We are building a lake house and am using the below as my inspiration. It might help you, as well.

My sofa will be also be navy leather. I've sourced the exact pillow trim (these are $180 each!) and have it and the kelly green fabric, along with the navy ticking fabric. I haven't decided to do any type of curtain panels, because of the view, but if I do, will do a similar treatments as this: neutral fabric with a wide Greek key trim. I think that would also look great in your room.

Your chair picture looks taupe, but your sample looks blue. I thinks if the chair fabric is blue or gray, you risk blue overload.

The picture is from the blog Lucy and Company, whose taste I love.

Thanks for the inspiration picture and ideas, deeinohio. Great thought on the curtains too. The chair fabric reads more silvery grey but it does have beige undertone to it. I think the actual photo of the chair is closest to it's real colour vs the photos I took. I think the photos I took late in the day need to be re-done to get a truer representation of the colours. I am getting leather seats for another room, so want to go with fabric furniture for the great room.

Carol

I love all your choices but the light blue on the right of the screen, it feels to me like a nursery fabric that wandered off into the parents room. Perhaps a stronger soft blue.

Hi yayagal,

Thank you very much for your thoughts. The light blue on the right of the picture is actually a grey-blue. It is storm cloud SW. I really think my photos are off due to the time of day the photos were taken. Here is a link to storm cloud blue from the SW site. Do you still think it is nursery like? I plan to retake my photo tomorrow.

I hope you and others will return tomorrow once I been able to upload colours that are more true.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: SW storm cloud

I prefer option B because there is more contrast in the textures.

I would not use that blue for an ottoman. You need some relief from the blue, IMO, in both schemes. I would find a different fabric for the ottoman, perhaps a pattern or use a wood or chrome and glass coffee table. It's just too much blue without being a soothing combination. II like sofa fabric A better than B; the latter looks a bit like a commercial carpet fabric. PLEASE keep in mind that everybody's monitors are different and what I see may be completely different from what it looks like in real life!

Not sure I would proceed without having the patterned fabrics for pillows and curtains in hand. What if your choices for furniture are too restrictive?

Thanks for your help. I will respond to your ideas later today as I am off to work.

Below are some redone photos. I think they are a little closer to the real colours. However, I still find the blue paper that represents storm cloud SW is off as it is grey blue in real life.

Option A next 2 photos

Option B next 2 photos

My suggestion would be to add some pattern to the room. The ottoman and throw pillows would be an excellent place to do this. If you have an accent color or two that you like with the blues, you could use them. If you don't break up the solid blues I feel that your room is going to look too smurfy or baby boy. Perhaps you could paint the walls a more greyed blue, meaning a grey with blue undertones instead of a blue with grey undertones. On my monitor the chair fabric looks grey on the chair but light blue on your swatches. Did you photograph the swatches in the great room?

I love both fabrics you've chosen for the sofa. At the risk of sounding like a pill, I have to say that I think you're od'ing on blue. But, maybe that is really what you want to do! there's a fine line between making a room "blue" for the feel and love of the color, and saturation, which can be overbearing.

I'd also opt for more patterns in places, maybe the chair and the rug. The fabrics are all rather flat ,no punch, so may look like a waiting room in a doctor's office or office building.

What color are you thinking for the walls in this room? I think this could be the important answer.

I don't get the blue overload comments. You will have 2 pieces of furniture that will be blue in this room. I guess my matching chair and ottoman are too much then? The chair in the picture appears more tan than grey, breaking up the cooler tones.

I like the texture and pattern of the first navy fabric. The second looks like very expected, traditional fabric.

Like others have said, use pillows, drapes, etc to pull in pattern and other colors. The navy ottoman could be a versatile piece for future use as well.

It's kind of hard to evaluate a palette or scheme without the patterns. I think you need some pattern, and I think you should try to find patterns you really like first, as it will be far easier to find a solid to work then the other way around.

Thank you all who have responded. I appreciate you all. I am hearing you on too much blue. Here is what I am thinking after digesting some of your comments:

1)I will not get the ottoman in blue too. I was thinking a nice dark chocolate brown. I want to cover the ottoman in leather so it can serve as both a coffee table and ottoman (we can put a tray on it for drinks).

2)The paper on the right of the screen is not showing the true colour as it is reading more blue and less grey than in real life. However, it is not the colour in the room. It is just the colour of the kitchen walls that are diagonally away from this great room in the open concept house. If you want to see a more accurate representation of the kitchen colour you will need to look at the link I posted yesterday. I am most happy to paint the walls of the dining room and great room a different, non blue colour.

3)I am unsure what to do about the fireplace. I was reading on the Maria Killams colour blog site the importance of avoiding bossy features in permanent finishes (i.e. fireplace surrounds, flooring, counters, etc). I need to find a not too busy fireplace surround that is classic. Any ideas here?

4)As per your good advice, I will go looking for pattern by searching for fabric for the curtains and pillows. I will also look for non blue in the area rug. Any thoughts on colours that would look good with the couches and chair would be helpful.

5)Both DH and I like option B best due to softness and more contrast between chairs and couches (there will be two couches and two chairs). However, we are still collecting votes and can be swayed. For what it is worth the decorator at the store liked option A more as she felt it was more dressy. My colleague at work who is good with colour liked option B.

