Need help with my living room
Attached are pictures of my new living/ dining room. in dark / mid / light grey. the sofa's are staying as is my new rug :) and there will be a tv going on the wall opposite. I have a circular freestanding mini bar which will be in the far right hand corner in light and dark wood, and a square dining table going under the hatch (to be removed when we have the time, I know, gross!)
My boyfriend is very minimal and contemporary and I like to lean slightly more collected/eclectic with drops of old and new.
Any ideas for window dressings (the red doesnt seem to be working), art work, accessories in order to create a contemporary traditional minimal eclectic living space? :)
P.s. My aim is to put a deep cushioned ottoman in a contemporary fabric or light colour in the middle of the rug which can act as a footstool, seat, tray table, in order to tie the 2 sofas in together.
My boyfriend is very minimal and contemporary and I like to lean slightly more collected/eclectic with drops of old and new.
Any ideas for window dressings (the red doesnt seem to be working), art work, accessories in order to create a contemporary traditional minimal eclectic living space? :)
P.s. My aim is to put a deep cushioned ottoman in a contemporary fabric or light colour in the middle of the rug which can act as a footstool, seat, tray table, in order to tie the 2 sofas in together.
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As for your dining room, I suggest using the same blue color for a curtain, but with a pattern. Also I think you should hang a large circular mirror on the wall in the dining room.
I agree with thislittlehouse and would use white curtains to help brighten the room and would introduce oranges to cheer and warm the room. The swag curtains you have are nice and would also look good in the dining room but I do worry at them touching the heater. Perhaps you might be better off with roman blinds in each room and extend a curtain panel each side of the window to finish the area off but keep them away from the heaters.
[houzz=Courtyard Residence Living Room]
[houzz=H45 Loft]
[houzz=West Village Apartment]
Do you have dining chairs yet? If not, consider white chairs to brighten the area. Your green rug is really nice but gives no impact to the room, not sure about size but could you put it in the dining room, especially if you like the white chair idea, and buy something more colourful, keeping the green but bringing in orange for the lounge area.
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Artwork is very personal, no one can choose that for you but if you search Houzz for picture hanging ideas, you will find thousands of ways to use large, small or medium pictures or a collection of different sizes - great for an eclectic look.
What size rug would you recommend (i.e bigger or smaller?) I also really like the white chair idea, I was hoping to one day buy ghost chairs, or some simple danish style wooden ones to replace the plain wooden ones we have inherited.
A pendant Light over the dining table is a lovely idea, the current lampshade was left by the previous owners and is absolutely definitely set for the skip. Do you think it would be a good idea to mirror our lampshade choice in both rooms?
The ghost chairs look good and would help keep your room more spacious. You could always put white chair pads on your inherited chairs for now. If they already have a covered seat, in many older chairs the seat part can be pushed out and a new cover put over it and simply stapled on. You could even paint your present chairs if you felt energetic enough, give you a few years before you need to outlay for anything else.
No, you don't need to mirror lampshades at all. If you went for a drum shade in the dining area, then you could probably find similar shaped lampshades, but if you went more elaborate then a simple lampshade would still compliment it. Because of the glare I can't quite work out what you have in the loungeroom or it's placement, but my personal preference is for end tables for your main sofa and lamps on each. If you are only watching TV a strong light isn't necessary and I find softer lighting easier on the eyes. Keep a simple main light for when stronger light is needed.
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You could put an end table in the corner of the 'L' made by the two sofas but it doesn't look like you have much room at the other end of your sofa. Is there room for a sofa table behind it or would that intrude too much into the "passageway". If you put a square end table between the two sofas you could move your light fitting to hang over that table and do away with lamps altogether. This is what I did - my room is still a work in progress.
We also have a couple of small occasional tables which I made myself that will go either side of the chesterfield. I originally wanted to have a sofa table or console table to go in that space but there just isn't the room.
We were thinking of putting a tripod floor standing lamp in the corner between the sofas behind a small round table. Below are pics of the tables to go in, as well another tat I do not yet have a home for. let me know if you have any ideas of what to do with the long one!
