Ideas for the 1/3 end of our living room

9 years ago

I've refurbished most of our living room with new sofas, lights, coffee table and feature wall colour (it used to be a deep red with black furniture). As our room is long (8m by 4m) and has lots of doors, a radiator and fireplace, it's a tricky one to arrange. But I am finally happy with the layout but at a loss of what to do with then last 1/3 if it. I need to buy furniture - was thinking a wooden bookcase (to replace black cabinet), white shelves to replace black ones and maybe have a funky chair in the corner? Thoughts please - I need inspiration! X

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minnie101

9 years ago

Hi. Well done so far! Is your tv cabinet black? You could try a slim bookcase where the 2 shelves are and create a reading area. A chaise longue, on a rug if you have the budget, in front of the doors may work either in turquoise or lime to match the cushions. It looks as if you have enough room so as not to block the french doors. Or do you need a study area for example?

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Comments (13)

celina3
Original Author
9 years ago
Yes the TV unit is black (it's the old one), we're just waiting for our new white low, long one to arrive!
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I love that you've gone for a brightening effect in the room. Maybe a light wood bookcase, or even white if you're going for a more candy coloured contrast. I can't tell what colour you sofa is but a grey could look nice and maybe some pops of yellow on the cushions?
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I was just reading the comments above and I thought I would draw it up for you. This is a really small room, as soon as you start dividing it up the space will feel ridiculously cramped with all your belongings. I suggest you make your own shelving and desk or hire a carpenter to make you something bespoke for you as it is such a small space. Give yourself a long desk, half for computer half for painting. Where normal depth furniture will hinder door access put your tv area. Put storage beneath your desk area. More importantly instead of having an intrusive book case put a shelf that goes all of the way around the room just above door height. You do not need to acccess your books everyday so make use of the limited space you have and put them up high. This also allows more wall space for your artwork. Let us know how it all goes
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If you've re-plastered and removed the shelf from above, etc., I'd just put a plant on it, like a Philodendron. Something that can live in a dark(ish) corner. If you put a table/floor uplighter behind it that will shine up the walls and light up that corner in the evenings, I think it could be a lovely effect (this one is from (loads available, for example on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astro-4532-Limina-Uplighter-Plaster/dp/B005LVJPH2 )
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In some ways it’s good to have such a large TV. Let’s face it you are sitting a very long way from it in your lovely big room! You are wondering how to make the door end of the room look used. I think we are talking trade offs with the design here, in terms of cost and layout. If you can spend a bit of money it might be worth investigating how to design a new fireplace that incorporates the TV. Sounds horrendous I know, but because you have a large tv it might work, though you’d have to be VERY careful about balance in the positioning and get specialist advice on insulating the tv from the heat from the fire. You also need to consider how much time you spend watching tv and if the upwards angle of view might give you a stiff neck from where you place the sofa...BUT... this would enable you to bring Carolina’s room layout back towards the door, making the room look more occupied, you could then also use celery girls idea to put a sort of separate more intimate seating area in the bay window - two statement chairs and a little table, maybe flanked by a pair of enormous table lamps in front of the curtains to fill the corners and highlight the curtains at night.
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Ruth McGuinness
9 years ago
Looks beautiful, apart from that I have no advice for you
minnie101
9 years ago
Ok! In that case yes a bookcase in the same wood as the table or try a white one with lime green or the turquoise on the backboard to make it stand out against the White wall. Would then add the chaise as per above if you like that idea.
mrsmcee74
9 years ago
The room looks great.

I think I'd put a chair for reading next to the lamp (in place of the black cabinet) so that it still feels part of the room. I think if you put a chair where the shelves are, the sofa will be a bit of a barrier and feel a bit closed off.

Replace the cabinet and black shelves with a wooden or white bookcase where the shelves are.

