please be aware, we have ordered a corner sofa, to go in the corner were the two sofas currently are. the furniture that is pine, is due to be finished and treated. Will match the dark unit. Thank you

Please note that in the corner where the two sofas are, we have brought a corner suite, awaiting delivery, this is in dark brown. The pine furniture is due to be finished, this will be stained to match the coffee table and dark unit. Thank you x

More pics

With curtains open door leading to garden.

Hiya. Just wondering if there are any suggestions? Really struggling. Live here for over a year, and no inspiration has hit me with this room :-( thank you.

Too bad for ideas? Or is it that I have asked for advice on this before? Just nothing has struck me with this room yet.... Thanks

Is this a rental or do you own? Just trying to determine what you can change. My basic first impressions are that the best way to bring the garden in would be to change the door and small windows to two big French doors. Your pavers look like they need replacing, something darker like brick, bluestone or terracotta would anchor the space., even crushed stone with pavers set in and spaced apart. You could consider painting them. The fence could be white washed to open up the space visually. The furniture is very nice but the space seems unbalanced.

For the living room it is also a problem of balance. Your TV overpowers your fireplace. If you're keeping it there you should build out around the fireplace to create a bigger surround and ideally include shelving on either side as built ins so you can de-clutter the room of all the shelving units. Your drapes are overpowering everything else. The wall covering is the wrong scale for the room, and all of your art is too small and hung too high. It could be rearranged and grouped once everything else is settled. The mirror over the sofa is reflecting nothing and not useful as a mirror at that height so should be moved. There is a lot to be done here but all is fixable...are you in the UK?

Hi Candice,

As far as i can see on your pictures, i won't touch anything (and especially not the fence…) in your patio, which has a great raw kind of industrial look.
So to stick to the patio atmosphere into your living room, i would go for a pale grey kind like the one of your slabs for example, which will make your dark pine furniture a statement by the way. If not sure for the color, just try one wall as you did with the flowered one.
If you want some design or movement on wall, you either can stick to large squares like the slabs or try a concrete look paint (i mean irregular), even though i would go for just plain paint wall.
I would change the curtain for a more fabric like raw cotton or linen in his natural color to add warmth and be the bound in between brown furnitures (sofas,table..etc…) and the grey wall.
If in need of more feminine or colored elements, you can add nude or pale pink tones, (orange terracota, blue from indigo to pale ones also works) for cushion, vases, frames…

I try to find you some picture for colors…

Hope it will help.

Hiya, there is an awful lot. We have literally had to rip the whole house apart, to be honest, i can't stand it! Yes, we own the house. Garden will be done next year, as kitchen is being ripped out, and living room taken apart! However,.painting the fence sounds like a quick, easy fix, we were going to replace the fence, but this suggestion sounds good. We have got a corner sofa being delivered in about 8 weeks, which will help with using the space better. The tv will be staying, but love the idea of building shelves around the mantle. The unit, low level, by tv stores all the satellite equipment and surround sound, so is needed. Yes, we are in the UK. Thank you for any advice.

I like the idea of bringing the patio inside

I would invest in built ins like suggested to frame the fireplace and create shelving on both sides of the fireplace. Possibly the bottom could be a closed unit where you could store the sound system, etc. I would float a chair of some sort on an angle facing the new couch to the left of the tv to soften the wall of built ins. If no room for a chair, possibly a potted plant or small tree. I agree with previous suggestions of painting the walls, a deeper gray or possibly a dark tan would work. I would also get rid of the mirror and have one large piece of art or do a salon style arrangement of at least 5 or more pictures. I would add some lighter or brighter color throw pillows to your couch. I can't really see your table, but I would create a vignette that could include a large candle, possibly a bowl, some coffee table books and some flowers or a small plant. Outside, I would make the living wall out of potted shrubs that will be evergreen year round. That way, looking out the door you would see them. Possibly an outdoor area rug under your table could add some color and enhance the focal point by drawing your eye outside. I like the idea of painting the fence. And I would definitely change the curtains. Something linen that would soften or even a beige velvet would work. Good luck!

Oh and change the overhead light. Something a little rustic perhaps to compliment the garden idea? If you will still have room for a side table next to your couch I would get something with a thicker base, perhaps a gourd style base with an a line or drum shaped shade.