Any more thoughts on wall colours, colours for area rugs or colours to look for in the cushions or curtains would be amazing. What do you think about the idea of a dark brown leather ottoman instead of the blue? I can't do pattern in the ottoman as it will be used as a coffee table too so need to be able to wipe clean. Also, a wood or glass coffee table scares me as my oldest still has a scar on his eyebrow from cutting himself on a wood coffee table.

Thanks for all your help so far.

Carol

BTW: The photos I posted Monday morning were taken at around 7:30 from a north window as I thought northern light was more accurate. The great room is south facing though. It is very hard to photograph colours accurately. Maybe if I had been able to photograph at 10:00 a.m. it would have been better still.

Here is a floor plan of the space to help you better visualize what is going in the room.

Another possible layout. Still trying to figure out which one we like best (which was covered in another thread).

Carol

Ontariomom~Don't know if this will help but ... I used soapstone on our fireplace surround. I have attached a very blurry picture showing the soapstone but it is lighter IRL. It is not oiled. Our walls are painted C2 Paperclip which I thought would be grey but it turned out light blue which I actually love. Hope this helps.

Oh my goodness, soapstone is a fabulous idea! thanks for posting, lovestowalk. Does you soapstone read as blue in real life as in the photo as soapstone is often quite grey. What do others think of the soapstone idea in lieu of a stone fireplace?

My friend at work with the good colour eye has suggested Silvermist SW as a possible paint colour. It looks more green on the paint chip, but does have blue in it.

Carol

One of my favorite, if not my favorite, color combos is blue and chocolate brown. I think the chocolate leather ottoman is a great idea. Also, chocolate brown in the rug. I love, love, love chocolate brown.

For wall color, I'd go with a rich neutral with a lot of gray in it. See link. In the C2 color palette, type 912 in the box, then click on the teeny color square to enlarge it. Color name is Smidgeon.

Here is a link that might be useful: Smidgeon, c2-912

I like that colour Tibbrix - never heard of that paint company. Hopefully they have a distributor nearby. Thanks for your thoughts on the chocolate brown ottoman/coffee table. I don't think I would be happy with too much brown though. Maybe, I could have some brown in the area rug.

For the walls, I also thought about crisp linen (a cream colour) from SW. I have linked it below. How would that look? I am planning to return to the furniture store to see what other grey fabricss they have for the chair. The sample I showed above seems to have gold undertones which worries me with the other colours I have in the space. It also does not go with the soapstone at all. DH picked me up a small sample of soapstone counter today and it looks good with the darker blue couch material, but not the chair material. The soapstone looks bluer than I had imagined. Any other thoughts on fireplace surround material?

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Crisp Linen SW

The colors you're looking at are cool blues. I figured out, AFTER I'd finished painting every room in my house (Yes, I did it myself) that the key is to get the same under tone, i.e.: cool or warm, gray or green or yellow or red.

I think the Crisp Linen, for example, is too warm to go with the blues you've put up. It's definitely a warm beige. I'd look at ivories and beiges in the gray end of a paint palette spectrum rather than the red and yellow end (hence my putting up "Smidgeon".

So, for a brown, you'll want to go with a blue-based brown versus a warmer yellow based brown, IMO.

I love C2 paint colors for two reasons: They are gorgeous colors, and because, unlike all the big companies like BM and SW, etc., they have a very small palette, which makes picking colors so much easier and doesn't drive you bananas.

I can't tell you how much I regret having completely forgotten about C2 paints when I was picking colors for my house! I spent a fortune on samples and hours so frustrated with trying to pick a color. With C2 paint, I'd have had them picked put in a matter of minutes and done!

Here's another, Lumen Cr-948

Here is a link that might be useful: 948 Lumen

btw, as far as the fireplace surround, what feel and style are you going for in the room? Contemporary? Rustic? Traditional?

Just wanted to chime in that I too LOVE blue and just replaced my worn out blue sofa/ loveseat with a new blue sofa/loveseat. so I think your choices are fine. I think I would vote for the 2nd sofa fabric as it seems to have more texture and might be nicer to live with (as in more forgiving). I do think pattern would be your friend, and sometimes just pillows can really help break it up. I am sorry that I don't have suggestions for the wall color as I am having a hard time "Reading" the color of the chairs (which are really lovely by the way).

Tibbrix and all,

Thank you for your help and for sharing your knowledge.
To answer your second question first, I would like my fireplace to be transitional leaning a bit to traditional. The back of the fireplace is brick (no black mirror for me) and we want a hearth. We had originally thought to put stone around the surround, but we are re-evaluating that decision as we don't want a bossy feature that future buyers might not like (so it should be neutral enough). I love the idea of soapstone, but the stone available around her seems too blue to be in the neutral camp (I believe some soapstone is more grey/black than what is currently available here which would be more neutral and appealing). I wiould be open to another material aside from stone as long as it is classic and neutral and looks good with what we will have in the room. I don't like having just wood around a fireplace. I would like a wood mantel.

