Need some Inspiration to finish off Sitting room

9 years ago

Hi everyone,

I am suffering (badly) from decision fatigue! This is our sitting room, and I need help finishing off.

Some Background....
Despite its peculiar colour, I was determined to keep the original fireplace; simply for old time’s sake. The logs are also original (from a silver birch tree in the garden!)
The next decision was the curtains – had to be something to tie in with the fireplace.. I’m very pleased with how these turned out. They’re from Laura Ashley (chamomile hydrangea fabric, which includes dove grey, charcoal grey, gold, chamomile). It was a brave choice for me, but I’m really pleased.
The walls are Dulux Timeless with brilliant white above the picture rail.
The sofa and chairs aren’t special, but they do a functional job, and I don’t want to buy lovely new furniture until my children can be trusted! (They’re both under 5).
They use the little tub chairs, which we bought a few years ago from Dunelm Mill.
When I bought the nest of tables (just £11 on ebay), I always intended to paint them (ie Annie Sloan chalk paint). But now I can’t decide what colour.
The light is from Laura Ashley. I like it, and I also like that the mounting is antique brass like the curtain rail and lamp base.

My Dilemma....
So what now? I would like the sitting room to feel friendly and airy, and a relaxing space for parents. Can you help? Here are a few questions:
(1)Do you have suggestions for picture/ wall art? We live in Cambridge, and the house is 1930s with quite a few original features. So I was leaning towards Cambridge vintage rail art. See photos. Should I / could I go for all of them? What sort of frames? Where to place them?
(2)What sort of accessories/decorations for the shelves? I love animals, candles, family photos, vases, Cambridge, Australia etc.
(3)Should I add a colour or some wallpaper to the back of a shelf or two?
(4)Should I stain or paint the fireplace surround? What colour?
(5)What should I do with the Danish next of tables?
(6)Can you suggest an inexpensive coffee table to sit in front of the radiator for drinks. The space is approx. 65(w) x 75 (d). The arms of the furniture are approx. 55 – 60cm (h). I would be happy to pick up something cheap and paint it to tie in with the nest of tables? Or the fireplace surround? Just need a good suggestion as to colour.
(7)Should I add or replace cushions on the sofa?

Really look forward to your ideas!!!!

Featured Answer

minnie101

9 years ago

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aluminium-Metal-Round-Side-Occasional-Table-Wine-Table-ON-SALE-/221233339082 I think you already have some silver bits (difficult to see!) in the room so would go for a table like this. I agree with most of the other comments! I'd paint the fire surround white to match cabinets though. I'd add the bridge art over the fireplace to add some colour (although I do like the mirror with your house!). Alternatively keep the mirror there but paint the chimney breast in the yellow or dove grey and hang the art over the sofa. I'd add the tree art over the armchair. I would probably lose the beige cushions to give it that airy feel and add the yellowy gold and grey with touches of white with a mix of plain, pattern and trims in different textures. A yellow orchid would look great where the table lamp is. I think I would move the table lamp and add a great floor lamp to hang over the armchair when budget allows.

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Comments (28)

kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
PS here is the vintage rail art I am leaning towards....
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
And this is what the room looked like before we bought it and began playing around with it.....
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hortonhearsawho2013
9 years ago
Wow what a lovely room! I'd bring in a little more of the mustard gold colour - try to find some vases that you like for your shelves.
I love the art idea, not keen at all on the horse one tho (just personal opinion). I'd get the bridge one and hang it above the mantelpiece and then buy a mirror for the other wall - IKEA Hemnes in White? - you could always repaint the frame in gold or grey.
For the nest of tables I'd go for a grey to match the curtains. And for the other coffee table try ebay and paint the same colour and the fire surround in the same again.
I like your cushions, just maybe need a few more to get the cosy feel - you can get ones in the same fabric as your curtains off ebay - a great way to tie it all together and also a few more of the gold ones.
Last but not least, I'd get a chamomile or grey rug for the floor to get the luxury feeling into the room.
I'd check out houzz for pics of other peoples shelves to get an idea of how to get them looking good. I like the family photo idea.

Hope this helps and there'll be plenty of other ideas out there as well.
kl55hp thanked hortonhearsawho2013
Juliet Docherty
9 years ago
I love the cambridge poster (top left) with the yellows. I would frame in a white frame and hang above the fireplace. Also a large mirror with a chunky oak frame to tie in with the fire surround would be good, maybe above the sofa. I would pick out the mustard/ yellow in the curtains for a couple of cushions for the sofa, slubby textured ones would be nice. A huge wicker pendant light would give texture and look very trendy. Lovely room, good luck.
kl55hp thanked Juliet Docherty
mrsmcee74
9 years ago
Definitely add more cushions to cosy things up. If you search on eBay for Laura Ashley camomile, there are loads of sellers who have made cushion covers etc in the various fabrics, I'd do a mix of a stripe, floral and plain.

Maybe consider a rug too in the grey or camomile. It just feels a little bare. There's a fab rug here I think would look great: http://www.wayfair.co.uk/Safavieh-Cambridge-Gold-Ivory-Tufted-Rug-CAM352Q-5-SAFA5092.html spookily called Cambridge!

