Sara Morris Details! One of my favorite ways to add color in my house is in throw pillows, throw blankets, knick knacks, etc. The tray on the table could be re-painted or replaced with a colorful one. Flowers, a colorful rug and updating the lampshades with something more bright will help the entire room! Also - the curtains! The're a huge focal point, don't count them out as a way to add a huge pop of color really inexpensively. Shop around, look on people's blogs and websites. Make a vision board of how you want the room to look and go for it! It's a beautiful space already with great potential.
patriciarhall the only pattern showing in the photo is in the rug. Replace the drapery panels with a light colored patterned panel and add some light colored patterned pillows on the sofa, chairs and add a throw. Look at pottery barn crewel pillows. Really, you already have a pretty space, just a little dull. Also recommend yhou discard the table doilies, the medallion over the windows and replace the clock like features with some art that is hung lower.
colleen100 ok thanks so much for all the advise. This room will be redone with new sofa and loveseat I am researching. I am looking at a gold color in both sofa and loveseat. I am willing to remove all the ideas suggested and all and wipe it out completely...It's been so boring all this time and want something with more texture and color :) I will post pics of the new living room set once I get them! Thanks again.
John Cole Nice of you to put yourself in the firing range...pretty brave! Actually the room doesn't look too bad, based on your furniture choices I would say you like traditional style. Its easy to get tons of ideas and inspiration but we don't really know what type of budget you want to play with, which is number one. Unless you are putting down new floors and knocking down walls, furniture will be your biggest expense. So...I have a few recommendations which I believe can assist you. First, I would definately repaint the room in a brighter color. Even with the recessed lights, two lamps, sunlight, and camera flash lol...the yellow is kinda sapping the energy. Maybe a nice light blue. Also big bulky dark furniture absorbs light and makes the room appear smaller so you may want to go lighter in that as well. Your floor looks nice but is hidden by that big rug. Plus the pattern is competing with the two chair patterns and the drapes. Less is more. I would take out the rug and heavy table and place a nice glass, oval shaped table that's easier to move around and you can see the floor and your space will look BIGGER! That little clock should be on a wall in your kitchen. That space needs something vertical like a grandfather clock or bookcase or a tall indoor fern or other plant which will make the room smell fresh. I would recommend solid color furniture because you pay more for that and are long term purchases and just pattern or color on like pillows or drapes, frames...smaller things that you can change out more often and won't break you. Ok, that's enough for me. Thank you and good luck with your project! John
stalo hello i hope you like my point of view. Here it is
First, paint the walls bright white
Get rid of those lampshades and the small clock. Yes that area needs something medium tall and light on the eye, maybe an open shelf bookcase, place a vase wtih tall branches on the top and a big floor lamp to lighten up the corner. Alternatively, you may place a lower table like the one you have the lampshade on, style it with books, a photo frame, and a vase and place a big tall and ornate mirror on the wall.
The floor looks very nice, but the carpet ruins everything so does the coffee table. Replace the carpet with a cowhide , (its irregular shape and multi color will add interest) and also replace the coffee table with a bigger, lighter one. It has to have a light feel to it for example a glass top, metal legs, something to balance the big dark volume of the sofa. if you cant replace the coffee table, just paint it white.
Then you need to place a bench or a console table by the entrance next to the door( where you now have that small half circle table by the wall) it has to be the hight of a table and must have both sides good, so that it creates a visual entryway. You can style it with photos and an interesting tray and vase with flowers and it will be very useful to drop your keys, mail etc. You can also place a low table lamp something like a ball shape, its light will mirror the floor lamp on the oppposite corner.
Ok the curtains. Get something either with pattern (if you choose a big colorful rug) or bold color (to contrast the cowhide).
And of course the chairs! If you love them
colleen100 Oh my ... thank you all so much. I will be changing the furniture for now. Paint will come later. I am going with a goldish color traditional sofa and loveseat. I will replace the coffee table with a glass table and will get rid of the rug for sure. Cowhide is not my style but then again...what is my style. :) I should try what you all suggest and get out of my comfort zone. I have to find a color that I can work with on the walls that will look good with my furniture which will be purchased this weekend. Thank you thank you for such great input. Wish me luck!