I love that turquoise, looks so fresh and bright!
Henrik Pedersen
9 years ago
great solution in a difficult room, remove the tv cabinet, book shelf, and the stool to the left of the fire place to get some more space in the room, add a large palm tree in the last 1/3 of the room
celina3
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks everyone for your advice and ideas. Unfortunately we can't put the chair in the corner, where the black cabinet is, as there are double doors there that lead into the playroom and it would stick out too much. Don't mind that the reading chair would feel a bit cut off in the other corner as it's a reading corner and not part of the sociable lounge section. Thinking a chair that doesn't go with the sofas (which are a biscuit colour with cushions that have turquoise & lime in). So either a zebra print or maybe a turquoise/lime colour but don't know if that would be too blocky? X
minnie101
9 years ago
If you think it's too blocky try something with a white background and a blue/green pattern as I think it would help to add colour to that end of the room. I would be a little careful re a corner chair as sometimes they can look a little odd and stranded placed on their own. Do you have a bedroom chair or something where you can try it out to see what it looks like?
celina3
Original Author
9 years ago
Good idea Minnie, I'll pop a chair there to see what it looks like - thinking I would pop a little side table next to it so it doesn't look too lonely.
moorlikeit
9 years ago
Hi Celina, if you want to create a differentiated zone a rug incorporating your accent colours would help enormously to delineate the "new area". I would then create a reading corner focusing towards the garden. Perhaps a low bookshelf in white in an L shape behind the sofa and along the wall with a small wood framed chair in a deeper blue tone, with floor standing lamp for task lighting and a large print on the wall above the shelves. You could then use the top of the bookcase for decorative items or lamps. Alternatively what about a stepped and/or cubby-holed (with differing sized niches) bookshelf on the wall to add interest and as a place for books and decorative items - that would enable you to personlise the space. Or bookshelves with cupboards under to maximise storage. You could place a long bench seat (upholstered or not as you prefer) behind the sofa for your child to use for play etc. I do agree that the dark cabinet looks a bit out-of-place in your scheme - a tall, skinny, sculptural plant might help here but I think it may be too dark for it to thrive (perhaps a daylight lamp would help?). Alternatively just a couple of prints one above the other would take care of an awkward space where you need to retain the flow from room-to-room. A small study area is a good suggestion too.
celina3
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for your suggestions. The black cabinet, shelves, little sofa etc aren't staying there - they are just there from our 'old style' living room. So we're looking at what to replace them with. Our children's playroom is through the white double doors, left of the fireplace, so we won't need any children's furniture in the living room -we are trying to keep it as an adult zone now! We're considering a white or wooden bookcase where the black cabinet is - to display some photos etc. I like the idea of a rug in that section & hadn't thought about putting a chair to face the garden but like it if it's maybe at an angle infront of the radiator otherwise if the back of the chair is facing you as you walk in the room, it may look odd?
moorlikeit
9 years ago
Hi again,

I agree, I was thinking of a chair at an angle in the corner between the sofa and radiator. If you get custom made bookshelves/storage, it is possible to incorporate the rad (possibly with a decor panel?) so that it becomes part of the shelving. But maybe that's a bit complicated...Your idea of a slender bookcase to replace the dark cabinet would work well. You could then place a large dramatic plant (e.g. palm, dracaena) in a great planter/pot on the other side of the window (where the black ottoman/footrest is currently) providing a link to the garden. You could possibly group a few plants of differing heights that could be discreetly lit from below in the evenings to create interesting shadows behind them on the wall. I like the idea of living art!! However, I know that plants are not for everyone. The right lighting could help you to create a different atmosphere in that area? I do believe a rug could be the first step.
Lorraine Collier
9 years ago
I would move the sofas down so that they are more towards the other end of the room,bringing the smaller one forward of the door. Then you have a corner without a door or window to put a small dining table or coffee table with an artistic centre piece to act as a focal point. Don't replace the black cabinet where it is, less is more

Ideas for the 1/3 end of our living room

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