Could you tell us a little bit about what you like or don't like? How do you plan to use the room? Will there be a television in it? How many people do you want to seat at one time?

I got my colors and style from something that I love- an antique rocking horse that belonged to my great-grandmother. I think it was originally red, white, and blue, and it has faded to orange, cream, and light blue.

Just an idea for picking out colors when the time comes- forhgtv's questions are very pertinent

Did that sound like my idea was for you to use my colors? I meant that sometimes people pick out their colors from something they love, like a painting, plate, textiles, etc., as you probably know.

My fave thing/inspiration from my LR is my hand-me-down floral chair and ottoman. You can mix and match anything with it.

forhgtv - I like everything but super contemporary. Right now I'm just trying to figure out a direction. I thought seeing how other people have incorporated things they love into their spaces would be helpful to my process. Like Loribee where she has created a space using her favorite thing as the star of the room, love it.

Nancybee - Thank you, I didn't think you were telling me that. I would love to see a photo of your space though and how you incorporated that color scheme. Your answer is exactly the type of information I was looking for.

Loribee: What a cozy space, your room is picture perfect! I would love hand me downs if they could come looking like that! The color scheme with the creams is so cozy.

I have a good thing on the horizon that would have me squealing with delight. We are thinking of replacing our current 20 yr old leather set. We've been married 37 years and all that time my feet have never touched the ground when I set in the living room, because my husband is 6'3" (I'm 5'2") and we scale the furniture to him. Well at the furniture store, I scoped out some leather so that later I could show it to husband. Expensive? Yes. Beautiful? Yes? What size? For the little bear! A small recliner chair that fit me like a glove had my heart beating so hard!

Told husband on the way home--we had been out of town for his twice a month physical therapy session and he didn't feel like looking yesterday. He promised he would go to the store next time and that, yes, I could have a chair that he can't use! OMG, this is awesome!

Hope you have the same luck I'm having right now! I'll post pictures later in the day, but doubt it will inspire anyone. Basically contemporary with beach colors.

Fickled feather (or luckiirish??), I am techno-challenged and don't know how to post pics yet.

I used those colors in some of my pictures, a tapestry, some pillows. And I tried to get a casual, informal feeling.

You are definitely on the right track in coming here. I so wish I had known about garden web before I started decorating!

Nancy! I'm so sorry, my daughter was over and while using my laptop she must have signed in under her name for another forum. Oh boy and I didn't even realize! No it's me, lukkiirish! lol!!

To post pics is very simple and you don't even have to have an account. Here's the instructions with photos. Good luck and I hope I get to see your pics!

1. Go to tinypic.com and where it says browse, find the photo you want to upload.

2. Adjust the size with the drop down menu to message board.

3. Hit upload and a code box will appear. Type the letters just as you see them. If they are illegible, just click on the circle arrows to the right for a new set of words. Hit upload

4. Copy this code

and paste it into the message box of your post. Hit preview and the photo should be there.

and it will look like this:

Thanks for posting all of that! I still think I might need one of my kids to help me though. Also, I would be kind of embarrassed posting my room right after loribee's beautiful room, which looks like it could be in a magazine! :)

Your welcome and I understand. Once you learn how though you'll laugh cause it is so simple!

Beachlily, I missed your post. As someone who is under 5 foot myself I can so relate to never having touched the ground. I really hope you are able to get that chair, especially after compromising all those years. Wow, surely he'll oblige! Please post pics when you get it!!

My whole design scheme started with a particular oriental rug. While I've upgraded my furnishings over time and as funds have become available, the overall scheme still revolves around that original rug.