colleen100 Also, I have always wanted a bookcase in that corner....I just ask what color would look best? I was thinking white but not sure what style? I am such a beginner.. :( I will take your suggestions. :)
megan arquette c/o beachbungalow8 Swap the upholstered chairs and add something like a pair of spool chairs with a stripe or 'neutral pattern'. Like these:
colleen100 Great advice Megan. I am getting new couches saturday and will start with a fresh new slate. With that said, I would love to replace the blinds to a natural woven shade. That may be an option if not at all too expensive. The banister and railing have been a thought for me as well so you say all white and a dark stain on the bannister? Can that be done on top of the polyurathane? I would LOVE that look as well. Is it ok to have the drapes and sofa in the gold family or do I need to change them out as well. The sofa color is in my pictures. I love your advice btw!!! Thanks so much. I am needing a rug asap as I got rid of the one here. I will need advice when the sofa and loveseat arrive. No high expectations please. It's a jcpenney set :) Thanks.
megan arquette c/o beachbungalow8 Well, I think that going dark with the floor will be THE game changer. Right now, it's all too gold toned, and I think you'll be forever trying to fight with it as it is.
If you were to go with a dark stain (and I mean almost black with a touch of brown) the gold sofa would be complemented. You can also think about adding some blues ( navy blues or dark teals ) with the yellows as a nice contrast while maintaining a neutral feel.
As for the going over the polyeurathane. I had my painter do this for a client, and i don't know how they did it. You might ask someone at Home Depot or one of those places. I believe, that if you sand the poly. you may be able to create a surface that the paint can adhere to. You'd have to prime it with something also.
There are some great rugs out there from big box, catalogs. Definitely check out West Elm, Cost Plus, Pottery Barn, Ikea etc. And you need a larger one that what you have here.
You can totally create a room around JCP furniture. I think for the majority, this is the reality anyway. Paint (and staining the floors!) will be your cheapest fix for the biggest bang. I'd maybe go with a pale gray on the walls and use a patterned fabric in the same color of your sofa, for stationary drapes.
Stationary drapes can be easily made with one width of fabric (super cheap!). Each window will probably need 3 yards. Split the fabric down the middle- length wise and hem on all sides (if you don't sew this can even be done with fuseable tape) I'd also line them in a cheap white fabric ($3/yd) to give them a bit of weight.
Can't wait to see what you do!The hardest jobs are those with the tightest budgets. So be assured, that we all struggle with design when the funds are tight.
colleen100 Your comments were so great to read. I loved the floor idea. We do want to redo them but waiting that out for now. I agree though that there is too much gold tones in the room. That may have been my issues all along. My husband doesn't want to redo them as he wants to rip out and put down new. Unfortunately I don't see that happening for a while. Grey tones with the Gold I'm not sure of...I have to look for some photos to see that color scheme together. I LOVE the blues with the gold. I was actually looking for pics and found that combination also. SO, with what I have right now, leaving the floors this color for the time being...what colors do you suggest I paint the walls and what colors should I look for in a rug to tone down the golds in the room. Could I do the blues and golds in a rug? Thanks so much!!! Your suggestions were head on to what I love. Thank you :)
megan arquette c/o beachbungalow8 I think when I say, 'Grey' I'm being to vague. It would need to be a grey blue. No green or warm tones. The idea is to cut the mustard (so to speak) with a bit of blue.
Also, you know you can paint your wood floors with deck paint. I did that with my own instead of staining. It worked like a charm.
colleen100 Blue grey would look great with the sofa color. I have attached pictures of the new so you can see what colors we are working with. It's very light and not exactly the color it looked like on the swatch but it's still very comfortable and cozy. Do you all still think the blue accent colors will work here? I have have removed that tree in the corner.
I removed the console table. It just wasn't working for me anymore. Now I am missing something so I moved the bench from the kitchen. Does it work here?
megan arquette c/o beachbungalow8 it's hard to tell from the photo, is it more of a neutral? less 'gold'? Also, make sure it doesn't feel like the room is a centrifuge effect. i.e. like the room spun and everything stuck to the walls. ; )
colleen100 Lol Meghan! It does looked like that. Sad that wasn't noticed till u mentioned it:(. I do need help. Ok so that wall is just holding a mirror, I am searching for a rug with golds and blues and possibly new drapes. Should I go with the gold/metal coffee table that I posted? Thanks so much for the great and so needed advice.
megan arquette c/o beachbungalow8 Not seeing the gold metal coffee table that you posted. It would be nice to have something (which I think somebody else mentioned) that had a glass top. When you have a small space, it's nice if you can bring in surfaces that don't 'take up room' visually.
colleen100 Ok great. Do u think that is a good look or should I continue I shop around? The price is great. 249.00 for table and two end tables. Just wasn't sure if it is too much gold in the room. I need so much help.!!!:)
nononanna The room looks nice as it is. It doesn't show in the picture, but maybe the sofa is dirty or old? Otherwise the only reason to change it would be to go with something different, and the gold sofa you show is not very different. It's in the same basic style and color scheme.
