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Awkward shape & dark living room. need help please

9 years ago

My living room is L shaped and North West facing so is quite dark. I have 2 rich red sofas which I would like to keep & up now a gold/red scheme which was very cozy at night.
Ideas on colours please which are not too cold. Cream will match but too close to current. Would pale greens work?.
Really would like wallpaper but not sure if shape of room lends itself to a feature wall (or 2)? If all over then pattern needs to be subtle & prefer geometrics rather than floral.
Help please - I'm in wallpaper overload!! (plan isn't to scale)
All advice gratefully received

Featured Answer

Si Xian

9 years ago

Choose the wallpaper that looks more appealing to you. Keep to light colours.

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Comments (13)

Si Xian
9 years ago
Wallpapers are difficult to tear off, so there no way you can use paint now. I'd suggest you choose wallpaper of a lighter colour, so that your living room can look brighter.
Si Xian
9 years ago
Warm colours: Red, orange, yellow, brown etc.
Cool colours: Blue, green, purple.
Neutral colours: White, grey, black.

Pale green belongs to cool colours, it will give cooling effects.
Cream colour is sort of pale yellow, it belongs to warm colours.
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Jenny West
9 years ago
I don't think green goes with red. If stick to red, brown wood, cream, purple. Thinking Harry potter cosy library feel.
Jenny West
9 years ago
Maybe rather sort out the lighting - the wallpaper is quite nice.
missm61 thanked Jenny West
PRO
Jaimie K Designs Ltd
9 years ago
Hi missm61 the first thing you need to address as Jenny has said is the lighting. It looks like you have two overhead light sources so have attached a few images of what would go well. If only one than you need a larger 5 arm light. The sofas are great so no point changing those. The paper you have up at the moment is really quite busy and a bit old fashioned in comparison to the modern style sofas. I would look along the taupe colour palette for the walls B and Q now do Valspar paint which is the same price as dulux. Look at possibly Magic touch for the two walls behind the sofa, the wall behind the cabinets and the patio door wall. the other two walls in a subtle feature in Mink Frost. Or find a wallpaper for those two walls to tie in with the Magic Frost paint color( idea attached). Its warm but light, sits well with red. Then add taupe and red cushions on the sofas. Plus you need to get a nice big mirror above the sofa opposite the patio doors, this will lighten the room up no end. best wishes Jaimie k
missm61 thanked Jaimie K Designs Ltd
minnie101
9 years ago
Red and green are complementary colours so do obviously work but can make a very big statement. As Jaimie has suggested, maybe go the taupe route. I'm not a fan personally but subtle stripes would work well with the floral sofa. Trefoils paper would suit if you like geometrics. If you only want feature walls, I would go for the wall opposite the tv and the cabinet wall in the alcove. I think layout is key. I would bring the coffee table in front of the sofa and add a rug to warm the floor. If you're set on green, I would go very pale on the walls, add a green rug and maybe cushions with just a touch of green in the piping etc.
missm61
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks everyone for the great advice..agree completely on the update & lighting change. I think now moving away from the green following your comments. I was worried that taupe might be too dark but I'll get some samples & try. Love the wallpaper - just the type of design I had in mind..Do you think feature wall would work on wall opposite sofa, round corner & then the cabinet wall?
PRO
Jaimie K Designs Ltd
9 years ago
Hi , yes always get paper samples to start with and then you can see how they look in your room. A pale taupe should work well but try others colours the samples are free. If you get sample pots paint on to sheets of paper and not your walls you can place the colour in different areas of the room and see how it looks
good luck
missm61 thanked Jaimie K Designs Ltd
pbeddows
8 years ago
Hi honey, If you want a more modern and contemporary feel - start with the lighting. Get rid of the overhead lamp. Get downlighters installed in the ceiling - not too expensive and can install yourself from B and Q if you are handy - about eight over your seating area will lighten and brighten your room and add glamour. Then stick to two colours - what about red and cream? Your red sofas are great - what about big cream cushions with red poppies or get loose covers over the taupe ones you have. Paint your walls cream. Farrow and Ball have best coverage and depth for over wallpaper - use eggshell.

Wooden floor is great but a bobbly cream rug would look good between the sofas which should face one another. A small coffee table - then you have where the second sofa is to have a small dining table and chairs.

Don't worry about the cream - I have had wall to wall cream carpet for 15 years and it still looks good.
Lynn Robbo
8 years ago
Hi you need a very large rug X
PRO
Hepburn Designs
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
You have some really good advice from everyone. If you can remove the wallpaper I would paint in Colortrend Goya, it is a green/beige colour that would suit the sofas and compliment your floor. This colour will be warm for your north facing room. A large rug would really lift the room as suggested above. I would recommend the Adum rug from IKEA in 200cm x 300cm. Again as above you need to sort the lighting, I agree with the 5 arm pendants (the spots are very harsh when you are relaxing watching tv). The light should not hang more than 50cm from the ceiling, try the Barcelona 5 light from NEXT, the shades will keep the bulbs from annoying you when relaxing. I would also stretch your curtain pole if it is extendable or replace it so your curtains (which are lovely) sit back further on the wall to let more light in. I would also replace your tv stand and table with a nicer piece and put it centred on the wall (you can angle the tv when people are sitting on both sofas). I suggest Besta Hanvicken White, the white is nice and light in the space and it measures 180cm in width. Add a chair to the corner where the tv is currently to hide the radiator and make the room more beautiful. Try IKEA Strandmon in green or dark grey. Some new cushions will really bring it together, try Voyage Maison from Harvey Normans. For the mirror above the sofa as a great suggestion above try the rectangular Songe mirror from IKEA. Best of luck and post your after photos!!!
PRO
Wallsauce
7 years ago
Hi,

How did you get on with this project? I'd love to see some pictures of the final look.

Paula from Wallsauce.

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