I'll have a think about your room and see if I can come up with some inspirational ideas for you. The red curtains aren't working and I'm very sorry, but your new rug isn't large enough for your current sofa layout. On a personal note, it doesn't really appeal to me colourwise either. Doesn't seem to go with your floor nor your sofa's. But that could just be due to the photo quality. Sorry.
I do really like the combination of sofa's you have. Love chesterfields.
If you want to warm up the place, blue isn't the way to go. Orange, like olldroo suggested, would be much better.
Something sleek like this, but not as large:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69867310/
Just so that it comes into the room only about halfway. It will create sort of a hallway for the space with all the doors.
Jo, I love your tables, you are one talented lady. I can't believe you are asking US for help when you can design things like that!!! If you do move your sofa, then you would have room to put your two tables each end of the main sofa, which would be more practical when that is the one you intend using the most. A tripod floor lamp with the small round table would be fine too.
The long table would make a great coffee table, especially when the legs match the round table, but I don't think you would have the room. Maybe when you get the room finally organised you may find somewhere. There may be room for it in front of the heater in the dining room - somewhere to put drinks or extra dishes during a dinner or stand a nice tall floral arrangement.
You see, I was thinking floor to ceiling, or almost to ceiling, cabinets because the front door isn't the most beautiful object to look at and it would obscure that view. But you could do part tall cabinets (window side) and part lower cabinets.
I'd do Roman blinds/shades for the windows in the living room, but I don't know if you have a privacy issue. Or just roller blinds, white, with white sheer panels either side.
Okay, I hope I've attached a (really bad) sketch of what I'm thinking of.
ISince you never use it, you could also cover the front door with white sheers. Put a reading chair in the corner with your round table next to it.
I wouldn't hang a ceiling light in the living room, but put a floor lamp between the sofas. A funky chandelier above the dining table.
Lantern Arc Floor Lamp CB2
Bubble Chandelier Original Size by Jean Pelle
Oh... you know, so many ideas...
I think that this furniture wall idea is great, and might even consider trying to knock something up myself. blinds were always on the cards, I love the blind/sheer curtain combo and my house has a high hedge most of the way round it which offers up lots of privacy.
I love the arc floor lamp but the boyfriend is not a fan, parhaps I should pout a little more.
Im sure that when I move more furniture in more dilemas will arise, I'll be sure to post these up for further guidance!
Thanks again, any other thoughts let me know, and I'll post pics when I have more to show.
Jo
That bubble chandie is gorgeous - bet the price tag is too.
But yeah, you're probably right. The drawing isn't to scale though, but that aside... a smaller, lower unit will be an option too of course. Let's say that the opening that now has the large couch in it is about 3 metres wide? So if you'd use 2 metres or less, it would still leave an opening that's wider than a normal door.
The thought behind using a high cupboard is that it would visually continue the dining room wall. As if it used to be there, but was broken through to the hallway.
In effect it would create one long dining/living room.
Anyway, I will leave you to your horses, I absolutely must get to bed - it is 1.15AM here.
And yeah... as I said, you're probably right about the space being too small for my brilliant cupboard idea... sigh...
I couldn't find a photo in the gallery that matched my idea either.
Apart from these, but most of them are totally different spaces. Nice small rooms though, so I'll include them anyway:
I still like the idea of putting the largest of the sofas against the long wall. Could you mount the TV on one of those pull out swivel thingies on the dining room/kitchen wall?
Or am I missing something that is preventing that? Do you have a photo that's taken either from your front door or from the corner behind the leather sofa towards the short kitchen wall? We haven't seen that part of the space yet.
The wall with the kitchen door on may be big enough to hold a TV, but I fear would restrict the natural walk round from kitchen to dining room. It is painted the lightest colour but I'm afraid I have no pic.
I will turn the sofa round on the weekend and upload a pic! Enjoy your evening.
