I like both rugs but I think the blue rug is too much blue? I would offer to do this myself but after downloading photoshop yesterday didn’t have a very successful first attempt! Anyway I’m just wondering if the geometric pattern fights with the parquet just a little? Having said that the difference in tones in the floor I’ve attached is more marked than yours

In my opinion it depends on budget. The best option is to take off the wood cladding and coving and then get a plasterer in. The budget option is to sugar soap these walls to ensure there is no wallpaper paste residue, then fill and sand any cracks and also use decorators calk to fill cracks in corners and next to woodwork. Then you need to mist coat the walls which is basically a watered down coat of paint. When that is dry it will need two rollered coats of emulsion (3 if it’s a strong colour). A very flat Matt paint shows imperfections least. After the first coat of paint check it for any bits that might need more filling. In conclusion the key to a nice finish on the walls is lots of preparation and then a low/ no sheen paint.

Thanks everyone, this is so helpful!!! Dundrum that made me chuckle. I will stick to my guns but sadly the retailers have an aversion to pistachio. Went round huge Next home store today, tonnes of curtain fabric options in all colours except pistachio!!! Grrrr! Thank you again Man about House, I will persevere and I covet your curtains!!! I think I may well get the original rug you found! Thanks Laura will also look at French Connection, who would have thought! The parquet floors are from 1962 and I am chuffed to bits how they have come up, waited 3.5 years to do them! Angie and celery girl, very good points re rug size, my last Ikea one was definitely in the "not this" category!! Thanks also for the image celerygirl, I like the poufs very much but the trouble is the room is Lshaped and the walkway goes past them Any views on the coffee table dilemma everyone? As for brown sofa wish could replace asap. Would you believe someone gave me a beautiful South African wood sideboard and I kept it for a few years until eBaying it for a pittance! I even tried it in the space, see pic, yikes, I thought it was too dominant but maybe not....!

I also think the second option. Have you considered a round or oval rug instead? A pair of rugs or an asymmetrical one? It's just that it is all sharp corners with the seating arrangement and no softness. I'm not a huge fan of fringing either. What other furniture is there to go with the seating arrangement? The interior design guidelines say the sofas front legs should at least be firmly on the rug but it all depends on a variety of factors. Is the rug planned to be placed upon a fitted carpet or a hard floor? If your sofas faced each other you would have a lot more rug options.