I agree that having the dining area overlapping the entry looks awkward. I would move the dining table to the area between the fireplace and the kitchen. I would put at least one leaf in the table even if there are not other chairs to bulk up the scale a bit. If you move the table, the two pendants that were hanging over the dining table need to be removed. Perhaps they could be replaced with simple can lights or one-head directional spots. I would leave the entry empty unless the owner has a pretty bookcase, armoire or china cabinet that would fit on that wall. Even a long console table topped by a large piece of art or large mirror would work.

She has those light fixtures hanging in the entry area. There needs to be something underneath them, or it would look awkward. How about a skirted round table with a floral arrangement? Alternatively, replace the two fixtures with a fixture closer to the ceiling.

The dining room is IN the foyer. I would definitely move. The two light fixtures over the table are way too simple (if the DR were to stay there). I'd replace with one closer to ceiling.

I like the idea of a round table in the foyer area.

Looking at the seating areas, I'd condense them to one, moving the DR to the FP space. Pull the seating closer so it looks more inviting for visiting. Seems spread out (or is it just the photos?).

Hey Amy, i'm in Austin(outskirts)in an development called Shadowglen~~I built a Highland home and love it. The most expensive areas i've heard of are Westlake, Steiner Ranch, and Circle C~~is she in any of those?

The DR almost seems to be a part of the foyer~~looks awkward to me and would be a big turnoff~is that the realtor's issue also? IMO, putting the LR furniture in the front would make more sense, and the DR closer to the kitchen~is there an entrance from the kitchen into the DR?
Having the sofa face the window(current DR window)and separating the space, might be a solution. My DR is in the front also, but there's a butler's pantry to access the kitchen, so it makes sense to have it in the front, and doesn't seem awkward. My foyer is also much larger, and doesn't look as though the DR furniture is protruding into it.

It's obvious your friend likes very little color, but just while the house is on the marker, maybe she could buy a few colorful pillows/lampshade, and maybe two matching vases in a color for the mantle. Prospective buyers may not be able to visualize themselves living in the home for fear of it getting dirty with all the ivory furnishings, even though things aren't theirs~it's a matter of emotions with the buyer, and you have to 'feed' into that, not make them think negatively. I sold in a horrible market in CA(2 years ago)within 3 months, and it was also a month before Christmas. I had 5 offers within that time frame, and it was the staging I did that sold the place, and getting the price I wanted.

I've helped several friends 'rearrange' rooms(not selling their home), so if you need another pair of eyes, I would be more than happy to help. It's easier to see/do things when you're in the space. ;o)

Steiner Ranch and Circle C are not two of the most expensive areas in Austin. The most expensive areas are Old Enfield, Pemberton, Tarrytown and Westlake Hills.

No brainer, no one would want the dining room table just inside the front door. No one wants any living space just inside the front door. Make a foyer. Lose the pendant lights. The furnishings do not match the price tag. People will wonder why? The lay out us just BAD. Long hallway someone is trying to make into rooms. Lose the couch in front of the bar. Go with one living room/family room. It is unfortunate your friend spent a million on it,I am not seeing it. It is a very unfortunate lay out.

Love the wall color in your friends home, do you know what the paint colors are??

Definitely relocate the dining area. Perhaps to in front of the fireplace, and make a small sitting area just inside the entry... can you post a floor plan so we can see what's going on here and how big the spaces are and in what relation to other rooms?

PLEASE pull the area rug in the tv-watching area out into the "room" so that the end table can fully sit on it! It's driving me crazy. Yes, you put the front legs of a chair on a rug, but not one leg of a table. Looks like the table is tilting so if you put a drink down on it the glass would fall off.

Thanks everyone! I told her we are moving the table and creating a new area in the front of the house. She will remove the pendants.

As for the pics and the furniture.... she was trying to stage the house for renting as she rented it for a long while at 5,000 a month. Pretty steep! However, people paid it. Her husband is a builder and had the space and land already and tore down the house and rebuilt it much larger. It is 4,000 sq feet and in Tarrytown (for thos of you who know Austin). People do pay a lot of money to live in this area.

So... I am going to get the floorplan and post it tonight. I will also help her stage things much better. they are moving back into the house and she has some great items from which to choose.

I am thinking she can take down the fan and put a nice large chandelier over where we will move the table.... in front of the fireplace.

Any and ALL ideas are welcome!!!!

Thanks so so much everyone!!!

Amy

Love the neutral wall color! Do you know what it is?

I agree with patty, the rug needs moved so the end table can sit on it. I also think the rug in the dining room is too big and could be re-purposed. The kitchen needs a rug also.

The living room layout seems awkward -- I think it might be missing some chairs. There is too much open space b/t the couch and the armoire and it feels unfinished. Also, the lamp on the side table looks too large for the table. I'd get a smaller lamp and put some colorful books or a small plant/vase on the table.

I think pops of color (throw pillows, flowers, colorful vases on the mantle) would really help jazz up the space. IMO, it's too monochromatic.

The dining room right in the foyer would be a turnoff for me if I was a potential buyer. I agree with others who recommended removing the pendants and putting a smaller round table with 4 chairs in between the current dining and living room.

I also noticed the black tile around the fireplace - it's not really working for me. There's nothing else black in that space. Any chance you could paint/replace the tile?

I think her wall color was a custom one... but I will check.

Might I ask why round for the table instead of longer and thin as suggested by Allison?