We haven't figured it out yet, so I'm looking forward to the photo with the sofa against the long wall :-)
Hudson Media Console
Baxton Studio 59" TV Stand
BESTÅ BURS TV unit
No, I'm not obsessed... (just a tiny bit)
I think what has been throwing me off is the sofa in the middle of the room. It definitely needs a wall behind it. Jo if you could knock something up (love how you casually say that) to divide the room and create a hallway at the front door, that would give you so many more options. If it started with a tall cupboard immediately off the wall to screen the front door as Carolins suggested I'm thinking you could have that opening on the front door side and use it as a coat cupboard - or would you not use the door often enough to warrant that.
I love those arc lamps and they do look great but personally I wouldn't want one either - maybe save the pout for something more important.
Have fun this weekend, looking forward to hearing from you.
My home featured in a magazine once and even though I did the styling myself (I used to do some styling for a living) I almost didn't recognize it on the photos. The lighting plays a big part, but it also has never looked as clean and 'together' as in those shots. Not before and not after the photos.
Throw cushions on the sofa? Always end up on the floor in (my) real life. Sofa's in the photos are always butt-dentfree for instance. Hmm... I find that highly suspicious :-)
Love the idea of the coat-cupboard!
I think I put a comment on here one time about the photos, can't remember now exactly, I think someone was trying to achieve the model looks that many do, and are generally dissatisfied because they can't, and I noted there was never a child's toy out of place or a loofah in the bathroom - usually hanging from a shower tap. Some rarely even have towels unless they are a featured colour.
Be interesting to see how Jo goes this weekend - this is fun.
I actually have a porch and a useless area at the bottom of the stairs to hang coats, there are some very questionable design decisions and diy attempts present in this house!
Ill be in there tomorrow so ill move the sofa and take some photos, perhaps I will try to take a few boxes with me to mock up pretend furniture and see how it looks!
Sorry that I may be repeating prior posts, because I haven't read through completely. I agree that the curtains aren't working, nor is the placement of the furniture. Since you are keeping the furniture, I would move the larger sofa to the opposite wall and keep the leather one under the window. I think that that leather sofa will need to slide down toward the door, so that the arms of the two sofas meet properly on a 90, which will mean that it isn't centred under the window.
For the curtains, I would try to pick up a solid colour in the rug, such as a soft grey/sage (it's difficult to tell from the photo) and use that colour for the curtains. Try and find a pattern for the ottoman that ties the two couch colours together and doesn't contrast with the area rug.
I think some kind of low divider between the front entrance and the seating area may be a good idea, but it isn't essential. It might get too crowded.
A well placed mirror, or mirrored piece, may help to open up the space.
Good luck!
Drapes: blend them to the wall color, will make room appear larger.
The narrow space: The light pendant is a lot of the problem here. Place lamps in each corner and it will make that space appear larger...also for the window there a rod going the full width of the room, a pair of floor to ceiling panels, again in a color not too far removed from the walls, stacked either side of the radiator again will make the room appear wider. Great area for a reading nook. Use as much lamp light, and natural light there as possible. Try and accentuate the horizontal in that area, e.g. rug with stripes running sideways, and placed left to right rather than lengthwise.......even in drapes if you used a fabric with stripes running horizontally.
Cheers!
I sort of like Soberg's wild idea of doing floor to ceiling, wall to wall curtains. I'd go for a sheer fabric and hang them with rings, something like this?
Softline Home Fashions
And then for the dining room a combination of either Venetian blinds or Roman blinds, with a floor to ceiling curtain, horizontal pattern. Or just curtain panels either side of the blind, but hanging in front of the walls, creating the illusion of a wider window..
Good Housekeeping™ Roman Shades
Contemporary Curtains
Levolor 2" Nuwood Faux Wood Blind
Geo Panels, Steel
How do you feel about going for a grey rug with a graphic pattern, in stead of the greenish one you have now?
If your curtains and your rug are more neutral and lighter than the current ones, you'll have the modern living room your partner likes, and then you can go 'wild' with adding cushions, upholstered ottoman, art, your funky tables to make it more your taste.
But I'm sure that once you've removed the red curtains it will already look so much better.
Were you thinking about a lamp like this to go between the sofas, together with your round table?
I like the lamp too, but am a bit afraid that it will 'smother' your pretty table. Might not be the case though.
http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=077906
sorry, me again,
I did you a mock up of your living room with white (well, I tried to make them white, but they are now sort of pinkish. Just imagine them white :-)) curtains. And it's a really bad mock-up, but it still will give you sort of an idea.