I have two really busy/loud young boys and I have really gotten into the whole "less is more" concept - I got rid of A LOT of stuff and am now going with just a brown, white, and cream palette. I really like the limited color scheme - it is calming to me (although prob boring for many) and it keeps me from buying things. :-)

Forhgtv, I would really love to see your rug. We will eventually be buying a rug to put on our wood flooring, it gets too cold in our neck of the woods not to. It won't happen anytime in the near future because we have an elderly cat (19 yrs old) and he's not to be trusted but I still want to plan for it as we build up this room.
Larain, your rooms are beautiful and very similar to the style I'm leaning towards. Simple and understated, comfortable. I like the idea of using natural elements like wood and cottons. Lovely, thanks for sharing your thought process too. Sometimes less is really is more. :c)

Laura, I love that kitchen!!!

Lucky, I'm sure you've seen this pic a million times, but my decorating was inspired by the first bowl I received when I was 18, which belonged to my grandmother who got it during the depression. She passed away before I was born.

That is lovely Oak! Where have I been! I haven't seen that picture. I love the bowls and your story. I have my grandmothers china packed in a box in the basement. I should bring it up and display it; your story has reminded me of that. The scalloped fabric is very clever. The whole display is precious. You did good!

Laura-your space is gorgeous!

This is pretty much all I like about my living room the fireplace, rug, mirror and orchid:

Everything else in the room needs to be replaced: sofa, loveseat, chair, art, coffee table, sidetable. But I'm going to take the very good advice given in "the minimalist" thread and hunt for some architectural salvage to start. Hopefully in the next year or 2 I can slowly replace the other pieces.

LaurainLincoln, I love your space. You've created an interesting room with all of the different textures and shapes. That rug really elevates the whole design!

Lukkiirish, I don't think my specific rug would have any relevance to your design decisions since you like stark modernism, but the concept of falling in love with an item and making it the cornerstone of your design is applicable to any style as evidenced by the posts by Nancybee, Loribee and me.

forghtv, if you don't want to post a photo I understand and appreciate the input you've offered. There are very view styles I don't care for, I don't have a preference for stark modernism, there are just aspects of it that I like; Laurain's space is beautifully done as is Loribee's and Oakleys. I hope when our living room is finally finished I'll be as pleased with the results and I'll have been able to incorporate a few treasures I have and love.

Lukkiirish, It's not that I don't want to post a photo of my rug; I just don't see how such a photo would give you any inspiration for your design. Since you say you have treasures that you love, I'd say that you have a great start for your room. Once you get started, I hope you will post pictures when you have questions because the other posters here are incredibly talented and helpful.

I'm amazed you don't find inspiration at Houzz.com as there is so much variety there.

Since I love (almost) everything I have in my house it's difficult to choose a fav. My fav feature of my LR is that it has windows on 3 sides so there is lots of light and great views. It's a mixed blessing when it's time to replace WT's. However, I have many decorative things I love and I'll post a few pics. My color scheme is fairly neutral so can go in different directions and I change things all the time so these are old pics. My style is not at all 'understated' so not sure how inspirational it will be to you but here goes anyhow.

This vignette is on a round antique DR table I sometimes use as a side table. The table belonged to my parents, the Beswick jug and sterling candlesticks are family heirlooms, the lamp is a *very* inexpensive YS find, the glass bowl and books also, and the glass balls in the bowl are part of my art glass collection. All keepers except the lamp.

{{!gwi}}

I've posted this pic before but it's one of my fav things. It's a wall cabinet my DH made using an old picture frame. Here I have china teacups in it but sometimes I use it for part of my handmade pottery collection.

{{!gwi}}

This is a vignette using a Russian plate, a Russian fairy tale book, and a handbuilt pottery Pere Noel who kinda looks like a wizard from one of the stories.

{{!gwi}}

This is a carved mirror and cast iron candlesticks that I painted. Mirror was a $5 YS find, candlesticks purchased new but I didn't like the finish. Now they are some of my fav things.

{{!gwi}}

If you start with a few items you have and build from there I'm sure you can develop a style and color scheme that will make your room an expression of your personality. If you post pics of your starting point I'm sure you will get more helpful ideas.

Such pretty inspiration pix!

