help me re-decorate and re-organize my living room - with pictures!!!

[dearmama22]

Okay.. here is my living room. Like I mentioned before, the size is fine it's just the layout that I hate!! Mainly that big cement wall with the wood panels on the side of it.

This is also our "dining area".. you can see the table in the coner- I amthinking a squar table that fits in the corner might work better there?

I am open to any and all suggestions. My goal is to make it look better, and use the space better.

( normally the bike and chairs aren't in that corner.. tis a little dirty now )

The only thing I really want to keep is the big tan couch and the TV- everything else I can get something else. Thank you soo much for your suggestions!!! :
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/P1000690.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/P1000595.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/P1000597.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/P1000689.jpg

[sabrinat]

Are you allowed to paint? I also might put the couches facing each other parallel to the fireplace and the tv on the opposite wall.

[ms.shell]

first thing i see is i would keep that rug and lose the red curtains. more neutral beautiful curtains would make an amazing difference imo.

[KyleAnn]

Here is what popped into my head right away, if it were my space...
tan couch where the purple-ish one is, lose the purple-ish one...maybe a nice stuffed chair where the tv is and an ottoman in place of the coffee table, tv set-up where the mirror is.

If you don't need a bigger dining set, I think a small square table set would look nice in place of what ya have.

I'd replace the bright curtains with something more neutral/softer (I'm just all about the earth tones).

Do you own or rent? Is painting an option? I actually think the cement wall is kind of neato-changing the color of those panels might make a world of difference. When we first moved into our home one wall of ds's room was a panel wall and I HATED it. Once we painted it over, it was like a whole new room.

[dearmama22]

I'm totally agreeing with the whole curtain thing.. I was thinking about this earlier. Plus, I am getting sick of bright red. Some new colors would add a nice change I think.

That small couch is a dark brown

The problem with the tan couch is it is so large and wide. I don't want to get rid of it though because it was free and its very comfortable! Really the only option for the couch is either side of the walls.

We rent, therefore we can't paint those wood pannels. We pained the cement al ight green when we moved in two years ago but I don't really want to paint anything else.

[dearmama22]

another thing- would it be best to get two different sets of curtains in the same color/pattern OR should I do one color for the main window wall and then something slightly different but that matches on the other smaller windown where the table is?

thank you sooo much mama's!!!! :

[boheime]

What about having matching floor to ceiling curtains on all of the windows and in front of those wooden panels?

[MaryLang]

Put the TV up next to the fireplace.
Skooch the dark brown couch back where the dining table is.
Set the dining area where the t.v. currently is.
The curtains look fine to me, unless you really want a change.

[dearmama22]

Originally Posted by MaryLang

Put the TV up next to the fireplace.
Skooch the dark brown couch back where the dining table is.
Set the dining area where the t.v. currently is.
The curtains look fine to me, unless you really want a change.

hmmm.. put the tv next to the fireplace??? I don't think that would work- not enough room!

if the table was by that other window it would be too far from the kitchen..

thanks for your thoughts!

[Satori]

If she can't paint she can starch fabric to the walls to create a nice effect on the walls. I'm thinking of doing it here

[Charmie981]

Put the TV in the corner where the tan couch is right now where the plant is (is it artificial or real?). Toss the brown loveseat and find two smaller "side chairs" like this one or this one. Chairs are easy enough to find used and in good condition. Shop thrift stores, yard sales, and so on for older "retro" looking chairs. Put the tan couch where the brown one is (or did you say it won't fit?) with the chairs in front of the window and an accent table in between them. If the couch won't fit, reverse where I said to put the couch and chairs, with the chairs facing the fireplace and the couch in front of the window.

Since you can't paint, get or make a large piece of artwork (family photograph, painting, quilt?) to hang over the fire place (the mirror you have over the couch would work for now, but keep in mind it will reflect any clutter in the room). Consider installing a shelf above the actual fireplace to serve as a mantel, but resist the urge to put a lot of stuff on it if you do that. Work toward making the fireplace wall the focal point of the room. If you are willing to paint a little bit, I'd choose a three or four different shades of one color and paint random squares in the fireplace wall to add interest and depth to it. Use the wood panels to display artwork or family pictures
. Whichever you choose, aim for continuity in color (in the actual picture, the mat and the frame) and size (I'm just guessing on size, but I think 3-4 11X14s hung in a line vertically would be nice).

