the rest of the main level.
A few comments to add:
1. The walkway area between the living room and the kitchen is about 11 feet from the fireplace. The kitchen island is 17 feet from the fireplace. I like the idea of having the couch face the tv, but it feels a little crowded to me (we tried that a while ago). I might try it again though.
2. I really hate how asymmetrical the room is. I can't figure out how to position the couch against the wall with all of the windows. If I center it along the windows it looks really off and odd with the chairs on the much smaller wall across the room. Hopefully these pictures will show what I mean.
I would center the tv on the window, and maybe play around with pulling a chair into the missing corner area, (maybe slightly on an angle) to make it look less uneven. Does that make sense?
Work the symmetry of the room by having 2 fireside chairs, but mix up with side tables and "flare". Maybe do a lamp on one table and a vase on the other. Pillows on one chair and a throw draped over the other.
I'd switch out the rug. I'd position the sofa across from the chairs/fireplace with the cocktail table/ottoman/bench in front and a sofe table/console behind to create a 4th "wall" in the space and define it as a room. This would also give you a place to sit and see the TV without a weekly visit to the chiropractor adjusting your neck.