Do you have anything that we could work with Luk?? I bet you do.
Thanks for the kind words~~~

Luckygal, those are fantastic and I really appreciate your photos and the stories behind them. That white shelf is amazing and it looks like you've been able to incorporate a lot of different things into your home.

I will eventually be posting pictures and begging for help especially with accessorizing and pictures. I've been struggling to figure that part out for years especially on a limited budget. Our living room has no focal point like a fireplace. Every wall in the room but 1 is riddled with entry ways or a window and it's awkwardly long and narrow. This is a whole other topic though, and I will start a new thread for it with pictures when our sofa is finally delivered and the new curtains are hung.

In the meantime, my father who passed away when I was very young, was a lover of wood working. He was a Navy man and loved everything nautical. Using items from the ship yard like pulleys, rope spools and huge brass shell casings he would make lamps, display boxes, tables and accessories for our home. I have a couple of items he built and want to display them but they were made with an early 70's vibe and my house is definitely not nautical. I thought if I could see how other people have creatively incorporated the unique things they cherish or just love it would help me to figure out how to work with mine and it has. ALOT. That's why Houzz.com isn't an inspiration to me, the rooms though beautiful aren't personalized in a way I'm looking to personalize our room. I hope that makes sense and I really appreciate the visuals as well as the stories and thoughts behind them.

PPS7, I apologize, I missed your post. I can see why you like that mirror, it's very different looking and looks great over your mantel. That fireplace is lovely as well, I love the stone. With those two windows flanking it, I see potential written all over your space! LOL I wish I had that kind of focal point for our living room.

Lukki, I know exactly what you mean. I love looking at pics of other people's homes here, and I really love looking at other people's homes in person. But I never look at decorating mags, etc. I think someone suggested doing searches?

Thanks Nancy, I also love knowing the stories and history behind the pieces. A search is a good idea. I do like looking at the magazines too. You can see some pretty creative things in there...just not personal stuff if that makes sense. LOL

Loribee, love your calm serene living room. Could you share the color?

Thanks, Fripper...it's BM Standish white.

Lukki...what about finding a lovely round tea table or an usual coffee table or trunk, to display your dad's things?

Loribee, Thanks so much, that's is an idea I'm going to consider. One item is a handmade wooden display box with miniature nautical pieces in it. He made it for the wall but I can see it sitting on a table top as well. Thanks for the suggestion! To bad I don't have a fireplace, it would be perfect on the corner of a mantel. We're planning on installing one eventually but this idea may work for now.

I have a lot of things in my LR that I love. But I haven't quite mastered pulling them all together to make it flow.

I've got an early 1900's Hooiser Cabinet that came from my great-grandmother's farm.

I've got an old paint/wallpaper sign that my parents had at their flower shop and interior decorating store.

My RED chaise chair.

My native stone fireplace.

Like I said, I've not perfected the "look" in my space yet. Hopefully one of these days.

Ooops. Forgot the pictures.

My inspiration:

My room:

oops forgot the fireplace:

itltrot: That is some collection, thank you so much for the photos. I would love to have a cabinet like that. It reminds me of an older dresser we have in our master bedroom. I love the sign and the candlesticks you have in the corner of the photo. You are well on your way to having a great room, accessorizing is so hard! LOL

Thanks. It's a hodge podge for sure. But they are all things that make me happy when I walk into the room.

Meghane! I see those geckos all the time at Home Goods! I love that trunk and how you painted the niche. I swear at first I thought your pictures were of Aunt Jane's house. You two could be color sisters! See...!

Here is a link that might be useful: Aunt Jane's house

Luk...thought of you yesterday, the new Pottery Barn catalog arrived in the mail and it's perfect for you! Tons of ideas of displaying nautical items in non-beachy homes. I hope you can find one soon. :)

Loribee, Thanks for thinking of me, I got one and will take a look through it this weekend. The front of their catalog was so different this time I almost didn't recognize it!