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Paint Home Decorating Living Rooms

Help needed with living room decoration

last year

Dear Houzz Community,

My husband and I love a well-decorated house but we are both very lousy at it. We would appreciate your suggestions to help us turn our space into a proper living room for our family of 3.

1. The first question is regarding the wall behind the desk. Should we paint it to dark green or dark blue or dark grey? do you think there are any opportunities to put some paintings, decors on this wall? We already purchased 4 connected spot lights here. https://www.wayfair.co.uk/lighting/pdp/corrigan-studio-glenda-4-light-ceiling-spotlight-u001261492.html

2. TV, library and chair do not look pleasing to the eye. should we paint the wall? What else would you recommend? We can remove the existing items if needed. + We already purchased a ceiling light to this area. https://www.wayfair.co.uk/lighting/pdp/brayden-studio-steigerwald-1-light-led-flush-mount-egf6333.html

to behind the coach: https://www.wayfair.co.uk/lighting/pdp/latitude-run-norhad-200cm-tree-floor-lamp-u002294271.html

3. Should we put any curtains to the windows and what type? The blinds on the right made it look like an office.

Even if you could make suggestions to one of the above questions, we would appreciate a lot.

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Featured Answer

meraklinane
Original Author

last year

last modified: last year

Hello again, I wanted to share the progress we had after receiving your comments. The half of the living room definitely looks much warmer and cosy. Here are the additions we have made according to your comments:

- moved the shelves out

- swapped the chair to the other side of the TV

- got rid of the lonely bulb and got some spot lights instead.

- put 2 different lights on both sides of the TV

- got curtains

- put some decorative items

- got plants

We still need some art and colored cushions & throws.

And the other side of the room is now a Dr.Jackle and Hyde situation.

Would you please help us with the other side as well?

Comments (15)

tamp75
last year
I think a dark wall in the office area might help to ‘disguise the area, eg computer equipment would ‘blend’ into the wall but it may be just too dark & dingy there, although I appreciate the blinds are closed in the picture which doesn’t help. Painting the opposite wall dark (with tv) would help to minimise the impact of the tv on the space but I wouldn’t paint both ends dark. I think I’d go for the tv wall. An alternative is wallpaper - the room sees to be lacking in pattern / texture which makes it look a little bland. However you could change that through soft furnishings - a patterned or textured rug, cushions, & yes I think curtains are needed. I’d go for curtains on the main window & a a Roman blind in the small one - fitted on the wall above the little window to give space for it to be pulled right up & not block the light from the window. Some wall art, or a large mirror on the side wall would be good. The wall above the desk does need something but nothing too complicated - I’d probably go for one larger image if space rather than several smaller. The shelving & chair by the tv do look a little out of place. Is the chair used in that position? Is there room to move it elsewhere. A tall lamp (not the office style one) or large plant would be good somewhere.
meraklinane thanked tamp75
tamp75
last year
Just noticed you do have a patterned rug. Maybe take some colours from that for cushions? I’d probably go for more neutral curtains though.
meraklinane thanked tamp75
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Sonia
last year
I think your room just needs some colour on the walls and some cushions and art. Take some colour for the cushions from your lovely rug, something boho. For the walls I think a pale sage green would sit very well with your rug. Or maybe a pale dusky pink? I have Farrow & Ball Cromarty on my walls (north east facing room) with a red Persian rug. For interesting art, try Etsy.
meraklinane thanked Sonia
PRO
Paintforme
last year
Hello,

1. Don't forget you will be steering at the wall during your working hours. Choose wisely.

2. TV wall is part of the same room as the wall at no. 1. What's your style, traditional, modern, funky?

3. If, should fit the big picture.

Good luck!

Paintforme
meraklinane thanked Paintforme
meraklinane
Original Author
last year
Thank you for all your amazing recommendations. They all make perfect sense. Our tasks are clear:

1) shop for neutral curtains,

2) shop for colorful cushions

3) color the TV wall to dark green.

4) take out the chair and the shelves

5) get a tree.

6) put art and mirror on the side walls

Will share photos as we progress :)
kazzh
last year
I'm going against the grain here and would stay with the lighter color, all round. I would suggest taking out the ladder shelf, hopefully you can use this elsewhere, and swap the chair to it's position. How about a floating shelf, or may be 2, above the PC's? For a few books and decorative items. Not all the way across, so some art can go at either end.

The red of the rug is great to connect your areas, especially in the art at the PC end. Go with just a couple of pillows, again a red or ochre from the rug. If you feel more is needed, try a throw otherwise you might go into pillow overload!

I would add looking for a lamp to come from behind the sofa, one would give you soft evening lighting.
kazzh
last year
Ps, get a shade for the lonely light bulb! Am thing something with texture....
meraklinane thanked kazzh
Wendy H
last year
The pale pink on the walks would look great and compliment the rug while adding contrast to the sofa. Replace the ladder shelf with big plant - try ikea. Put some shelving on the office wall to take contents of ladder shelf and add a spider plant that will drape and add interest.

Then think about art/photos/mirrors
kazzh
last year
Have a think about some high mounted roman blinds for the window to soften it's edges. You might to try a low bookcase below the window or a low narrow table against the back of the lounge so can have free standing frames, or decorative items. Fabric lamp shades on some desk lamp if you can find a style which doesn't comprise your workspace.
meraklinane thanked kazzh
T S
last year
The changes are great! You’ve done a brilliant job 😊
meraklinane thanked T S
Sonia
last year
The tv end looks fab. I hope you don’t mind me saying but the spotlights look more like something you’d have in a kitchen rather than a living room. A boho wicker one may look better? I also wonder whether a colour from the rug would look nice on your desk wall, maybe a soft terracotta, not red though! It will help tie in with the other side of the room. Not sure if the Farrow and Ball colour is available in the U.K. but it’s a guide. The second pic is a deeper shade.
meraklinane thanked Sonia
Sonia
last year
Wicker shades
meraklinane thanked Sonia
meraklinane
Original Author
last year
The ceiling is quite low for my husband's height and therefore we had to use a spotlight. I will check rattan models that will not go so low. Hope I can find one.
Office Cat
last year
If you want to make a bold, modern choice in furniture, go for a Bellini Sofa. It's curvy, comfortable shape is a strong trend now.

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