SFGate

Emily Hurley I like your room, though it is a lot of brown. :) Maybe you can soften it up and break up the color with more pillows for the couches, a throw, other more colorful accessories? You've got a great opportunity with the window to bring in a complimentary color as well.

janishill Paint your hutch red, like the red pillow.

TheTV needs to be centered with the rug (in other words push the TV down toward the wall.)

Place the chair with the red pillow on it at the end of the coffee table where the recliner is. Put the recliner at the other end of the coffee table so it is some what in the bay. The sofa and 2 chairs now form a U shape. The storage ottoman needs to go somewhere else. Maybe the foot of a bed.

Pull the couch forward so the feet are on the rug and push the coffee table a little closer to the TV.

Add another solid red and 1 or 2 red print throw pillows on the sofa and chairs and a red throw across the back of one of the chairs. The idea is to use red as your accent color.

Add red place mats, a hurrican with a red candle either on the table and a green plant, a couple of books and a red candle on a tray on the coffee table.

Put your schefflera (plant on the floor in the white pot) on the table it is sitting next to. Put them in the corner behind hutch. That red thing on top of the hutch could go on the table with several white candles on top.

I have some other ideas, but would need to see your space from different angles.

janishill Oh...I forgot to say get printed panels and hang them like the attached illustration shows.

Panels something like this would bring it all together: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/magarite-embroidered-drape/?pkey=cwindow-coverings-by-fabric&cm_src=window-coverings-by-fabric||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

Hope to see updated pictures when you get everything moved around, etc!

the essentials inside janishill - I knew that was you as soon as I started reading, b/f I even noticed your name. :)

sarahford6 - Beautiful home!! Janis (as usual) has some great ideas. Can you try some and then re-post? Then we could see where to go from there. I'd suggest some more interesting lighting & re-working the art & photo groupings - which you'll have a better feel for once the furniture is moved around. Could you also post some more pics from difft angles of the dining/kitchen space?

Janis - do you happen to have a source for Sarah w/instructions about painting furniture like the hutch.

Think this is going to be a great "before" and "after."

I'm sure more Houzzers will be jumping in soon!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

janishill Hi Lyvonne! Is it the style of writing or do I just keep repeating myself? :>/

It's time for my favorite show ~ "Intergrated Interiors"! I hope we can all help Sarah tweek her rooms so she can relax and enjoy them.

You know I have a source to help Sarah paint that hutch. The source even redid a hutch of all things: http://www.blessthismessplease.com/2012/05/how-to-paint-furniture.html

Glad you suggested re-working the art and photos.

What are your thoughts on "Open House This Saturday" posts?

the essentials inside Hi Janis! Absolutely your style of writing -- I love it!!! I wish houzz had a feature where a mood/olio-type board could automatically be created from a photo and you could move things around. That would be perfect for you.

I was just thinking of "warning" Sarah that she could be another Frank. :)

I knew you would have a source for painting the hutch.

I'm always up for an Open House but not sure exactly what you mean. Explain?

Talk soon!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

janishill I would love that! What a great idea. I do change the style of writing, depending on the person posting. I don't want to sound like I am beating anyone up. I felt that way with Frank which is why I stopped posting on his rooms.

The name of the post I was referring to is actually 'Emergency Help ASAP: http://www.houzz.com/discussions/238447 Young woman selling house on her own. Needs tweeks. Been helping, but you have great thoughts and I would appreciate your input.

Yes, perhaps you can explain to Sarah how helpful we can be. :-)

the essentials inside Janis - I like your approach & advice. I think Frank did too! Though I don't think he's posted his guest room yet so he may think we're all a little crazy. :) :) I'll check out the Emergency Help post.

If Sarah doesn't post here again, we'll know she figured out exactly how helpful we can be. ;) Just kidding Sarah - all the Houzzers are fantastic w/very few exceptions.

See you in the other thread Janis.

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

sarahford6 Thank you so much for these great ideas. I'll try them out and re-post some pictures.
Here are a couple of more angles
Thanks
Sarah

janishill Sarah...that recliner has to go to the other side. It will open up so much space. And by putting the smaller chair where it is and turning the chair straight toward the coffee table it will give some divison to your space.