I think the best way to bring the out doors in, is to replace the small door and windows with a sliding patio door with windows on the side or even 2 patio doors. The more glass the better!

I wouldn't be able to remove the units, my husband has made it. So would need to stay. The doors and windows we are stuck with at the doors moment. Kitchen currently being replaced. Then bathroom, as both are horrendous. Rug outside, i love, but live in the UK, so rain constantly!

Then I would see if you could beef up the fireplace surround to balance out the television. The bookshelves look "busy." perhaps you could edit them to have a few books, a box, a vase, and less picture frames. Perhaps some of the pictures could be matted with large frames and added to the salon style art arrangement over the sofa? Here in the US, there are indoor outdoor rugs that can withstand rain. Don't you have them there?

Here is the coffee table. Love this piece of furniture. The bowl on it isn't usually there as normally on kitchen table. But we are doing living room and kitchen at same time. Oh the joys!!!!

Looked at outside rugs, sorry, had never come across them before! Sounds like a really good idea to give some real colour in the middle of the garden :)

Ok, so looking at the comments, build around the fireplace. The only thing is the space, the unit that needs to be treated, would have to be flatter against the wall, would that work? The mirror, again, husband made lol he likes making things! Moving it has made me think, the kitchen is dark at the end, so I could move it in there, then add some art pieces. The corner sofa, the short end goes under the mirror, we have a small space there, and I am thinking of putting a floor lamp in there. The unit with the fishbowl on, I am thinking of putting in the other corner of where the sofa is, moving the Singer sewing machine, which by the way I love, but won't have anywhere for it :( and moving the lamp on the small unit onto that, to bring light into that corner. The small unit, I will be throwing out.

My other thought on furniture placement is, the tall slim unit, moving it to the opposite corner of the room, move the unfinished unit by TV where that unit is, and the unit with the fish bowl on goes there, with floor lamp behind it, and small unit with lamp just by end of sofa with the mirror on it.

Hope placement of furniture makes sense lol I have been told I am dreadful at describing things!

If we build around the fire place, keep that the same colour as the fireplace? I will prob have to spray the entire thing as will be difficult to colour match. Large artwork to the back of the room - opposite the TV and salon style picture frames where the mirror is now? I also feel I need to inject some light into the corner where the slim tall unit is? Linen curtains, cream?

Colour ideas, I have toyed with the idea of grey, but am incredibly scared that it will be too cold. (However the hallway has a grey strip in, so would work well.) Can anyone suggest a warm grey that I can get in the UK? Also, style of wallpaper for where the TV is? That wall has to be wallpapered as wires have been cut into the wall etc....

Thank you so much for the ideas, I am feeling this :) x

I have found this wallpaper that I was thinking of using in the kitchen, but..... http://www.lauraashley.com/ironwork-scroll-dove-grey-wallpaper/invt/3568950

Here are some picture for the palette

…And some others !

The palette in rooms

So, if you ever read my previous post, I toyed with the idea of grey, but couldn't stick with it. But this time, think I may have it -

Elephant breath from Farrow and Ball http://www.farrow-ball.com/elephant's-breath/colours//fcp-product/100229

This wall paper http://www.lauraashley.com/ironwork-scroll-dove-grey-wallpaper/invt/3568950

And then pops of turquoise.

Please let me know thoughts.

Also, any suggestions on change of lamp? Colour curtains? Frame colours for pictures?

Thank you :)

Spoke to hubby, he said, we have a lot of red in the front room already, so suggested that we use red as our pop colour

And also suggestions on light fittings please?

Above, others said put in patio doors. I agree. Here's an article with great pictures https://www.houzz.com/magazine/find-the-right-glass-door-for-your-patio-stsetivw-vs~14981260

Painting the fence is a great idea and a quick win. For year round colour buy a few large pots or planters, you can buy coloured plastic ones fairly cheaply if you can't afford ceramic, or just terracotta planted with things like rosemary and sage which would look good against the fence and are useful too. Alternatively plant up in early summer with bedding plants.

If you could manage it at some time in the future the best way of getting the indoor outdoor feel would be to replace the door and window with French doors, you would instantly feel as if you had doubled the size of the room, even in the everlasting rain if you had nice things to look at out there.

