Living room decoration decisions
pirategold
9 years ago
Hello,
I've just moved into a new house and I am a bit stuck with the colour scheme for the living room. I have ordered fairly classic sofas in a grey herringbone fabric that will go with most colours. The rest of the furniture etc will have to be added slowly as funds allow and I find things I like.
My current thinking is to strip the wall paper below the dado and paint it a chalky dark grey. Not that sure what to do with the rest. I really want to get it right as it's a big space and expensive to do (12m x4.5m ceilings 4.3m)
Curtains are an issue as I can't afford to spend the £3000 I was quoted for curtains, on curtains! My plan is to buy 3m drop ready made curtains and fit inside the window recesses. No curtains isn't an option as I am in the north east of Scotland and the windows are a little draughty. Both curtains and windows can be upgraded later! The original wood floor is staying as is, though hopefully improved once I figure out what needs to be done to it. The stove is cream coloured and either staying or potentially being replaced with a dark grey one. Hearth tiles are cream and a bit utilitarian.
Any advice, ideas or pointers great fully received. I am tired of looking through wallpaper books...
Thanks in advance.
I've just moved into a new house and I am a bit stuck with the colour scheme for the living room. I have ordered fairly classic sofas in a grey herringbone fabric that will go with most colours. The rest of the furniture etc will have to be added slowly as funds allow and I find things I like.
My current thinking is to strip the wall paper below the dado and paint it a chalky dark grey. Not that sure what to do with the rest. I really want to get it right as it's a big space and expensive to do (12m x4.5m ceilings 4.3m)
Curtains are an issue as I can't afford to spend the £3000 I was quoted for curtains, on curtains! My plan is to buy 3m drop ready made curtains and fit inside the window recesses. No curtains isn't an option as I am in the north east of Scotland and the windows are a little draughty. Both curtains and windows can be upgraded later! The original wood floor is staying as is, though hopefully improved once I figure out what needs to be done to it. The stove is cream coloured and either staying or potentially being replaced with a dark grey one. Hearth tiles are cream and a bit utilitarian.
Any advice, ideas or pointers great fully received. I am tired of looking through wallpaper books...
Thanks in advance.
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Comments (14)
Julie Mccall
9 years ago
PROIlaria Coppola Design ltd
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Ideas for decoration of new living room
Comments (7)THIS IS A REALLY NICE ROOM. I LIKE THE BEAM AND FIREPLACE. IF YOU LIKE WARM AND TRADITIONAL THE WHOLE ROOM COULD HAVE GONE RED, BUT YOU NEED TO USE THE RIGHT RED, I WOULD SUGGEST USING FIRED EARTHS MADDER RED IN ACRYLIC. THE COLOUR HAS A PINK UNDERTONE AND IS SO CLASSY, USING ACRYLIC GIVES A CLASSY SHEEN WHICH REFLECTS LIGHT OFF THE WALLS. I WOULD PAINT THE FIREPLACE WHITE. I WOULD KEEP THE SOFA'S GET LAURA ASHLEY CUSHIONS AND SOME NICE THROWS FROM TK MAXX. I WOULD LAY ENGINEERED LIGHT OAK OR LAMINATE FLOOR, THIS WOULD AGAIN BOUNCE LIGHT. BUY A PRETTY LIGHT FITTING AND PUT FULL LENGTH SHEER CURTAINS AT WINDOW, IKEA HAVE SOME GREAT ONES. PAINT TABLE WHITE. IF YOU DONT WANT RED GO COASTAL COTTAGE WITH A SEA SIDE VIBE WITH BLUE AND WHITES. LAURA ASHLEY COASTAL STYLE WOULD SUIT THE SPACE WITH ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE. BUT EITHER WAY CELEBRATE THE ROOMS COTTAGE VIBE ITS SUPER EN-VOGUE AT THE MOMENT. GOOD LOOK....See MoreOur new house - decorating the living room
Comments (11)Minnie is absolutely right about the wallpaper - whether there is a physical demarkation or not, you will still be creating a false line for the eye that's hardly going to be restful in your living room, and will just look odd. My advice would be to dump the idea of a feature wall and put your desire for a floral pattern into a lovely rug. I assume you are keeping the carpet? It looks light beige in the photos and you need to keep this colour in mind, as well as the black of the sofas, when choosing the rest of the scheme. Maybe have a look at rugs with big, swirly floral patterns in browns and coppers or golds as well as beige and black, then pick colours from that (copper or gold would be lovely) for your cushions and curtains. The walls (and up the staircase wall) I would paint in a very, very light shade of whatever beige or taupe dominates in the carpet (impossible to tell from a photograph so grab some paint charts). Good luck....See MoreLiving Room and Dining Room Decor