Can't wait to see updates!

the essentials inside Hi Sarah! Hi Janis!

Thanks for posting more pics! Just wanted to pop on to say hi. I'll take a look at the photos more closely tomorrow and put my thinking cap on. ;)

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

sarahford6 Hello. So, I've moved some of the furniture around. I moved the tv down a bit but can't really move it anymore because of the track on the wall. I tried to center the rug,couch and tv and coffee table. I moved the red telephone booth print on the wall to the tv wall.
I will look for some curtains to put on either side of the bay window.
What kind of rod should I get?

sarahford6 Hello. So, I've moved some of the furniture around. I moved the tv down a bit but can't really move it anymore because of the track on the wall. I tried to center the rug,couch and tv and coffee table. I moved the red telephone booth print on the wall to the tv wall.
I will look for some curtains to put on either side of the bay window.
What kind of rod should I get?

alicefaz You're getting some great ideas and have the potential for a great room but personally, I would replace that rug. Find something with a pattern and with the colors you want to incorporate into the room. Definitely incorporate the red. I also think you have too many wood tones in the room so I think one contributors idea of painting the hutch red is great. A rule of thumb is no more than three wood tones to a room.

tennisanyone Move the couch in front of the window and use the two chairs facing the couch and the end table in between. I don't like that chair in the window. If you put the couch there,, you can still see the TV and see your guest at the table too. plus you won't be blocking those beautiful archways.

the essentials inside It certainly couldn't hurt to try the couch in front of the window. Looks like it might be a little big - but worth taking a look.

I know this room is different, but here's an example of a small room w/a couch in front of the bay window.


Try both chairs across from the couch & then both chairs to the right of the couch opposite the television & take pics. If you have time of course. :)

I'm going to look around for some more inspiration.

Any chance of replacing the couch or the recliner? They're very nice but maybe just too big for the room.

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

the essentials inside Another "inspiration"


Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

janishill I winder how it would work to put the sofa directly across from the bay window, then the smaller chair in front of the arches...

tennisanyone Essentials- the pictures are exactly what I had in mind. Also, she could move that cute little table under the arches and use that part of the room too as a play area. I'm new to this site so how do I find pictures of what I have in mind and upload them?

tennisanyone I would take the top off the hutch off if you can and use the bottom as a buffet server with two lamps on either side and remove all those pictures on either side of the tv too. Paint the hutch. The room needs to breath.

the essentials inside janishill - see now this is another perfect setting our houzzers show. I can picture fast frames of everyone moving the furniture from place to place. :)

tennisanyone -

1st - just enter what you want in the search bar at the top of the page. For example, I searched for "small living rooms with bay windows." The search feature isn't perfect so you have to scroll through a lot of results but that's ok. There's a dropdown to search photos, discussions, users etc. Search photos.

2nd - Once you enter your search and hit enter or go (or the search icon or whatever), lots of photos will appear. Look above the photos to the left. You'll see a "S" "M" "L" etc - that changes the size of the pictures in your search results. I mention this b/c I didn't see it for a while and was scrolling through the giant pictures - which is very slow. I like to set the pictures at small for quick scrolling.

3rd - once you see a pic you like, click on it and it will pop-up/open to a different page. On that page, copy the url of the pop-up/new page.

4th - go to whatever discussion you want to comment on & paste the url into the comment box. B/f you hit submit the photo will be small at the bottom of the comment box. Once you hit submit, it gets regular size and replaces the pasted url.

---
Here is a url expample -- I modified so the pic won't be pulled in http://x www.houzz.com/photos/206513/Domicile-id-contemporary-living-room-orange-county

But I am also going to paste it correctly here
the picture will replace the url once I hit submit.

----
If you want to add a pic to an ideabook, you just hit the add to ideabook button on the photo. You probably know how to do that though.

If you want to upload your own image to a discussion, just use the "attach image" feature at the bottom of the comment box.

Sorry for the long-winded explanation. :)

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

tennisanyone Thank you Lyvonne. I'll have to try it. Not the best at that stuff so I will have to read your directions a few times or I might stick to words LOL.

the essentials inside tennisanyone - Follow the steps once and you'll get it! You already know how to search and share a link w/someone I'm sure. That's really all it is, just in a different setting.

