You have used grey as a neutral, and it is a backdrop for your co-ordinating black and white photos. It is perfectly fine to stick to this neutral palette without adding any colour, but if you do want to add colour, then the brighter the better. A mustard yellow, an acid green, a raspberry pink or a plum would look good, as would a strong teal. If you want to use primary colours then use them sparingly to avoid it looking like a child's playroom! Perhaps have the print and then pick up one if the colours in a few accessories, but don't go overboard with it. Primary colours can be very jarring to the eye.

Some kind of terrace roof will allow you to use the space through more of the year. Umbris patio/terrace roofs have automated louvres in the roof so that you can allow sunlight to bath the terrace when nice weather. when it is raining the louvres close flat to create a fully watertight terrace cover (important in UK to use an outdoor space for more than a few months of the year). Integrate lighting, heating and external audio systems into the terrace roof structure for a true 'extra living space' www.umbris.uk | info@umbris.uk | 01494 722 880

Hi Claire, You have a lovely space to work with and it’s great to hear that you’re up for doing a bit of DIY! In regards to the coffee table, go for it! It’s a lovely design and will complement the characteristics of the room perfectly. I’d dress the table with a gorgeous green plant - not only will this add vibrant colour, but also adds life to your space and is guaranteed to make you smile. As suggested by Minnie, a floor standing plant situated underneath your fitted wall shelves will add a feature to this corner of your room. If you fancy doing a little bit of painting, why not head to your nearest charity shop and find a sweet side table to place to the left of your sofa or either side of your armchair? Choose your favourite Dulux paint colour (in a Satinwood finish) and paint your table to add a personalised touch to your space! This will create such a lovely statement as you enter the room, especially if you choose a beautiful blue to create that coastal look. Adding a side lamp to the side table will add height and a lovely ambiance to your room, especially in the evenings when you’re snuggled up watching TV. To give your IKEA unit a fresh look, dress it with these lovely storage boxes which will work so perfectly with the scheme you want to achieve: http://goo.gl/zrKf2u Finally, if your budget stretches, take a look at these lovely cushions from Dunelm. The prices are amazing and I think they will finish the look so well. What do you think? · http://goo.gl/4Y4tim · http://goo.gl/KeBgL3 · http://goo.gl/Nne5dO Good luck giving your living room a homelier feel and please get in touch with us at help@amazingspacedesign.co.uk if you need any further help. And we’d love to see your finished room once it’s complete, so please do share some pics! All the best, Jade Dulux Colour & Design Consultant www.design.duluxamazingspace.co.uk

Looking at the room dimensions and layout, it looks like the dining room is a converted garage and the front part of the living room was probably extended at the same time. Thus your challenge will be removing load bearing walls where feasible. You'll need to get a structural engineer involved but looking at the plans you've provided, I suspect it is as open as it can be without some seriously expensive steelwork and structural pillars. An alternative might be to move your kitchen into the dining room and to knock through into the existing kitchen to give you the space you need.