Comments (18)Hi Tim, greys are easy on the eye so they make a great base shade for rooms - on floors, walls, curtains or fabrics - plus they suit both period and contemporary schemes. The hue works well in any interior – it looks sophisticated in living rooms, it makes bedrooms feel soothing and creates a welcoming space in entrances. Have you considered teaming a grey carpet to match with the walls? From barely there silvers that wield a gentle touch – think Cormar’s Sensation’s Cape Diamond – to foggy greys that offer a timeless look (Highland Saxony in Baltic Grey) and deep charcoals (Sensation Twist in Charcoal) for a dramatic splash, there is a shade of grey to suit everyone. We’d also recommend sampling, to see how a particular colour matches in the rest of the décor. You can see and feel how the colour and texture work in the room and, very importantly, in the lighting. Visit www.cormarcarpets.co.uk to order up to three free carpet samples....See Morere-decorating living room
Comments (9)What a beautiful window. Is your home Arts & Crafts? I would leave all the woodwork as it is, but I would paint the skirting and picture rail either white, or the same colour as your chosen wall colour.. i think soft muddy colours would be good like the Farrow & Ball range. I would purchase your sofas first, and then decorate around them - paint is reasonably easy to change but sofas aren’t. I can see that room decorated in warm plush fabrics such as velvet. Exciting project! Here are some ideas...See More
PROHalo
9 years agopirategold
9 years agopirategold
9 years ago- PRO
Halo
9 years ago pirategold
9 years ago- PRO
Halo
9 years ago 
PROInfinity Wall Art
9 years agoNice large room! Looks like you can do a lot of good to it. Since you're going to paint the walls a dark grey, you could consider getting a wall art sticker to your taste. There are lots of inspiring designs to suit whatever colour wall you'll eventually settle for, so go ahead and take a browse of them on our website at:
http://www.infinitywallart.com/wallstickers
boundsgreener
9 years agoYou can definitely have modern interiors while respecting the amazing traditional features in your home. Here are a few pics:
Private Home in Chiswick, London · More Info
Organic Living Room · More Info
WIMBLEDON FAMILY HOUSE · More Info
London Fields House · More Info
Notting Hill Flat · More Info
A colourful London home · More Info
Library · More Info
You said you are in North East Scotland and the room doesn't look like it gets much light. Which way does it face? Halo hinted at this earlier, but I think you either need to make it dark and cosy - dark greys or blues or greens - or try and grab the light - white or off white. Only you can decide that, but I hope some of these pictures are helpful to get you started.pirategold
9 years agopirategold
9 years agoboundsgreener
9 years agoMy pleasure. I think avoiding wallpaper is a top idea. Having 50 samples and not liking any is a clue! It is such a huge room and wallpaper could look incredibly busy and isn't really the modern look you say you want.
Downpipe is great, but I would then have a lighter grey on the top half of the walls and then a chalky white on the ceiling. The cornicing that isn't really cornicing and the other details that are above the doors could then be the same as the top half of the wall or the ceiling - I don't think they should be the same as the bottom half of the walls because, if you look at it now, it chops up the room too much - but that might just be in the photos. You can add pattern in soft furnishings and those giant curtains you are going to have to buy at some point!
Here's a picture of what I did in our last house when I decided to embrace the dark and make it cosy. It is a MUCH smaller room than yours, but I used Pigeon and then a Downpipe-ish colour.
sloegin