Get a rectangular table for your dining area and put it into the corner. Then you'll have space for three to eat at the table and when you need more space, you can pull it out from the wall and have more seating space.

You said the fireplace wall is sage green? I can't really tell from the pictures, but I'll take your word for it . I'd go with greens and browns in the space then. That goes with the tan of your sofa as well. Replace the curtains with khaki, off-white, or light sage green. Try to get curtains that are thicker than what you have or are designed to be sheers. Hang them higher so that they totally cover the window molding, and get rod pockets instead of tab-tops because they will make a much cleaner look. The curtain hardware you have looks like it can stay...it's a night light color.

Baby crying, so that's it for now.

[Charmie981]

Originally Posted by dearmama22

another thing- would it be best to get two different sets of curtains in the same color/pattern OR should I do one color for the main window wall and then something slightly different but that matches on the other smaller windown where the table is?

thank you sooo much mama's!!!! :

nak. they should all be the same to unify the space

[dearmama22]

Originally Posted by Charmie981

Put the TV in the corner where the tan couch is right now where the plant is (is it artificial or real?). Toss the brown loveseat and find two smaller "side chairs" like this one or this one. Chairs are easy enough to find used and in good condition. Shop thrift stores, yard sales, and so on for older "retro" looking chairs. Put the tan couch where the brown one is (or did you say it won't fit?) with the chairs in front of the window and an accent table in between them. If the couch won't fit, reverse where I said to put the couch and chairs, with the chairs facing the fireplace and the couch in front of the window.

Since you can't paint, get or make a large piece of artwork (family photograph, painting, quilt?) to hang over the fire place (the mirror you have over the couch would work for now, but keep in mind it will reflect any clutter in the room). Consider installing a shelf above the actual fireplace to serve as a mantel, but resist the urge to put a lot of stuff on it if you do that. Work toward making the fireplace wall the focal point of the room. If you are willing to paint a little bit, I'd choose a three or four different shades of one color and paint random squares in the fireplace wall to add interest and depth to it. Use the wood panels to display artwork or family pictures
. Whichever you choose, aim for continuity in color (in the actual picture, the mat and the frame) and size (I'm just guessing on size, but I think 3-4 11X14s hung in a line vertically would be nice).

Get a rectangular table for your dining area and put it into the corner. Then you'll have space for three to eat at the table and when you need more space, you can pull it out from the wall and have more seating space.

You said the fireplace wall is sage green? I can't really tell from the pictures, but I'll take your word for it . I'd go with greens and browns in the space then. That goes with the tan of your sofa as well. Replace the curtains with khaki, off-white, or light sage green. Try to get curtains that are thicker than what you have or are designed to be sheers. Hang them higher so that they totally cover the window molding, and get rod pockets instead of tab-tops because they will make a much cleaner look. The curtain hardware you have looks like it can stay...it's a night light color.

Baby crying, so that's it for now.

Thank you!! You gave me a lot of great ideas!!

That is a good idea about painting different colors of the " cement wall fireplace." never thought of that! do you have suggestions of what colors would go with the sage green?

Good idea with the curtains too- I'm afraid white would seem to boring or bland to me... Ill try for a light green or khaki I guess.

And I do need to hang some stuff on that wood paneling- its just hard to nail stuff in there and there are already specific spots for nailing.

I want to get rid of that mirror- it's a cool mirror but I'm sick of it. I just dont want a big open white wall, so Im not sure what else I would fit on there.

Thanks so much for your suggestions!!! :

[lilgreen]

Sorry I haven't read the other posts, so all this may have been suggested. I recommend putting the tv in the corner beside the window, move the tan couch over to where the brown/purple one is now (get rid of that one). Get rid of the coffee table (you have all that space to put things on the fireplace). If you need something instead, get an ottoman. Purchase a chair of some kind to go where the tan couch is now. A rectangular drop leaf table would be good instead of the round one. I also would recommend a ceiling hook for your bike. Also, tapestry of some kind is good for filling large blank wall space. You can hang it on a curtain rod.