Do you want something more contemporary? More color? More chinoiserie? More girly? More dressy?
Martha Allum I want to re do my master bedroom, I use a light brown color on my walls, I have 5 windows and I had full drapery on them, but no blinds or sheers, are honey comb shades still popular?
dooders1981 If you haven't ordered that brown, gold furniture rethink the color choice. How about gray or light tan furniture so you will have many more choices of paint color, pillows, draperies etc.. With grays and taupe you can use orange, blues, greens , golds etc.. Gold/ brown furniture will date your room and limit accessory choices I fear.
First, paint the walls bright white
Get rid of those lampshades and the small clock. Yes that area needs something medium tall and light on the eye, maybe an open shelf bookcase, place a vase wtih tall branches on the top and a big floor lamp to lighten up the corner. Alternatively, you may place a lower table like the one you have the lampshade on, style it with books, a photo frame, and a vase and place a big tall and ornate mirror on the wall.
The floor looks very nice, but the carpet ruins everything so does the coffee table. Replace the carpet with a cowhide , (its irregular shape and multi color will add interest) and also replace the coffee table with a bigger, lighter one. It has to have a light feel to it for example a glass top, metal legs, something to balance the big dark volume of the sofa. if you cant replace the coffee table, just paint it white.
Then you need to place a bench or a console table by the entrance next to the door( where you now have that small half circle table by the wall) it has to be the hight of a table and must have both sides good, so that it creates a visual entryway. You can style it with photos and an interesting tray and vase with flowers and it will be very useful to drop your keys, mail etc. You can also place a low table lamp something like a ball shape, its light will mirror the floor lamp on the oppposite corner.
Ok the curtains. Get something either with pattern (if you choose a big colorful rug) or bold color (to contrast the cowhide).
And of course the chairs! If you love them
http://www.laylagrayce.com/Products/Spool-Chair__CR9125.aspx?SSAID=144212&gclid=CPj335G_hrQCFQuCQgodr3wAQA
exchange the blinds for a natural woven shade and hang it at the same level of the curtain rod.
stain the floors dark.
Paint the balustrades on your bannister white, the bannister stained dark black/brown to match floors
change out front door for dutch door or something that brings more light .
I would remove all of the matching lamps too. Or at least change out the shades.
If you were to go with a dark stain (and I mean almost black with a touch of brown) the gold sofa would be complemented. You can also think about adding some blues ( navy blues or dark teals ) with the yellows as a nice contrast while maintaining a neutral feel.
As for the going over the polyeurathane. I had my painter do this for a client, and i don't know how they did it. You might ask someone at Home Depot or one of those places. I believe, that if you sand the poly. you may be able to create a surface that the paint can adhere to. You'd have to prime it with something also.
There are some great rugs out there from big box, catalogs. Definitely check out West Elm, Cost Plus, Pottery Barn, Ikea etc. And you need a larger one that what you have here.
You can totally create a room around JCP furniture. I think for the majority, this is the reality anyway. Paint (and staining the floors!) will be your cheapest fix for the biggest bang. I'd maybe go with a pale gray on the walls and use a patterned fabric in the same color of your sofa, for stationary drapes.
Stationary drapes can be easily made with one width of fabric (super cheap!). Each window will probably need 3 yards. Split the fabric down the middle- length wise and hem on all sides (if you don't sew this can even be done with fuseable tape) I'd also line them in a cheap white fabric ($3/yd) to give them a bit of weight.
Can't wait to see what you do!The hardest jobs are those with the tightest budgets. So be assured, that we all struggle with design when the funds are tight.
Also, you know you can paint your wood floors with deck paint. I did that with my own instead of staining. It worked like a charm.
I removed the console table. It just wasn't working for me anymore. Now I am missing something so I moved the bench from the kitchen. Does it work here?
Do you want something more contemporary? More color? More chinoiserie? More girly? More dressy?