If you can ever bring yourselves to it, switching the sofas will be much better. The large comfy one in front of the window and the Chesterfield where the large one is now. I know why you've put them where they are now, but really.... :-)
If you are still thinking room divider, Jo, have you seen this sort of thing.
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I love this mock up, you have me sold on the white curtains, although I do still love the zig zag ones you uploaded before .... hmmmm...
Do you think i could swap the beanbags (can't find the right word) for a small colourful armchair?
Also, if i were to swap the sofas would i need to turn the rug around 90 degrees? I might go and try it out on my way home.
I was thinking white or grey sheers for your front room and the zig zag ones for your dining area because they are a more solid fabric. You don't have to have the same curtains for both windows, as long as the fabrics go together. Wouldn't do creme coloured ones for one window and white for the other I mean.
If your dining table and chairs are in and the bar is in its place, you can see if you have enough room for a chair.
If you swap the sofas around, you'll probably need to turn the rug. Keeping my fingers crossed that that arrangement works out :-)
I guess I'm so worried about things not tying in together! So maybe blind and sheers in the living room and zigzags in the dining room. I am now on the look out for cheap orange cushions! :)
Jgoodmons that is a beautiful cabinet but we already have a small entertainment unit which will have to do for now.
Out of curiosity... What country are all you amazing people from?
I'm in the Netherlands.
You've been busy working up a sweat there. Wow!
And... which arrangement do you prefer? Who knew there were so many possibilities with placing your furniture :-D
Actually, I prefer them all, apart from the top left one because of the rug, to the original lay-out. And you?
Cheap orange cushions covers (8 pounds) at Ikea. Did you see the link for the tripod lamp I found for 60 pound or so at Homebase? Don't know if it's good quality, but it's not expensive I thought.
Have you tried next.co.uk for curtains?
Oh, I'm just so confused! I guess chesterfield in gap will look better with nice long cream sheer curtains :/
So, to sum up so far Jo, go back to the original layout of your sofas. You like to snuggle up in front of the TV (doesn't everyone???) so comfort has to be #1 and you don't want to be sitting looking sideways and cricking your neck. Definitely keep the Chesterfield in front of the heater to hide it, provided it isn't likely to damage it at all and the other sofa at right angles to it. Maybe ensure you regularly apply some leather conditioner to the back of it in winter for extra protection. I think we would all be agreed on that.
I think we all agree on blinds because of the heaters and they will look far better than short curtains. Then we will have some panels each side, extended past the window, in fact in the dining area they would take up the whole wall. I think I would have them stationary though, that heater bothers me if you try to close them and I think a sheer would be useless as far as dressing the room, you need something solid. Good idea about extending the curtain across the front door but I think it would look very lopsided. However, you could have a panel of the same curtain over it, and catch it to the far wall side for extra daytime light. I think that would make the area more cohesive and look a lot larger
While we like the idea of white for adding light, if the curtains aren't going to be closed then that won't matter as much and I do like the idea of the Teramo Curtain (if that is the zigzag one). It will work well on both windows and the front door and I think it will really add some ooomph and style to the room. Jo, you can get a thermal roman blind too for keeping heat in and stopping cold coming through the glass, but it does reduce light to the room. An option for you to think about.
Cushions - new "patchwork" one is nice and colourful, but I'm sorry the two spotty ones just look too safe and wishy washy. Cushions are something you can let your head go with - I'd look at a bright yellow one at one end with the patchwork resting on it and then an orange at the other end of the lounge. Be brave!!!! I always like to use this example of how colourful a room can be and look great
Then put your entertainment unit and TV in, take your rug up to it, if it reaches, but start at one side under the Chesterfield and under your sofa on the other side. Add your long coffee table, your tripod lamp in the corner where the sofas meet and see how it all looks.
Artwork for the walls will be a matter for your personal taste (and budget), cruise through Houzz searching 'how to hang artwork' for ideas.
