Need help on new furniture/ arrangement of family room. I suck at decorating.
This is my family room, it's rather long and connected to our kitchen. We are looking for new furniture for this room as well as some decorations. Any advice would've welcome I suck at decorating and arranging. Even color advice for furniture we were thinking maybe a sectional? Has to be kid friendly.
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You might be given advice by 50 Houzzers with all of it different, so the best place to begin is by finding out what you prefer. These little quizzes only take less than 20 minutes and you will end up with a room that YOU are comfortable with - not some stranger you have never met! And you will probably save lots of $$$ in the long run.
Try this one: http://www.bhg.com/decorating/decorating-style/quiz/?ordersrc=google1decoratingstyle_app&s_kwcid=TC|5599|your%20decorating%20style||S|b|21476696098&ef_id=UKQl6AAASjMa@GNg:20130218204153:s
And this one: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/decorating-style-quiz-00000000030420/index.html
Then this one: http://just-for-mom.quiz.kaboose.com/42-what-s-your-decorating-style
Let us know what style you prefer so we can give you some great suggestions!
Lining up couches on each side wall just makes the room feel longer and narrower - I like a sectional with its long leg / back on the left wall / under the bulkhead and a sofa / console / dining sideboard table behind the leg that will face the television (backed up at this end of the carpeted space). Ethan Allan, Pottery Barn and even IKEA have some classic styles that hold your transitional aesthetic. Pottery barn has a nice dark sage green color choice, fyi, and a darker tone will help you through the kid years well.
Then on the right wall you can add another upholstered chair to the leather one you have now - ideally in a print that draws from your color palette - repeats it (something that pulls all the tones together in one - see http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=20&productID=7429&pStart=0&recNum=11 for inspiration). You can use end tables you have between chairs and at far end of long sectional leg. To the sideboard, you can add lamps (which again will visually break up the length of the room) and you would have storage (now toys in baskets, later table linens and special occasion dishes). You will need more storage very soon, and more function too.
Your neutrals are nice, but everything hung on the walls is too high. Top of big item over couch should not be higher than top of windows, basically, and bottom needs to be closer to top of sofa back. Two smaller photos and cross would be better grouped together on one side to left of tv.
Here, think of the tv as your center line and hang things off that axis on that wall. Your large piece of art is wonderful, so you want to pull some soft blue accents as color inspiration into print fabric pillows and accent chair - stick to solids for your new pieces.
With little ones, I recommend a big round upholstered ottoman - you can add a tray for the top when grown ups come over and want another place to put a drink. In the long run, you are going to want a bigger storage piece under your television to better balance that wall.
You might look into having your leather chair dyed - it is a very strong color, so you can add some yellow/gold tones to a pillow accent that will make it blend better or you might like it better toned down to saddle brown- shoe guys dye leather all the time so go find out if its cheaper than a new chair (usually YES).
Consider doing a gallery wall with all black frames and a template for the back/left wall. All cream / ecru toned mats - use your family photos, but print them all out in sepia tones and crop some of them really close in - babies face blown up is amazing. Your wall is big enough you will want to purchase at least two kits and maybe three to fill the space visually. They have these available many places commercially now. A monochromatic thing there would help your big art pop.
Look at Young House Love for ideas on gallery walls - formal and not so formal, and also for how to take a print fabric color inspiration and take it through the house to help it feel unified and yet, beautiful. Go over there and search "lovely napkin" / whole house paint colors. You have a beautiful family space here - and being careful in your selections doesn't mean you are bad at it - if you stick to the colors you've set up - olive /stone greens, aqua/spa blue and tan/sand tones, you will come out alright!
You can also get help at Ethan Allen if you purchase there. . .
My next question is what is your favorite color and what is hubby's favorite color?
The walls could be painted soft white, with gray furniture (it will hide dirt well) with a navy rug & navy printed drapery panels, bits of yellow as an accent.
Or soft gray walls with navy furniture, printed drapes, etc. and red accents. BM has a color called 'Winds Breath' that would look beautiful with your carpet: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/windsbreath#ce_s=wind