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Help with living room

9 years ago

Ideas for our living room please. I find the shape of the room awkward as it's quite long and is narrow at one end. We have a big bay window which has good views and that's why we have the sofa facing it. Wish had chosen a different sofa as can't really seem to rearrange room around due to the sofa shape and size. As you walk in it's quite spacious, but then where the corner sofa is and the table it seems more crowded. Ideally would like to keep the table as children like to play on it with their toys. The brown small chair is a child's chair so can move that/ get something different (wasn't sure whether to get ottoman to match sofa). We do normally have a lamp on the side table which has broken, and a rug under the table. My partner wants to keep the fishtank which is quite big but people do like to look at it.
I would like to have a fireplace and didn't know if one would look ok in middle of wall where tv is or too crowded? Also thought about painting one of the walls a different colour?

Featured Answer

minnie101

9 years ago

Just a thought but have you tried the sofa away from the wall ie facing the wallpaper? You could move the chair and footstool to where the sofa currently is and still have a view out. I'd move the coffee table in front of the sofa to create a box shape. Arc lamps look good over sofas (would also help tie in the separate areas) but it depends on your style? Are you keeping the wallpaper? If so turquoise, teal etc may work well as accents. I would probably also bring in a bit more of the Orange. Just a personal preference but I would have the walls all in the same colour. You could try wallpaper at the opposite end of the room? Based on the current layout, I'm not sure there's enough room for a fireplace unless you are going for a small contemportray one? You could always have a traditional one and wall mount the tv over the top? A few pics to give ideas.

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Comments (9)

leannenh
Original Author
9 years ago
Also any ideas on colour scheme- liked orange/ brown but looks a bit boring so any ideas to improve. And what style lamp??
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Patricia Rotaru
9 years ago
I would move the sofa on the opposite wall (the one with wallpaper on it), put the coffee table in front of it and the two armchairs, so that you can form a square shape. Move the tv on the other wall (where the sofa is now), and fill that wall with more furniture, around the tv. And i would keep the colour of the walls the same. One different wall is enough.
jn267
9 years ago
I sympathise as we have had a similar problem. The room needs a focal point, preferably not the TV. Consider a wall hung fire with the TV on the wall above it. Re-arrange the furniture first to see what works before deciding where the focal point should be. I re-arranged ours several times before it worked. I think the room needs colour. I would go for pale walls - your preference - I could see pale blue. Curtains in a darker shade, turquoise maybe; cushions that tone. If you want a papered wall, I'd choose white with a pattern that picks up the main colour, turquoise in my imagining.
Jue Cat
9 years ago
It comes across as very brown. If u can't afford to change the furniture is certainly add some bright rugs, throws, curtains and cushions - all washable with kiddies. There are a great amount of wall mural/stickers around that are easily removable and changeable. Paint the table a bright hard wearing colour, Ronseal do fab diamond hard bright paints, used them in my kitchen. Good luck x
balmsy
9 years ago
Hi, it does all seem very heavy in colour with the sofas, wood and wallpaper, sorry but the wallpaper in my opinion has to go it's very oppressive and 'flat' you need a way lighter paper, a rug, some pictures on the walls and some more personal bits, it's lacking your personality.
Ann Ellis
9 years ago
Think of the window as a source of light not a way of seeing the street! A view means,woods, fields, sea, rivers or Paris roof tops, are we missing these in your photos? Think of using a blinds at the smaller windows and re hang the curtains to finish against the wall showing the bay at its maximum size.
The TV is in the smaller area of the room. Can the fish go that end nd an armchair , bookcase and smll coffee table to make a 'reading/ thinking ' area with decent reading lamp.Then the TV in the other corner would allow you to rearrange the sofa etc. for group watching. I think the colours will sort themselves once you have the two zones sorted. Think of a patterned lighter background rug which would reflect light from the window. A large mirror on your wallpaper would liven the space. Good luck! Look at lots of Houzz pictures.
leannenh
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you everyone. I haven't rearranged yet as need to move the tank 1st.

I'm thinking about changing the corner sofa as feel it's too dark and big for the room (but is good with young children). So will have tv stand, chair with footstool, coffee table, bookcase and tank.
Wondered what you thought the best layout would be then-I've posted a picture of the shape of the room. Do you think there would be room then to have a fireplace. I don't really want to put the tv above it though.

Also want to change the wallpaper as thinking about different colour scheme- I've attached a post that I like the look of. Any ideas on sofa colour/ size, any feature wallpaper/paint and which wall do you think would be best as feature wall?
Naomi Wilkes
9 years ago
Hi, I've just freshened my living room up and thought your room would look great like this to :)

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