Talking of rain, outdoor rugs are great In theory, but I would be a bit wary given the everlasting damp in the uk. Does your paving need to be jet washed in the spring? If it does you may need to store a rug through the winter.

Good luck.

I am trying very hard to picture what you are saying. First, let me make sure that when I say beef up the fireplace, I mean make the surround a little higher and wider on each side so that the fireplace appears to be the same length or longer as the tv. I don't mean that it has to bump out further into the room. I think the biggest bookcase is still ok in the general areamitmis. Will there be room for a table of some sort in between the window and the couch? Something round would be a nice offset to all of your hard edges and a gourd base lamp would look nice there. If you like red, perhaps the base could be red? Would it be possible to move the tall bookcase to the wall at the other end of the couch which I am guessing is on the wall opposite the window/door? That would give some height on the other end and you could have a floor lamp in front of it. Something along the lines of a pharmacy lamp? If you want to keep the mirror, you could incorporate into the salon style arrangement and either wrap the arrangement along both sides of the couch since it is a sectional anyway or put it on the wall opposite the tv and one larger piece of the couch side that is on the door wall. I still like the plant or tree on the left side of the fireplace if there is no possibility of a chair. I would keep the fireplace surround white so it pops more. Your coffee table looks nice and you could add some red items to it. For curtains I still vote for linen or velvet, something neutral or maybe with a trim.

Re the bookcase, that was general area that it is should be ok. Sorry about my typo

Hiya, there would be no room to put the tall unit next to the couch - the wall by the mirror, I was thinking perhaps putting the tall unit between the couch and where the window is? That would then mean that I have room to the left of the TV to put something there. I guess really the accessorizing and furniture placement can be done at a later date, once I have the correct furniture in, and decorated, will mean I can upload photos and worth starting to move things around :) But has definitely given me some great ideas on where I can place things. Yes, got what you meant about beefing up the fireplace :)

Could do with some views on the paper I have suggested - this one here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laura-Ashley-Ironwork-scroll-Dove-Grey-wallpaper-3568950-/371001480665?_trksid=p2054897.l4276

And the paint farrow and ball elephant breath http://www.farrow-ball.com/elephant's-breath/colours//fcp-product/100229

I am hoping to order wallpaper and paint tonight.

with linen curtains - cream - possibly a turquoise trim?

Could do with some suggestions in regards to the light fitting too.

What colour should the photo frames be that I put on the wall?

Not going to go with the red, going to go with the turquoise pops of colour. Much prefer that.

Thank you again for everyone's help, incredibly appreciated!

Lamp something like this http://www.lampsplus.com/products/teal-and-tan-ceramic-gourd-table-lamp__y5676.html
Floor lamp http://www.lampsplus.com/products/robert-abbey-kinetic-deep-bronze-pharmacy-floor-lamp__76639.html

Chandelier? http://www.potterybarn.com/products/armonk-six-arm-chandelier-bronze/?pkey=cchandeliers&cm_src=chandeliers||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

Curtains something neutral, maybe with a trim, lined or unlined depending on what you want for light

You have a lot of flexibility for the frames. They could be different colors or different tones of wood (perhaps your husband could make them??) or all one stain of wood or white to match the fireplace surround. Here are a bunch of inspirational shots to get a feel of salon style, it is really almost anything goes. Easy to arrange on floor before you hang....but leaves you room to add when you find something. http://www.google.com/search?q=salon+style+art&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=GRT1UtSXHqSuyQH0qoDICg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAA

I like the paint color, not sure about the wallpaper. Why do you need wallpaper? It doesn't look like it goes with the furniture which seems to be more solid, the wallpaper seems kind of dainty?

Poss tall bookcase next to couch on other side could work, can you put a plant on other side of fireplace? I vote for a fiddle leaf fig, here are several pics to get an idea http://smallshopstudio.com/2012/04/23/fiddle-me-this-2/

Loving the chandalier.

The curtains, was thinking something like that, maybe with a trim, just due to the bottom getting dirty, but prob will go for a plain curtain.

Not so sure on that style of lamp.

Fig leaf tree is really nice.

Got lots to think about there.