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My feeling about the sofas the way they were (and are again) is that the large one doesn't leave much space to walk to the kitchen or stairs. And if you put the TV more towards the dining area you wouldn't get a sprained neck if the large sofa is in front of the window. We have a TV that revolves a little bit on its foot, so depending on where we are in the room, we can turn it towards us. But I realize that not all TVs do that :-)
My parents bought the sofa when I was a baby and they have followed us round for 23years. Definitely couldn't let it go.
Would you all just give up on my if I told you that in tryin to steal my mums old gplan cabinet so I can paint it and add it to my mismatched room? :)
@ diane707: where does it say that one has to choose between modern or traditional? Ever browsed the eclectic style section on Houzz? Please do, it will open your mind for a whole new adventure :-)
Eclectic is a soft blend of scaled pieces that compliment each other and are pleasing to the eye when paired. There is no common scale or pairing in this room. What's happened is the clashing of 2 tastes
Jo's and Mum's
http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_style/furniture/g_plan/g_plan_ranges.php
Where will you put it Jo? Just out of curiosity and interest ;-)
I didn't read anything about Jo wanting her home to be on the house beautiful list, she just wants something to be comfortable in and enjoy. You might be surprised just how many people are content with what they have and aren't forever chasing perfect - those who are, are NEVER contented.
I encourage you to consider insulated blinds for the lounge room windows. I have them and they work well.
I am eager to see more photos after you take care of the horses and massage your furniture-moving muscles!
I just put an insulated blind up in the grands room today, I have been hesitant about them as they do cut the light to rooms, but I was pleasantly surprised with mine, it isn't too bad, probably because there is a gap along the top and down the two sides - only about 1cm, but enough to let light in.
Really must get to bed.
I still (or more than ever) think that with some light curtains and bright coloured accessories and an antique looking tripod lamp I may be on my way to what i think this room should be. And thats mostly (completely :)) thanks to you guys!
Thank you for your input Diane but I'm looking more for fun ideas from interested parties than bulldozing my rather unbeautiful 1970's house and selling all my furniture.
Upcycling Gplan is quite fashionable in the UK at the moment. This is the website of a girl who went to my uni and really represents what i think is 1950's upcycling at it's best. http://www.lucyturner.co/
The cabinet it a little shorter than a tallboy. I don't know where it would go or if I can steal it, (mum wanted to get rid of it until I showed her how cool it could look!) it was her grandmother's! I guess I was just being controversial :/
In the USA, it is becoming fashionable to place the television on a console/credenza. I will see if I can find one that is Danish inspired to compliment the tables you built. Be back later...
Jo, I just checked Lucy Turner's website. What she creates is absolutely beautiful! If you can't get your hands on your mother's cabinet, perhaps you can find one on ebay or wherever and do your thing to make it look gorgeous.
The wonderful thing about you is that you can make wonderful things and yet, at the same time have a shocking taste in throw pillows lol
I promise to put the green ones back in my bedroom where they look nice... i thought... Can i keep the multi coloured one? I thought anything with that much colour on had to be a winner? Now i know what a crednza is, I'm all in favour! perhaps I will have to spend some time in second hand furniture shops looking for a good one to do up! :)
You can keep whatever you like. Although I do think the coloured one may be pretty hard to match. She's the queen of the ball I think. Actually,
Happy shopping for a credenza (I'm going to google credenza now. Learning new things every day.)
Habitat? Don't they have nice things for affordable prices?
Boy Carolins, you sure are getting brutal about poor Jo's cushion choice, but I have to agree they were a little wimpy. Jo the patchwork one you got is colourful, it just isn't bold, so it doesn't make a great statement - in other words the pattern is a little small on it. However, in real life it probably does look good and I think putting another cushion in plain strong colour behind it to sort of frame it will really make it come to life and be the queen.
Credenza could be a good idea for your TV as long as it isn't too tall. Otherwise if you can snag your mum's it could make for good storage in your dining room.
Off to spread my fairy dust - catch you all later.
Good point about height, both sofas are quite low so probs need to mirror that, and then bring something up taller like the lamp and maybe a narrow bookshelf or equivalent shape(?) to balance it all out. I don't really know what I'm saying, am I learning here?