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Need advice for living room w open plan kitchen change

Jose Antonio Romero

8 years ago

Hi all! This is my first message on this forum.

I have recently bought a new apartment in south of Spain (Marbella), and it came with all equipped with kitchen and some basic furniture. I would like to create a nicer space but at this point I'm a bit lost of how to start...

As you can see in the floor plan and pictures below, the living room has 9,5m x 3,5m, so it's quite narrow and long. Light only comes from a window at the very end and a door from the terrace. That means that the kitchen shouldn't be closed if I want to have some natural light.

The problem at the moment is that when you get into the living room it looks quite empty.

Besides the pictures, it has not much light, I guess the color of the walls (yellowish) don't help.

I wouldn't want to change the floor (as it's new), but I agree that if I want to create a more modern kitchen, the options with this floor are more limited. What I could do is change the tiles in the kitchen, I don't like them either.

What about having a bar table in the kitchen so I can make a "U" shape and some stools?

What colours do you believe I can use for the kitchen cabinets and countertop?

Which furniture should I use in the living room? I want to add for sure a sofa bed with chaiselong so I can have 2 more guests at home, and probably 2 small armchairs.

If you know an agency that could help me with this project online and at good price that would be also great.

Thanks!

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Comment (1)

Annie Deighnaugh
8 years ago
Nice place. You've got a great blank slate...stick with it and it will come. I agree about the kitchen backsplash, but I don't think I'd start there.

There are a number of things I would think about, but first it's important for you to make the space work for you and your lifestyle. Do you need more storage? Do you entertain a lot and need more dining space? Do you cook a lot and need more surface area to work? Do you need more seating in the living area for parties and such? Or is the seating you have now adequate.

So, for example, I would think about adding an island to the kitchen which people could sit at with their backs to the long wall. It would add storage below and work surface above and not block off the light from the living area. If possible, think about adding pendant lighting over the island.

I would move the dining area so it is closer to the long wall. I would help define that area by using an area rug underneath.

In the living room, you could use another area rug to highlight the space. The drapes look skimpy, especially with the knot in them, and the color isn't helping to bring in the strong colors from the tile floor. I would think about getting a bookcase style entertainment unit to add more storage and mass, and I would put that on the long wall...put the seating area more into the corner to make it feel cozier. If you're open to new furniture, a sectional sofa might be nice there.

A lot of it will come with more wall decor as well. Right now there's only a few pieces and they are small in scale relative to the size of the walls.

But you've got a good start.
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Do you have any budget for replacing some pieces? Are you allowed to paint? The room is so dark--one window, dark floor, dark cabinets, and way too much dark furniture. The gray is so gloomy with all that dark furniture. That room needs warm white walls that coordinate with the cabinets. I suggest the following: --Move your living room furniture towards the kitchen area with the upholstered chair facing the window and front door. --Get a small round dining table and put it at the window. Imagine this only minus the banquette. Putting your table there utilizes that space. Drop a clear pendant over the table to let maximun light show through. Ikea has very affordable white tulip tables. Get comfortable, padded dining chairs that can be pulled into the living room. Yep, it means walking from the kitchen a ways with dishes, but that space is wasted right now. A dining table in front of a window is very cozy. --Pull the rug under the sofa so there's a straight, pathway from front door all the way to the back. --Replace massive coffee table with nesting one, up on legs, light top, round shape. This idea: That's all you have room for.
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