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

sarahford6 We do a lot of tv watching in this room, so moving the couch in front of the window would not be very comfortable, plus I'm afraid the sun would discolor the back of the couch, and all you would see from outside would be the back of the couch and we like to open the blinds during the day. So the couch pretty much has to stay where it is on the wall across from the tv.

I think once I find some curtains and a rod to hang on either side of the window, it will give the room more decor along with doing something with the hutch or getting a new one.

Which would be better for this space...tall hutch or buffet server like tennisanyone suggested?
but then I'd have to find somewhere to put all my crystal.

the essentials inside You're right Sarah - curtains are a good idea. You already have great pieces so no need for big replacements, you can move on to the window. We'll have to call out for a window dressing expert for some input & find some more houzz pics. :)

I agree w/tennisanyone - buffet server would be better given the size of the room. Is there anywhere in the kitchen to put your crystal? Or you could get something similar to this w/glass doors:




& then put a nice mirror above it. Or, now that I think about it, move all your family photos above it for a wonderful gallery.

If you're going to paint your cabinet - then Janis might have some instructions on redoing the doors to put your own glass in.

Is there a local store you're thinking about visiting for the curtains? We can look at their website if they have one. Sorry we don't carry any curtains. We do have lots of mirrors though.

Talk to you soon!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

tennisanyone One more thought about arranging this room. The scale and balance is so off. How about putting the tv on a swivel. This way when you are watching it from the couch by the window you can see it and when it is not in use, the room will be balanced. I would just be curious to see the couch under the window and move the coffee table in the same direction with the two chairs facing the couch. That way the area under the arches can be used for the small kids table and take that play chest out of the DR for use by the arches. It is a nice room with so much potential. Good Luck Sarah Pictures when you are done.

the essentials inside Hi Sarah! Just checking in to see how you are and how you're room is coming along! Happy Holidays!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

Budget Blinds One of favorite drapery treatments for bay windows is to hang the drapes on the outer wall. It really opens up the room and the window appears larger. We have over 1,000 consultants throughout North America to assist.

janishill Hi Sarah, how is it going? Have you found crapery panels yet? I really liked how the room looked when you moved the chairs around and centered everything. Have you made any other changes? Painted the china cabinet red maybe?
Hope to see updates soons!

Natalie Hi---Great Space! If I may be quite honest, your room looks "hot" to me. Warm brown, red, peach/tan walls, gold tone wood floors, etc. It needs to be muted, toned down... I suggest a different wall color---something with an ash undertone rather than a warm one. Revere Pewter by Ben Moore or Universal Khaki by Sherwin Williams. Paint will make a world of a difference for your home. Trust me. :) Plus either of these colors will look great with the color of your stairwell. Good Luck!
PICs for inspiration for wall colors-BM and UK.
[houzz=J. Hirsch Interior Design Portfolio][houzz=Hawthorne Hills View Property Dining Room]

eagledzines It's not necessarily that you have too much brown but too many different kinds of brown.
I would paint the hutch white to match the chandelier. Pick up the brown in the couch and use a much lighter tint for the wall. Try a Ralph Lauren paint. Change the carpet to a natural fiber (matching the hue of the brown). Group the pictures around the television, using black frames and large white mattes, to lighten and define the grouping.

Prime Walls If you are worried about the sunlight on the back of the couch, I agree to leave it where it is. This means the recliner will stay in the window which works, I would move the sidetable to beside the chair in the window to fill that space in a little bit, the chair looks a tad small for the space and put a nice plant on it or move it beside the couch ancored against the wall. Where it is right now seems to obstruct the flow of circulation from one space to the other, it is a little awkward.

I would also suggest changing the wall colour to help create contrast inoder to collaborate all your warm tones together. If you use a textured, patterened wall covering (it helps avoid the headache of painting) it will add a pattern, contrast and great accent feature to the space. Choosing a warm grey and white print will help tie in the dark browns, the red and the white. It will also give you the option of painting your hutch white OR red!

Simple solution which will have a huge impact on your space, and might just be the WOW factor you are looking for!

http://www.primewalls.com/products_residential/viewsku/134
http://www.primewalls.com/products_residential/viewsku/93

Prime walls.