Self proclaimed “good” at home design person seeks help!!

28 days ago

I love every room in my house and am very proud of my design aesthetic. However. The room I spend most of the time in is totally lacking!

I call it the Litchen- Lounge Kitchen. I have another lounge for guests, but this is the day to day. It has elements of my style but just falls short.

I’d like to change the curtains and I think it could change the space. Thicker and bolder curtains.

It’s super hard as it can’t clash with the kitchen so I’ve included photos of both.

Please be kind- I love design but feel I just can’t figure this one out! TIA, Fi.

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Comments (7)

katlucy
27 days ago
I think you have a neutral palette so the curtains could be pretty much whatever you want. Are you after a calming or vibrant feel for this room?

You could have one curtain tied to the left, maybe you could make this yourself…search on https://www.fabricsandpapers.com/designer-fabric for something to fall in love with…

I would also have a sideboard/cupboard under your photo wall or even a console, you seem to have lots of small items and i feel one or two items might be better visually, perhaps a side table in a colour picked out of your chosen fabric.

A couple of colour schemes might be aquas and sand or even pink and orange…..have fun
Fiona McLeish
Original Author
27 days ago
Hi! Thanks so much for your thoughts.

I’m looking to sell next year so I don’t want to splash out on new big items but totally agree with your thoughts on sideboard.

The room has pops of colour which are more evident when close up ie gold accents and multicoloured cushions, but it’s so difficult to go wild (like I have in the other rooms) when you have to consider it’s two rooms to take into account.

I think I probably regret the grey sofas as it dominates the tone of the room and it’s hard to make the room fun with them ha!

I might try dark blue textured curtains- the room is light enough and it might bring some drama… maybe!
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Hi Thanks for your ideas and help! Jonathan The hidden pocket doors between kitchen and living are just an idea for Christmas parties etc to open up the space but it's just an idea and if it happened we would definitely put our sofa on that wall anyway. I do think a separate loo is necessary as I wouldn't want guests going into the bathroom. This is why I compromised and had it in the utility as I would rather have one than not. So I just need the best place for it. It I have near the FB, then the family bath (FB), could perhaps not have a loo and this way it would make the FB feel bigger having only a bath and double sink. Then the loo is only across the corridor? We are debating at home whether this would devalue the house or it is just weird. Personally I like my loo to be separate from my toothbrush - lols! But I won't be using this bathroom anyways. Good idea to put the washer/dryer in bathroom, but I need a separate laundry/utility. I live in the countryside with dogs and it all gets too messy to just have washer/dryer in a bathroom or cupboard. Suzanne Your room looks great! I too would like to have reduced shelving for some food storage at around 300mm but predominately I want it for a butlers pantry/scullery. It does seem extravagant however its on my wish list ;-) A cross between these three below are how I plan to use it, with my microwave, 2nd dishwasher, small sink and food storage. I find it interesting, you both think it is odd to jut the pantry out, which I agree in principle. The kitchen itself would be minimum 8.5m long and I wanted to access the pantry in the kitchen not the utility. I can't make my mind up. I have a 3D render of how much it juts out. I'm thinking its ok? I could always move the kitchen entrance forward in line with the kitchen units as you enter?
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Hi Tim & Mark, I feel your pain on this - especially those essential little clues you get from the dimensional survey. I don't think there's an easy answer, other than 'interrogating' the client for more detail! For example, recently I was working remotely on feasibility for a project where 2 walls were to be removed; no dimensional survey at this stage but I had a fair idea of the house type so had sketched it out to get a rough idea in front of me. When talking with the client by video I asked her to get the camera into the roofspace to show the roof structure, spans, purlins etc to confirm my suspicions that both walls were supporting, and just what they were supporting. This alone allowed the feasibility discussion to move in the best direction, given that the construction budget was too tight to allow for the necessary structural work in removing both walls. In broader terms, the simple answer for how to get the survey done is to glean all the information you can to make an 'educated guess' as to the house layout (from external photos, etc), then draw this out for the client to add dimensions to. It's often a very iterative process whereby you might get the external walls, windows, doors, etc but find that something internally isn't quite right - so back to the client by email / video / etc for photos / dimensions of a specific area until it all makes sense. In simpler jobs the detail in a specific area might be sufficient (eg the effected areas for a kitchen extension to bungalow with just a knock-through and roof junctions), while for other jobs we've gotten to an agreed feasibility design using the client's dimensions and then I've gone to site (Majorca, Henley, etc) to conduct the full dimensional survey for detailed design (obviously under different circumstances from today!). I don't think there's any doubt that remote design suits the feasibility stages better than the detailed stages, but if it makes a connection with clients, and is helpful to them, without incurring expensive travel, or breaking lock-down, then it can be quite useful. Although as I said above, for me nothing beats personal face-to-face contact. Hope this helps.
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katlucy
27 days ago
Oh, well if you are moving,….then the curtains are perfect. I would therefore concentrate on giving a wow to the living area to reflect the lovely kitchen. Could you put the two cabinets together, and paint them to match the kitchen cabinets with a wood shelf on top? A few more cushions to tie in with the colourful cushions and maybe a more colourful toning throw? Following the 60/30/10% ’rule’?
Sarah L
26 days ago
Personally I think it needs a dining table and chairs.
Sonia
24 days ago
I think the wall next to the sofa with all the pictures and clutter below needs a complete overhaul. Perhaps just one piece of art and then put the bits and bobs that are on the floor into a storage footstool or coffee table with drawers so everything is out of site but still accessible. The curtains are lovely so keep those. Other than that it’s a lovely room with a bit too much stuff on show.
Sonia
24 days ago
These provide amazing storage
Averrine 67
23 days ago
Hi Fiona,

I noticed you have some lovely pinky tones on your wall decor in the heart and flowers. Consider carrying those colours around the room through cushions on the sofa, possibly a throw, and a touch into your curtains too. This would help liven up the grey sofa a bit which is quite heavy. You could also carry the colour pop into the kitchen (maybe thought the tea towels /oven glove)?

If not then pink, I think the yellow from your plant pot could would nicely too! Each of those colours would work well in your kitchen too.

Also consider adding a rug to the living space, it would definitely 'tie' it together.

Hope that helps! :)

Self proclaimed “good” at home design person seeks help!!

Comments (7)

katlucy

Fiona McLeish
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Self proclaimed “good” at home design person seeks help!!

Comments (7)

katlucy

Fiona McLeishOriginal Author

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Fiona McLeish
Original Author