Bring in books, photo frames for the shelves. Any furniture you want to paint I'd go grey. Add a gallery wall of photos behind the sofa and your vintage prints on the wall to the left as you walk in. Maybe paint the chimney breast or wallpaper?
kl55hp thanked mrsmcee74
vicky lee
9 years ago
How about a more vintage style table lamp.

http://www.bhs.co.uk/en/bhuk/product/home-lighting-furniture-2565866/table-lamps-2805472/archie-touch-lamp-1027191?bi=1&ps=40

If you like the nostalgic theme there are copies of the watercolours from the railway carriages with themes of Britain, towns and countryside

More daring are the 1930s and 1950s posters
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
Wow, these are great ideas. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts pippijojo, Mrs Mcee74, colour happy, minnie101 and vicky lee. I had a great time last night following up your ideas. I'll let you know what takes shape.
Mrs Mcee, can you tell me where your second photo is from - I really like the coffee table, and the rug and the geometric grey/white cushion. I also really like the idea for a gallery wall of photos, and/or a series of three frames as shown in the photo, behind the sofa. I'll definitely do that. It's kind of cool that the rug you suggested is called "Cambridge". That was amusing. I don't think I'm brave enough to go for that particular one, but Wayfair had lots of other good ideas. Thanks v much for pointing me in that direction.
Pippijojo, thank you for all your suggestions. They really got me thinking. I had a look at your saved photos. They also gave me lots of other good ideas. Love your taste!
Colour happy, your idea for the white frames, was very helpful. Seems so obvious in hindsight, but I needed the suggestion. Your idea for a chunky oak frame, to see if that ties in the fireplace surround is a good one too. Worth a try before I irreversibly paint it!
Minnie101 - love your idea for bringing in some strong silver tones. Also the yellow orchid. And the possibility of painting the fireplace surround white.
Vicky Lee, that poster is amazing. What do I search to find pictures like that? The lamp was also interesting, I hadn't thought of that shape before.
Thanks again!
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
I'm still not sure whether to paint the chimney breast wall. One obvious colour would be a dove grey colour to tie in with the curtains and furniture, but I think that as a block of colour it would contrast too starkly with the fireplace tiles. Hmmmm, dilemmas, dilemmas.... Any thoughts on this particular issue?
mrsmcee74
9 years ago
Here you go: http://www.housetohome.co.uk/living-room/picture/dove-grey-and-pale-gold-living-room

If you are going to paint the fire surround white, I'd definitely paint the chimney breast grey. The grey will look good with the tan coloured tiles.
kl55hp thanked mrsmcee74
vicky lee
9 years ago
Search 1939s posters, Art Deco, Cities, vintage or other words and search the images, changing the search words as you get closer to your ideal when new descriptive words appear.
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
vicky lee
9 years ago
How about adding a vase from the period.
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
vicky lee
9 years ago
An old radio adds atmosphere
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
vicky lee
9 years ago
Or perhaps a clock
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
vicky lee
9 years ago
Perhaps put yours photos in a period frame
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
Vicky Lee - these are terrific ideas.
Where did you find them - are they for sale? I particularly like the gold vase, the clocks (all of them!), and the third photo frame.
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
And the radio!
vicky lee
9 years ago
How about a retro drinks trolley instead of coffee table for your drinks
vicky lee
9 years ago
These are just for ideas. You will find your hearts desire, Just keep searching, have fun on preowned, jumble sales, car boot sales, they will increase in value too
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
vicky lee
9 years ago
One final idea.
http://www.travelpostersonline.com/sailing-sydney-harbour-australia-vintage-travel-poster-by-james-northfield-846-p.asp
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
Wow - these are awesome. Did you guess I was from Melbourne? I hope I can find the tram and beach scene. Please, please, please Gods of Interiors...
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
Vicky Lee - Inspired by your radio idea, I am also looking into 1930s cameras (as a decoration). Great ideas!
vicky lee
9 years ago
http://www.allposters.co.uk/-st/Melbourne-Posters_c121050_.htm

14.99
kl55hp thanked vicky lee
kl55hp
Original Author
9 years ago
Hey, that's great! You're a whizz with the internet, Vicky Lee. I found a further option for postcard sized versions:

https://www.andersondesigngroupstore.com/merchandise_world-travel-posters_wt-24-piece-postcard-set_anderson-design-group.html

I have a soft spot for quite a few of cities represented (Melbourne, Paris, Sydney, Venice etc). I'm thinking that in this mini-size I might could add them to the 'gallery' behind the sofa that Mrs Mcee suggested. International postage is painfully priced, but I fortunately I know someone in the US who could send on. : )
vicky lee
9 years ago
When it's all done you can post a pic in before and after.
It sounds as if you have got your inspiration back. They will look very lovely all together.
PRO
Ballo Bains Artwork
8 years ago
I think it's nice to go for something slightly more contemporary to mix things up!
PRO
Couture Cases Ltd
8 years ago
HI there - love the discussion - maybe you have thought about covering the really large radiator with contemporary art...just one image to get you thinking?

lots more designs at Modern Radiator Covers
irenecb
8 years ago
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A WINDOW SEAT WITH STORAGE. I WOULD GET CUSHIONS TO MATCH YOUR GORGEOUS CURTAINS. I WOULD NOT PAINT THE FIRE. I WOULD GET THROWS FROM TK MAXX, SO COSY, AND FOLLOW YOUR GUT WITH YOUR ART FOR WALLS. LET YOUR ART SHINE, KEEP THE SHELVES AS THEY ARE. GOOD LOOK. YOU HAVE SUCH GOOD TASTE. JUST PICK OUT THE MUSTARD IN YOUR CURTAINS FOR RUG ETC, IKEA HAVE GOOD STORAGE COFFEE TABLES, COASTAL STYLE.