What all would you guys do wit the front area space? That will be the hardest part.

Thanks!
Amy

What if you made this area in the foyer a small reading nook/library? You have a great window for light. I can see an overstuffed chair with an ottoman placed in the corner, with a small side table, or a good-looking floor lamp with the table built in (for cramped spaces,) and perhaps a handsome bookcase filled with books and accessories?

Yes -- another vote for switching the dining area to the space in front of the fireplace. Add a chandelier over the table.

Yes -- in the foyer area -- add a glass or white-and-burlap skirted round table to the area under the chandeliers. Move the large artwork to the center of the wall. IF possible -- add a silver-and-glass thin console table under the artwork. Add the two silver slipper chairs to each side of the console table. OR a thin white-painted elegant bookcase (with slipper chairs on each side) would work there too.

Yes -- rework the current TV/sitting room. Stash the piano and the darker sofa -- and use the lighter-colored sofa in that room. Try the new seating arrangement without an area rug. Pull back and arrange/fluff the curtains on each side of the window.

Regarding the foyer ,,, what is going on at the base of the staircase (by the pony wall)? It almost looks like a bar/sink or counter? I'm also assuming that's a coat closet under the stairs? My first thought was a round entry table with flowers (I love that look), then entering the house you go right of the table to go up the steps or to an "entry area" at the base of the steps with a bench. And I also see a reading nook on the other side of the foyer. If a round table doesn't work ,,, another option might be a long console table on the backside of the reading nook to help lead people into the house. A few more photos of that area would be helpful (including a shot or two taken coming down the steps). I would also treat the window in the stairwell, so the windows on each side of the front door are "in balance".

I feel like the house is suffering from identity crisis. The "arts and crafts" style cabinets in the kitchen, the "tropical" ceiling fans, the "contemporary" arch/pendants over the bar, the "shabby chic" drapes and "hollywood glam" cocktail table in the tv area, etc, etc, etc and then there's that fireplace mantel. For staging purposes, I would try to clean that up.

Some stuff you are stuck with ,,, for example, the curved arch over the bar with that funky archway to the right of the fireplace (created by the stairwell) and then the square archway to the left of the fireplace. Maybe it doesn't look that bad in person, but to me those lines look "off", so I would try to minimize them. This is where I think the paint color and the monochromatic color scheme actually help out.

How nice of you to help out your friend ,,, looks like a fun challenge!!

Ouch~~guess I don't know Austin at all. Almost sounds like a reprimand, Amy. Yes, I remember Tarrytown, it's an older area if memory serves me right, and considered a neighborhood, not a development. Westlake Hills is still building new construction, so it's a development. I'm sure I don't know Austin as well as you, since i've only been here a little over 2 years.

You've been given some great ideas, especially by wodka, teacats, and jlt37869. Can't wait to see what the decision will be re:moving things around, which will make it more inviting.

As for renting the house at $5K per month, my thinking is because it's the area, not necessarily the house itself~~location, location, location. ;o)

The BIG decorative fireplace needs 2 little benches in front of it. Like this....the kitchen counters need a little "junk" sitting on the counters....

Oh Patty.. I did not mean to say anything to make you feel reprimanded! I am sorry. I just was writing down the neighborhood for anyone that knew Austin. There are tons of great places to live here. Guess its all in what you want. :)

As for the bar... its been ripped out.

The kitchen has been totally rennovated as well. No more arch or thos fixtures. She is streamlining her fixtures.

JLT... I one hundred percent agree with you! Her house does have such an identity crisis. I will help her through that! She needs color and needs to stick with one or two vibes. Eclectic but not schizophrenic! haha

Thanks for the ideas! I am loving them! I will try to get some better shots for you guys.

Ok... I have some more photos and ideas I wanted to share.

For the entry where the dining is located how would this chair and couch and ottoman combo look? How might we place them? I am wondering if the couch should be facing the door or on an angle? Maybe its too much. She also has this cream chair in her current home. She moves back into her house that is for sale this week.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Here is another view of where the couch and chair etc would go.

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Here is another view of the open downstairs.

{{!gwi}}

I talked her into getting rid of the fans and streamlining her style in the open space.

Nicole-
Love the idea of the ottomans in front of the fireplace where the table would go!

Again, everything is these photos were her quick attempt to stage to take photos to rent. We are going to reconfigure everything.

The front is just such a challenge!

Oh and the bar area is gone and its just a wall now. She also redid the kitchen and there is no arch there.

Thanks so much again you guys!!!

Amy

I've been to a LOT of parade homes and they often have the dinningroom right there when you first walk in....but the difference is they have it partitioned off...with a half wall or columns. Since the kitchen is across from the dinningroom...that makes sense to me...to leave it...just give it delination from the front door to create a more formal entryway. Just a thought....

If you are trying to reuse what your friend has, I think the couch and chair could work. But, now that I see that the TV area is right next to the existing seating area (where you are moving the dining room to), I would make the front area more of a foyer and less of a seating area. A large, pretty console with a mirror above, and the cream chair would look nice. I also see a round table behind the cream chair in your picture. Perhaps also put that in the middle of the space. Cover with a simple cream (burlap with fringe maybe?) table cloth and a vase of tall flowers when showing house.

Thanks guys!

Nicole... I guess it is hard to tell but the kitchen is right in front of the fireplace which might be the dining area.

That sounds like a lovely idea Jill!

Amy