As per colours for the great room walls, I will explore those C2 paints. I just looked and their is a retail outfit around 40 minute drive from here so it is doable. The reason, I tend to talk SW colours is I purchased a book from a decorator that describes her top tried and tested colours all from SW. I am sticking to only her colours from SW and not getting bogged down by thousands of choices. However, they are not full spectrum colours like C2! I will see if the decorator I meet with early next week is knowledgeable about C2. I like the second colour you posted better than the grey as I feel I have enough grey elsewhere in the house and in the kitchen.

The one thing that is hard for me to understand is the rule you stated about sticking to cool or warm colours. I thought they can be combined (but what do I know). For example in my planned kitchen the brown stained island, and hardwood floors are warm, but the stainless appliances, island hood and wall colours are cool. The cabinets are planned to be Pure White by SW which I believe is a warm white as it does not appear to be a grey white. The back splash will be a simple subway that matches Pure White SW and picks up the same white which is present as one colour in the quartz we have chosen. Do other people have info on combining cool and warm colours. Is it a complete no go?

I have been trying to learn the art of reading undertones after reading the book by Maria Killam (who is a well known colour expert here from Canada). However, I don't have natural talent with seeing colours as some people do. I have no idea how to pick out a brown that has blue undertones for example as you suggested. In fact, I would have assumed all browns would be warm colours (some would be warmer than others and comparison is key I realize).

Good news is the decorator we have hired has completed the colour expert training by Maria Killam, so hopefully she will be gifted at reading undertones. In the meantime, I will continue to try to get ready for my meeting with her, by narrowing down best I can what I want.

@ Sheilaaus122: Glad to hear from a fellow blue fan and to get your vote. I need to work out some patterns for sure or otherwise the room will be blah for sure. I too am puzzled by the colour of the chairs (looks silver to me in real life, more gold tones on the fabric swatch -- perhaps it is a chameleon colour?). I am growing less fond of the chair fabric each time I look at it. I will pay a visit to the furniture store to see if there are any more grey options.

Carol

Hi again,

We have decided to just order two couches in the option B darker blue. We are passing on the chairs because the fabric reads gold at times and not always grey/silver. Instead we have a dusty rose (yes I know that is a dated colour but I don't mind it) reclining chair that is in great shape. We plan to put that with the two couches in an L plus chair arrangement. At some point we can buy two matching chairs in a more pleasing colour.

For you colour buffs, do you have any wall colours in mind that would go with those two darker blue couches and one dusty rose recliner in corduroy fabric? We would still do the dark chocolate ottoman/coffee table. Any idea about cushion colours? I was thinking I would look for patterned cushions that tie in the colours blue, brown and dark rose (the chair has a lighter and darker shade of rose).

Carol

OntarioMom,

Did you make a final decision on the colors and room arrangement. I also love blue, and have the exact layout you do with the TV and fireplace. I'll leaning towards sofas facing each other...Would love to know where you ended up.

I'm the odd man out here, I think everything in photo B is lovely and can be used successfully with the addition of other textures and colors. I love the idea of a dark brown rug but you may prefer a light tone, both would work. I feel the ottoman should match the furniture unless you're going for much much more variety in the room. I really love Tribbrix's idea of the brown carpet and it could bring in a new texture too if it had some pattern to it. I like the idea of soapstone but I'd find the darkest one you can find. Throw in an organic lamp in the same tone and that would take care of the blending of that color. I think you're doing a good job so far and it will be a lovely room. You're right to look for a cooler shade for the chair. I also love the paint color from Tibbrix, it's gorgeous. Keep us posted on your progress please.

Hi Nepool,

We have ordered two couches in a soft blue green fabric, which was none of the options shown LOL. We decided to get two wing back chairs in the option A blue fabric. Not sure yet about the ottoman, but am leaning towards a chocolate brown here. Our room arrangement will be two couches facing each other with chairs on the end. There was not enough width to do the other arrangement in our view. We are a long ways off finishing the room though as we are not quite at drywall stage yet.

Hi yayagal,

I appreciate your new ideas. We decide on a stone in light grey with some dark grey for the fireplace. I hear what you are saying about repeating some colours if we go brown. Maybe if we go brown for the big ottoman and then have some brown in the area rug it will work. What if the end tables are chocolate brown stained wood and that matches the ottoman. Lots more decisions to make, but our focus at present is getting ready for the drywall stage. We are DIY this build so it is very, very slow. Thanks for your ideas on the accessories.

All: I will post pics once we are done, which will be a ways off. Here are some photos of some recent colour selections. Not sure yet about the carpet and curtain colours/patterns.

Fireplace

Fabrics shown below clockwise from top are dark blue for two wing back chairs, lighter green/blue for the two couches, patterned for the dining room seats (DR is open to great room) and the brown wood is our mid toned hardwood floor.

Carol

Love your color choices! My dining room opens to the family room too. Here is my inspiration photo- I love the creamy yellow. My two full size couches are blue, but I love the color of these side chairs and recliners.

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[Traditional Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by Vancouver Interior Designers & Decorators Cyndi Parker Interiors

Nepool,

I agree. Those creams and blues look great together. Thanks for the inspiration.

Carol