SFGate

Aja Mazin HELLO!

Jayme Hobbs Do you mean you don't know what to put in, or how to arrange the other part of the room?

Aja Mazin Nice room!

You need storage so that you can declutter.

Is the 2nd area your intended dining area?

Is it your thought to update the existing TV/conversational area while giving the 2nd area additional
functionality?

Do you want to keep a similar, cozy and casual style or do you want more sophistication?

judet6 You're right about decluttering, may actually be
Hiring an organizer before a designer, very little storage
space, even for 2 people! I want better utilize both rooms, know
I need less furniture in lr and need to repurpose other
half into a reading area or something. I'll be frank, I have
no confidence in decorating and petrified to
make a mistake.

judet6 If you look at my ideaboolk or Pinterest page, I thInk It would be called transitional, no
formal, not modern. I like traditional lines in furniture, but not fprimal. We don't have.
a den or family room, we LIVE in our living room, need well made functional furniture, a good size sofa,
club chairs. The armoire is going, a new surround for the fp, flat screen tv, just need someone
To help me coordinate it all. Light gray walls, semigloss white crown molding, blues and grays
for furniture. Hardwood floors and rugs in both
areas. Dining room on other side of house. Is this unrealistic?

Jayme Hobbs Are you set on all blue furniture?

Jayme Hobbs I would not opt for a sofa and all chairs in blue, personally. I feel it is easier to work with a more neutral large piece and add in the colors to rugs, drapes, smaller pieces, pillows, etc..Espec. because it can be more easily changed, modified if you tire of the blue.

Aja Mazin I do a room from the floor up, [I agree with the designers at Doris Leslie Blau] choosing the most costly items first.

What colour /grain of wood do you prefer?

Paint is the least expensive item and the exact colour of paint need not be chosen until the furniture, fabrics, etc. have been selected.

Gray seems a perfect choice because it is "the new beige".

All About Interiors LLC Hi
You mentioned you need some functional furniture and a good sized sofa. I think a sectional in a solid such as a chenile would work well. See pictures below. It gives you adequate seating and a chenile (good quality one) lends itself to durability. A light gray wall paint would be fine I think, with the blue tones you are introducing to the room. I wasn't sure if you were planning on getting new furniture or not since your existing could use a little help. I can't really tell what color the carpet... it would need to either be changed to hardwood (my preference) with an area rug to define the seating area or a rug that can work with the gray walls. I agree that decluttering and lots of storage cold be useful. (maybe in the form of a storage ottoman)? Some tables inbetween the club chairs would balance out that side of the room. I hope this helps, good luck!

Aja Mazin Ottomans are a good idea for storage and additional seating space.

However, I prefer trucks, that can be used as end tables and coffee tables.

judet6 I was thinking blue with perhaps gray piping for towo reasons, one I love blue and can't see myself tiring of it. I really hate the color beige, white is not practical( another reason why I'm going a navy/denim blue shade. It needs to be a fairly indestructible couch. I live on the couch, we eat in the living room as a rule on the weekends, it is our room. We don't have a den. I really want light gray wall s with white molding, I think a gray on top of that would be too much. I've had a print couch( inherited) from my folks that is going, it is made well, but outdated. Hardwood floors are a definite,thinking a midoak. hard to describe. We have an oak floor in our dr, but replacing it all so it all matches and flows, it has to, as it is not a huge area( our first floor). It is small, so think a sectional might be too big. we also have to get a flat screen in there somewhere ( NOT over the fireplace)!

Jayme Hobbs A sofa like this (or darker) could go in a room like this..

judet6 EXACTLY what i pictured, maybe a little darker blue. I think i have the pic on the right in my ideabook!

Jayme Hobbs Paint is Benjamin Moore Abalone...this room is on Houzz site under living rooms..searched grey walls...Cardea Building Company, San Francisco...

blindsdirectcanada I would replace those valance with Shutters it will clean up the space a lot .

http://www.blindsdirectcanada.com/shutters-toronto/pvc-polysatin-shutters.html

judet6 let's see if these load

Jayme Hobbs This could work with grey walls...

judet6 ignore one on right, not what I wanted. The one on the left is a calico corner fabric that I was thinking about for the couch.

judet6 the one above possibly for club chairs.

judet6 this one could work too!

