struggling with my duck egg living room, help!

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

We moved in a few months ago and I am really struggling with the living room its getting me quite down, we have a 6m long living room (rectangle shape) with fireplace in the centre of the long wall, opposite long wall has only 1 doorway from hall, its approx 4.5m wide, large window taking up most of one of these walls and blank wall opposite.

We have brought our dark mango furniture, dark brown sofa from the last house and have inherited a fairly new coffee coloured carpet.

I was looking to keep everything creams and browns but was told I should really go for some kind of colour.

I had opted to go duck egg, I painted the fireplace wall in this (Laura Ashley) with the rest of the walls being vanilla white (quite a dull room, East facing) I had duck/egg and silvery white curtains and pelmet made so I am now kind of stuck with the duck egg. I just feel that the long wall is odd looking and I don't know what to do with it. Its really getting to me as I want to get it just right. All the pics I can see of duck egg l/rooms have light sofas and white furniture.

I am wondering if I have to go all out and change sofa and furniture etc but that's going to be fairly expensive all to go around curtains and paint. We were looking to change the fireplace as its only 46" wide and looks tiny on the wall and its a beigey colour limestone I think. Unsure whether to go dark wood or white.

Sorry for lack of pics but I can't get access to Ipad right now (only thing that lets me put pics on here fore some reason)

Featured Answer

Victoria

5 years ago

I suggest to pull furniture away from the walls, soften the dark sofas with throws and cushions in paler colours. A floor plan of the room would help people to think about suitable furniture placements. There are great things on pin terest to help with furniture layout.

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Comments (16)

Pumpkin
Original Author
5 years ago
Pumpkin
Original Author
5 years ago
Should add I also don't like the pics where they are, they look lost, was going to move them to above the 2 seater, wanted a circular mirror for above the fireplace too, once we decide what colour to change it to of course!
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Hi, I'd suggest keeping the colour scheme to light greys and blues since the room is small. A white wall would over power the room, giving it a cold and un homely feel. I think Cornforth White by Farrow and Ball (Image 1) would be perfect. It's not too harsh and it's not too 'clinical' shall we say, it's a washed out grey. I also think A8630D by Crown Paints Trade would do perfectly (image 2). Note: Both images show the paint colours in natural lighting as appose to fluorescent. I don't know how small the room is but I'd suggest, as so to balance the colour in the room, you place a piece of blue-grey art work on the wall, this will add depth. If you need any further assistance please don't hesitate to get in contact and I will be happy to help. Meredith
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I agree with Red80 re furniture layout. There are lots of good things in this room, I just personally find the cushions and blinds clash with the chandelier and wallpaper. I would swap the 2 geometric cushions for softer patterns in lighter grey/white/duck egg. I'd get something with different textures as the cushions fabrics look the same atm? Add accessories to your coffee table, maybe just a pile of books, a vase of flowers, and an "ornament" in wood/ceramic/pewter etc again for texture. When budget allows swap the blinds for Roman blinds. Try blinds 2 go or Tuiss which is their sister company if you're in the UK. I can't remember the exact price but I got pure silk Roman blinds for 2 really large windows for c£450 which sounds a bargain to me although not yet up:) I agree the mirror is a little high. If you can, without leaving a hole on show in the wallpaper, I'd lower it as long as it doesn't reflect the tv! I'm not sure the pics to the left of the window work as they're obscured by the curtains. Perhaps also a taller vase/pot in the blue for the tv cabinet to detract from the tv a little more? Alternatively you could change the wallpaper and the mirror to give the room a contemporary rather than classical feel
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I'd move the sofas around a little too. So when you have the new one, separate the armchairs and have one either side of the sofa. Move the T.V to the right hand rear corner from under the mirror. All the cushions that you have should work well with your chocolate brown as should the curtains. When you have the sofa you'll be able to judge better what else you might need. For instance changing the T.V unit for a wooden one, changing the mirror and the picture frames for wooden ones. Then you may wish to add in another accent colour for a little more depth. Steer away from the two tone walls, as these are a little dated now. Instead go for one plain colour on three walls and a darker feature wall. Again you could use chocolate to match the sofa and the tops of the curtains. Add in a gold edged mirror to match the light fittings and it gains some depth.
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Thanks so much for your comment. This is my only living space, so looking to have a dining table, sofa, coffee table, chair etc. In the picture where you can see my kitchen - to the right, I have three windows, and behind me is just a bare wall with a radiator. I will send more pictures. Thanks again :)
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Pumpkin
Original Author
5 years ago
Any ideas at all?!
Victoria
5 years ago
I also think you need a coffee table, side tables and a rug, maybe you should consider painting the sideboard.
Pumpkin thanked Victoria
PRO
Jessica Buckley Interiors
5 years ago
I would advise updating the leather furniture - if this is out of budget then adding some cushions to lighten them up would work well. Deep turquoise might work well with the duck egg and stand out against the dark brown leather.

As suggested in a previous comment, pulling the furniture away from the walls will help instantly. At the moment with everything pushed up against the walls you have a large empty space in the centre of the room which is making the room look sparse. Try making a seating arrangement around the fireplace with sofa centred opposite the fireplace with room to walk behind it. Then place the other 2-seat sofa to form an L-shape with the 3-seater sofa. If you have an arm chair or a pair of armchairs (depending on what you have room for), place those opposite the 2-seater. This forms a cosy seating area around the fireplace; a small coffee table in the centre would complete the set up. You can then place other items of furniture (such as a writing desk, sideboard or small dining table) at the other ends of the sitting room to really maximise the use of the room. Have a play around with moving the furniture to suit your lifestyle best.