The wallpaper, this is what I am struggling with most at the moment. My problem is, I really don't like this room, and can't see past my dislike for it at the moment, which is why I am so blocked here. The pattern currently up is too large, which is why I was thinking of going something a bit more understated. Hmmmmm, HELP!!!!!! LOL :)

Ah, question was why wallpaper. the reason for that is the wires for the surround sound, TV etc.. run behind the fireplace and up the wall and are all hidden by the wallpaper. It is a necessity

Ahh, I see. Grass cloth wallpaper! Texture without much real pattern.

Hiya, I am loving that wallpaper, really nice. Can get in the UK, but it is quite expensive, lot cheaper in the US! I have spent most of yesterday looking on the net to try and find a similar version of it. It also hooks directly into tying the living room and garden together. Thank you so much for all your advice. Incredibly useful. I shall continue searching lol but if anyone know where I can get this paper or an imitation of it in the UK at a cheaper price, would be very much appreciated!!! Thank you again.

Do you think a dark grey, medium grey or light grey?

http://www.fashioninteriors.co.uk/harlequin-wallpaper-arkona-oralia-collection-10968-10968/p117757.html

http://www.wallpaper-uk.com/natural-wallpapers.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=wallpaper_flypage.tpl&product_id=945&category_id=9

Both wallpapers are nice, I see one is more expensive so i guess it depends what you feel comfortable with. Here are some pics in rooms....I would call this medium gray I suppose

Dark

what color is the new sofa?

Sofa is brown. Will upload pics. So wondering as opposed to grey, going with the brown paper and tan walls?

This is the sofa http://www.dfs.co.uk/leather-corner-sofas/pillow-back-corner-sofa-mara but in brown. The pillows I am not to keen on, but you can turn them to match the rest of the sofa. We have gone for a 3 + 2. 3 being on the back wall

Ah, here it is in brown http://www.dfs.co.uk/leather-corner-sofas/pillow-back-corner-sofa-mara

Have you bought dfs before? I have. Look good for 2 or 3 years then start to look lumpy and feel saggy, if you are happy to throw out after the four year interest free option, fine, if not you may be better paying a little more for better quality...... Although we did that and have ended up with a £3.5k cat scratching post!

Hmmmmm, hopefully will be ok. It is just the two of us, and my son when he is home, he is away from home most of the time. Was a good price, so I guess you get what you pay for... already locked into the agreement. Hope it will be ok!

Can I please have some advice on the colour of wallpaper. I am thinking of going with the light grey, but unsure. suggestions above were grasscloth. Unfortunately, we don't have the money to pay for original grasscloth, so have been searching the web, and have found a faux grasscloth. Choice of colours are on this link. http://www.fashioninteriors.co.uk/harlequin-wallpaper-arkona-oralia-collection-10977-10977/p117761.html

Sorry for leaning so hard for advice, I just struggle putting things together, and want to get our house looking good.

Thank you again :)

Oh, and the paint I have purchased for this room is farrow and ball elephants breath. http://www.farrow-ball.com/elephant's-breath/colours/farrow-ball/fcp-product/100229

Or these. I am in a conundrum, dark or light! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chandbali-Designer-High-Quality-Textured-3D-Grasscloth-Wallpaper-by-Villa-Nova-/171060611497?pt=UK_Wallpaper&var=&hash=item27d401c9a9

hi, We are having a family reunion this July, and on the first day we've planned a picnic for approximately 200 family members and friends. It will be held on the grounds of my weekend home that was built in 1912. so I decided to create an outside living room and dining room. and I wanted it to blend in with the greenery of the grounds. so what I did, was took old furnishings that I wasn't using or I had stored up and transformed them into outside furniture. for instance, I took an old sofa and had in upholstered in a durable canvass type white fabric that's for outside use. I even skirted the sofa. I then used throw pillows of different patterns but using color schemes of turquoise, apple green and yellow. i covered the chairs in patterns of the same colors. i purchase outside rugs in turquoise and white to set the cocktail table on and the dining table. i covered side chairs in bold coordinating fabrics using the same color scheme.. i painted the side tables and dining table, as well as picnic tables in white....using an oil based paint and sealing it with a clear poly coat. i painted the dining server in turquoise, and the dining chairs in a yellow...it looks amazing, fresh, tropical and timeless. so this is something you can consider for your outside space.

Johnna