Jayme Hobbs You have an idea now..I would start with the fabric u like best, and then get advise on the coordination of those fabrics together...that is where the professional eye is going to come in for sure...I would gather all of these pics and/or samples u like and get going on a pro...I know sometimes u can find one right at the stores where u buy paints and/or furniture...I think it is going to be very nice.

judet6 Valances are going as well. Thinking of a really tailored window treatment. We get LOTS of sun from the two windows on either side of the armoire. We would need some room darkening. I was thinking maybe a boxy valance, perhaps with pleats on the side on top of whatever shutter,etc we decide on.. Yeah, I'm done with flouncy valances. We have four windows in our back to front living room. We would need the same window treatment over the shutters for all 4, I am thinking, Really don't want panels, think they are too formal, I am more transitional than traditional overall.

judet6 Actually blindsdirect, I'm not in Canada, but thinking of wood shutters, if feasible,

Creations Nadia Interior Design you can make it very nice! but i would really suggest first to get rid off anything that you do not need, some times less is more:)))

JMittman Designs Hi Judy--you are getting some good direction. On that Calico Corners print, that is a rather bold, trendy pattern. You might consider it for accent pillows instead of doing a whole couch in it. Box pleated valances would look great--use a contrast in the pleat area for added interest. Woven wood shades would be great too. Looks like you have baseboard heaters? Are these on all the walls?

judet6 The solid blue is for the couch. I am looking to do
a pattern for the club chairs. We have baseboard heating in the
front and back of the living room. I am thinking of shutters and either roman
shades or a very tailored valance.

judet6 Janet, for some reason, gmail is not allowIng me to reply. Yes I got
your referral, but need to take a break!

Aja Mazin For my personal info., where did you find the attached coordinating fabrics?
Love it!
I have a collection of Blue Willow pieces from Spode.

judet6 Calico corners.com. You could choose the weight, color and
pattern of material and they also make furniture. Good luck

judet6 Aja, I was wrong. I got that picture off either
Traditional Home or hgtv, I'll check it out
and get back to you

karen paul interiors From your ideabook. Inverted pleat valances, under which you can hang blinds (any type), which will not show during the day when in the up position (minimal stack occurs).Glamorous living room Your blue denim sofa with a grey welt and chairs in a pattern. The pattern you chose for the chairs needs to be on a smaller scale. Do you intend to do a fully upholstered piece in your chairs, or would you consider a wood frame (as shown). The wood frame will add lots of interest.Coastal Living Room Built-in bookcases with doors to hide what you wish to store, and have an upper section to display some accessories1998 Showcase://www.houzz.com/photos/1919421/Charming-Cape-Cod-Renovation-traditional-bathroom-new-yorkCharming Cape Cod Renovation This is Jayme's Stonington Gray.

judet6 Thanks Karen, but I have less than 38" on either side of the fireplace now, and It will be less with my new surround. I have had my heart set on a really comfortable club chair with an ottoman, think the smaller print( checked) will probably work better than the larger one. It's hard to find blue and gray together in a print. I really don't like the look of wood on chairs, but I do have one ( the orange one) that I will be reupholstering in a different color( loathe orange!). I appreciate your help!

nikitasmom What size tv are you getting? There does not seem to be many walls that can hold a large one. My first thought was shelving and cabinetry next to the fireplace. TV mounted with an articulating arm could be pulled out and angled for viewing. There are infrared controllers which can also be used to allow you to mount the tv anywhere while tucking away the electonics somewhere else.

judet6 The wall over the couch( which is a slanted wall is probably our biggest one( no pics of that yet. We have a 32 now, thinking 42 would be as big as we'd want to get. Another idea is putting the tv on a stand on top hutch/buffet that is in the other half of the room( moving the hutch into the living room. I actually prefer to put it on a stand. You're right. We don't have the space for built ins. This is why that, except for the Christmas tree, this room has been undecorated! Thanks for all your help!

Aja Mazin " I am thinking of shutters and either roman shades or a very tailored valance."

I am unsure if I understand.

Do you mean shutters AND a roman shade on each window?

Why not a wood or faux wood blind [easy to clean and wood blinds can be EER] or cellular shade [also EER], plus a fabric covered cornice box?

judet6 I've had a valance and venetian blinds for years, don't want that. I think white wooden shutters only looks unfinished. I like the idea of the cornice box but sick of just blue, had that for 14 years!
I am open to new things, just think panels look too formal! If I knew what I wanted, I would not be here!

Aja Mazin Make sure you check the recommended height for your new TV for the size and distance from screen to avoid neckaches.

judet6 Thanks for the tip, I will save it, hard enough to find a decorator, tv last of my issues!

Aja Mazin judet6,

Odd, but the more I visit your page, the more I like blue!
I like the dining room that combines blue in plaids, florals, stripes, etc. and I am convinced I could do it well.

I can see the looks, were I to suggest this to a designer, and I hear "outdated", "unsophisticated", and other
pejoratives that await me.

This thread is giving me courage to proceed without professional help.

judet6 Aja, I looked, but the picture that you admired was on the my pictures file at work, but I took it and all of the info off my pinterest as I decided it was WAY too fancy for me. As far as designers, at this point, I don't give a crap what they think of my vision, it's their job to help me or the client fulfill it, if it is feasible structurally and financially. Can you tell I am a bit feisty at this point. Try traditional homes.com or hgtv.com and search blue and traditional. I'm betting you come up with the same picture

nikitasmom Good memory judet6 a quick image search of blue traditional dining room provided the site. http://www.traditionalhome.com/design_decorating/howwelive/beautiful-blue-white-rooms_ss14.html