I'm sure you've gotten some great suggestions already. Have fun!

[slsurface]

First of all, I have to say that you have a really hard room to decorate. It has a lot of doors and windows, which make furniture placement difficult.

I skimmed over the posts and I don't think anyone has given tips for your wall art/decor. The current groupings of art and candles are not symmetrical and make the space feel off-kilter. My biggest suggestion is to hang a single, large picture or piece of art above the fireplace at about eye level. If you move your TV next to the fireplace, then hang another piece of artwork above it and at the same height as the one over the fireplace, but make it smaller that the fireplace piece.

The rest of my suggestions assume that you don't have a lot of money to spend to update your furniture.
-get rid of the fake plant, they have bad feng shui
-pull the long couch forward so that you can "hide" your bike behind it (also consider swapping the locations of the long and short couches)
-I would get rid of the coffee table (unless you use it a lot), because it makes your space feel even smaller
-area rugs can also make a small space smaller too, so try laying out your furniture with and without the rug to see how the space feels...go with what feels the best
-If you can buy any curtains, throw blankets or pillows you should purchase ones that have colors common to both couches to help unify the room
(Going against the tide here...I think some sheer purple/plum colored curtains would look good layered with a taupe/beige curtain.)
-consider buying a different floor lamp (yikes! )

Good luck!

[dearmama22]

the plant is real
but hubby threw it away a couple days ago anyways!

the bike is outside- it was just in the living room for this picture

I know that floor lap is hideous.. I don't ever remember why we even bought it in the first place!

I am definitely looking at new curtains.. with some sort of color most likely. I would find it hard to have just tan curtains, I like color.

and I thought the rug added some color to the room.. that carpet under it is so uglly!!

thanks for your thoughts!

and I'm happy to hear that I'm right in saying this is a difficult room to decorate!!!!

[Charmie981]

For your drapes, what about something like this or this?

I'd take your cue for the green from the fireplace color which I can't really do through pictures. If something like these Behr colors will work, I think it would be really hip and peaceful in your space:
Japenese Fern (400b-6), Oat Straw (740C-3), Chocolate Sprinkle (S-G-750) and Twig Basket (740d-5). Obviously, you won't be painting with these colors, but look for accents to incorporate them into your space (curtains, throws, pillows, art, and the accent blocks in the fireplace wall if you decide to do them).

And yes, it's a very difficult space to decorate...I'd be overwhelmed by it!

[oneKnight]

Do you really need that many seats? Do you actually use both couches?
My mom has a couch and matching chair set, and we always always ALWAYS shared the chair and never sat on the couch. Seriously, I'm talking 4 people piled into and around the oversized chair. We sat on the floor and leaned on the chair, and two kids could sit in the chair at once. Even if people were sititng in the floor, no one ever used the other couch. I would get rid of the maroon couch, it looks uptight while the neutral colored one seems fluffy and comfortable.

I don't like coffee tables. They tend to collect clutter and end up being used for a foot rest. I would ditch that for sure. I like to be able to walk around, and a knee high table just keeps me from moving though the area and makes it feel cramped and stressful to me. You could always set a few items on the hearth area if you needed to. I don't think you need the coffee table.

It seems odd to have the TV against a window, but I can't see anywhere better to put it. That's a bummer.

[SugarAndSun]

I would go with the whole simple and minimal look because of the cement wall. I'd get rid of everything with color, except the green plant. I would probably get a few more of those. I would face the couch to the fireplace too. I would get some wood carvings or something similar to decorate the walls. Again, keeping everything natural and minimal.

[dearmama22]

thanks guys.. okay, here is what I'm thinking right now- let me know how it sounds.

we are getting rid of the huge black tv!! It broke.. so we are getting a smaller flat screen tv.

What about putting it up on the wall, where the mirror is now? Putting the big tan couch under the window with a small table and bookshelf next to it( we have to move the bookshelf somewhere in this room.. to make room in the babys room)

Get rid of the small dark brown couch. Put two small chairs and a table under the tv that's on the wall, ( where the mirror is now, where the tan couch is now)

how do you think that would look with the tv on the wall? Or, I was thinking about putting it in a corner.. but I thought with it o the wall it would take up less space and make moving furniture around a lot easier.

what do u think?