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Home Decorating Design Dilemma Living Rooms

Help me decorate my living room! Feeling overwhelmed...

5 years ago

Hello Houzzers, hope you can help. Lurked on here for ages, but never posted before.

I finished my house renovation earlier in the year, and was really looking forward to decorating, as I normally love it. But I’ve done nothing, and just felt a bit overwhelmed. Can you help me get started on my living room?

The house is a thirties terrace, the renovation has made it quite contemporary. I wanted to live in it before I chose colours, so at the moment it’s very white and clinical. Normally I love colour and texture and vintage stuff. I also love bargains!

Our old place was a small Victorian flat, so some of our furniture is too small or just doesn’t go in the new place.

What would you do with this room?

It’s north facing. I was thinking about decorating in F&B ammonite, or in a muted pale pinky shade - maybe Crown Chateau. The linked room will probably be F&B Stiffkey blue.

The Ercol is mine but will probably get recovered. Both sofas are inherited and need to be replaced. Should I go for a low slung, slouchy contemporary chaise sofa, or something more vintagey? Will add some options in comments...

Thanks in advance,
Alix

Featured Answer

Sonia

5 years ago

Go with your heart. If you love colour and vintage style then do that. I love country style and that’s what I’ve done, even though my house is a 1930’s terrace! I think a boho/vintage vibe would go very nicely. Careful of grey in a north facing room, it can look grim. That soft pink is lovely. Here’s just a few random, but colourful ideas.

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Comments (14)

Alix W
Original Author
5 years ago
Sofa options.
PRO
Hampstead Design Hub
5 years ago

Here's some colour inspiration. I think dusty pink would look lovely, and as you mentioned you love colour I would think about a feature wall or bright furniture pieces. I would definitely add some warm accents as the light in north facing rooms can be quite cool
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The colors you have work together well: white, grey and maroon. They need to be balanced around the room. A patterned rug, white coffee table accent pieces, and shades instead of curtains for a smoother line. I'd place the mirror on the narrow wall with the clock above it (reverse exclamation point) to add quirk and interest. Lighting seems to be an issue: add floor lamp at one end of sofa and an end table at the other end crate, stump, something unique but functional). Add floating shelves to the same beside the TV with light colored objects of art to reflect the light and stand out from the maroon wall: white antlers, candle sticks, linen wrapped books, etc.
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Thank you yes, it is the room! I bought a tester pot of the F&B Strong White, but when tested it looked cream. I also bought the F&B Anthrocite which was a bit darker. Will try the Bone White also. Love the cushions in the pic - navy with the piping. Would also maybe like to go a bit darker on the back wall as in the pic but wondered if this might be too cold in a north facing room. I know that when the colours dry they appear darker and also in a larger space than just a test area, so may well try something along the lines of the Anthrocite.
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Moving is one of the most stressful experiences ever, and combine that with everything else that you’ve been through, and the dreaded Covid pandemic, then I reckon you’re doing brilliantly! Your number one priority is to be kind to yourself. We see houses on websites like this and on Instagram, and there’s so much pressure to have the “perfect” place - but that isn’t real life! I loved my house when I bought it, but the reality was that every room needed work. We took our time, and now 14 years later, we’re pretty much there. When we moved in we started with relatively minor changes - had the bedrooms painted etc. We then moved on to our kitchen extension and then on to smaller projects. I had a long list of things that I wanted doing, but then prioritised. You say that you have a good budget for all your work - it might be worth spending a small amount of that on a concept planner or designer to give you some ideas. (There seem to be a few on here). They can also help you to think about your priority list and help you to put a plan together. Good luck!
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Alix W
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you both. Dusty pink sounds good. And love all those greens!
janegrayshon
5 years ago
I think a green wall and a bright pink velvet sofa with lots of colourful cushions would look fab but I also love the blue velvet one too
Alix W
Original Author
5 years ago
Ooh, thanks. Not sure I’m brave enough for a bright pink wall!
Alix W
Original Author
5 years ago
I mean sofa! (Clearly haven’t had enough tea, yet) .
Which blue one do you prefer? The chaise one or the standard one?
janegrayshon
5 years ago
I like the blue one with the stripey cushions
E D
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Great space!

I really like the look it already has.

I love love the low shelves in your alcoves. Are they concrete?

The walls are perhaps a little on the boring side but work really well with the dark flooring.

I do like the fact they're white and your artwork would benefit from that.

They seem a great backdrop also for the colourful furniture you have.

Looks cool.
E D
5 years ago
Out your two sofa examples, I prefer the top one. Will that (L) shape work in your room though?

The bright blue one looks a little hotel room like, to me. That's good if you're after that look of course. :)
minnie101
5 years ago
It looks a great space. Love the look of the crown paint . I really like the first sofa but agree with ED the chaise will either cut off the bay or the door. The 2nd sofa is quite formal And I don't think sits as well within the space. I know you mentioned stiffkey for the middle room but have you thought about a purple brown instead and use this colour palette instead?
Alix W
Original Author
5 years ago
Ooh, thank you for lots of input!

Agree that the second sofa is a bit hotely - and that’s not what we’re going for.

Yes, the shelf is concrete - it’s pretty cool, but does mean we have to make sure things fit, style wise.

Yep, I wasn’t sure about the chaise. I was thinking it could either go into the bay, and have a console table behind the sofa in the space created, or use the chaise to create some space between the sofa and window for a lamp, plant, and to get curtains in. But not sure it will work! Need to measure up.
Alix W
Original Author
5 years ago
Hmm. Hadn’t thought about purple brown. We used brinjal in our old kitchen and it was amazing. Maybe I’ve been brainwashed by all the Pinterest boards full of dark blue.

Other option is to go very dark green in the middle room.
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
I think the Pinterest Instagram thing is a factor. It's easy to miss other options and there are so many of them, not to mention that in a year the dark blue thing will have passed and have been taken over by something else, possibly green. I think the most important thing is what colour sofas you get as you will probably have them for a long time. I like Minnie's idea of purple browns, and or browny pinks. So versatile and they would go with lots of things. Orange and violet (or burnt orange, cognacs etc and almost browny warm violets) are beautiful together and if they are muted look great with flashes of more saturated smaller items.

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