You could consider mounting the TV onto a wall-bracket placed a little higher up so that it could be viewed from the seating arrangement as described.

The wall colour is great.
Pumpkin thanked Jessica Buckley Interiors
Pumpkin
Original Author
5 years ago
Ok, I think I want to start again with this living room. Other half has said do what I want to get it looking right as its really starting to get me down.

I want to replace the fireplace with a white one and something bigger, as too small for the wall, its only 46" and the room is 20 feet long (6m). I am starting to hate the curtains and the duck egg wall but don't know whether getting a cream carpet and fireplace will help change my mind, also looking to change the furniture to white and replace the sofas for something lighter.

So! should I base things around the duck egg or scrap the duck egg and go for something else ( I love elephants breath shades, truffles, creams etc also greys but this is an east facing room and always feels dark)

The curtains are new and cost £300 for the fabric but I feel they look dated already. All advice appreciated and I will not be offended for honest opinions on the room/curtains.

x
Amy Wheeler
5 years ago
Hi P P could I ask what colour those walls are please? X
Pumpkin
Original Author
5 years ago
Hi Amy, the cream walls are Dulux Vanilla White and the Duck Egg wall is Laura Ashley
PRO
Simply Garden Design
5 years ago
To try & sort things out in your mind re colour schemes, furnishings etc I would create an idea book on Houzz & just browse the living rooms & save all the ones you really like. If you did this for 15 mins you would then get a really good idea of what it is that your heart is telling you that you like. From this I would then start to make some decisions about what the colour palette should be & style of furnishings. As previously commented having the furniture pushed to the edges is not inviting or very cosy & Jessica Buckley's comments are very sound advise & can be done now! Also the fireplace seems small as it is not on a chimney breast, it could be worth creating a mock wall to put it on, that then gives you alcoves. Also you need some artwork on the wall, larger the better to break up the expanse of wall & this could then give you the a splash of colour which can then be picked up in cushions etc. However I'd stick to finding out what you really want first & then allow it to build.
Pumpkin thanked Simply Garden Design
Pumpkin
Original Author
5 years ago
thanks for that, I have started to do just that and am starting to work out that I don't seem to be a fan of colour! Love the below but wondering how they will work in my room with the light that I have etc.
Contemporary in Deephaven · More Info

Hampstead, London - Residential · More Info
PRO
Simply Garden Design
5 years ago
I hate to say this as you have just had curtains & pelmet put up, but if you were starting again I would let the curtains hang on either side of the window so they didn't cover the window at all, just the wall when pulled back, this will increase the amount of natural light you have coming in significantly, it would also mean you can lose the tie backs which can look a bit old fashioned. Also it looks like you have one standard lamp & presumably something in the ceiling, add loads of lamps, either freestanding or on tables, also a large mirror opposite the window will reflect light. Also if you look at the pictures above the rooms are quite busy with shelving, ornaments, side tables etc however as it is all in one colour palette it still looks calming. The style of sofa does make a big impact on making the whole scheme look more modern. Also worth thinking about wall paper which can be in the muted tones but can have a texture or low key pattern to it & if you were only going to do one wall, so only a roll or two, you could get an expensive paper with some wow factor to it.
Pumpkin thanked Simply Garden Design
Pumpkin
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I am quite liking the Ikea Kivik sofa but have yet to look at it in store so may change my mind. I see what you mean about the curtains, wondering if I should try and sell them but unsure if they will fetch much?

I do need to get better lighting but again I wanted to decide what to do with the room first. We had just moved in and I was trying to get a colour that went with the sofas and carpet so went duck egg and wishing I had waited. I should add that my mum made the curtains for me and that makes me feel a bit bad about getting rid but I just hate the room!
PRO
BISSADORA
5 years ago
Hi P P , duck egg color is fantastic and gives and instant lift to your room and the curtains look amazing,. I have some suggestions for you, hopefully they will help. The sofa is a bit darker and if you are willing to change it you should opt for a light brown or beige one( a big corner one as your room is a good size) and a coffee table in brown wood. Here is some idea i got for you

For your current sofa you can add some soft furnishings as cushions and a throw in duck egg, light brown, silver. I have a range of duck egg cushions, but you can choose the high street once

You can change the lamp shade to your existing one, or buy a new tall lamp for the corner

For the fireplace you don`t have to change it , just add some frames and a candle holder, my advise is to add a tall vase next to it, or a few small ones in different length.

The long wall you don`t like, if you are willing to spend a bit more a wallpaper will change the complete look of the room

For the rest of the walls you can paint with the duck egg paint you have been using.

Good luck with the decorating
kazza_hayward
5 years ago
Could you recycle the curtains to another room to avoid upsetting your mum? They are lovely curtains but I think are too pale for the room. A darker blue/turquoise would look nice or you could make some cushions from the curtains to tone with any new ones you buy (if you go for darker blues). I agree about the tiebacks too - just having them hanging straight would look more contemporary.
headers13
5 years ago
I agree & would start again as if you try & make yourself like it - it won't work. It doesn't help that all the furniture is pushed against the walls as somebody above said. If you prefer mocha/truffle colours etc then go or that. I would look up room ideas on here & start your mood/idea boards & you will soon come to the conclusion of what styles/looks you like. The room currently needs throws/cushions, a coffee table just all needs softening up if you keep it.
Pumpkin thanked headers13

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struggling with my duck egg living room, help!

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