Need help decorating and odd shaped living room

5 years ago

Hi,

I am trying to give a fresh look to my living room. It is an odd shaped room. I am going to change the end table between the two sofas , planning to pick something that comes at least upto the handles of the couch and place a lamp on it.

Looking for suggestions on :

1. Couch pillows

2. Decorative pieces

Anything that might help arrange it in the best way possible. We have a big gap behind our couch because the room is so big. I am really bad at home decoration so any suggestion is helpful. Open to buying some furniture pieces if needed

Featured Answer

k9arlene

5 years ago

All of your art is hung way too high.

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Comments (18)

Sammie J
5 years ago
It would definitely help if we could see pictures of all the walls in the room.

First, I'd work on fine tuning what you have. Try to move the sofa against the wall, and move the rug and love seat towards the wall, too. It looks off balance with the rug and love seat extending into the alcove space the way they do now. If you don't want to move the rug under the sofa, try turning it in the other direction. After your space is arranged, we can work on accessories.
Sneha Jain thanked Sammie J
njmomma
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I think your larger sofa can be moved to the right a little. End table should be replaced with a smaller one, then the love seat would fit better on the left wall.
Sneha Jain thanked njmomma
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decoenthusiaste
5 years ago
First, center the rug with the sofa wall and arrange it so it slips under the front 1/3 of the sofa, which you'll also center there. The love should "L" with the sofa, but maybe not where it is right now. I want to see the game table and chairs turned a quarter turn and pulled further out of the bay window. Move the floor lamp into the corner where you have the bookcase, and lower the art to 5" above the sofa back with one hand's width between them. Then take more pix so we see what you see when you're sitting at the game table and we'll go from there. Just comment on your own dilemma to add pix.
Sneha Jain thanked decoenthusiaste
Celeste
5 years ago
Move the bookcase to another room, shift the sofa and area rug to the right, get rid of the corner end table and replace it with a smaller table. The pictures are too high, move them to eye level. You should think about adding more pictures to make it a grouping of 6 or 9. Also think about adding some plants to the room. Each side of the sofa is a start. The room lacks color and plants will make give it a natural feel.

I would like to see some type of window treatment. Sheer curtains with a one-sided tie-back on the left of the window would be perfect. Put the same type of sheets at the dining area window.

I agree with the other reader. Take a picture if the rest of the room with a view of what is seen while sitting on the sofa and also the loveseat.
Sneha Jain thanked Celeste
Sneha Jain
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for the inputs everyone.

I am not a big fan of the art on the wall so open to changing it up too. I will move it down for the time being.

The reason why we haven't moved the sofa to the wall is because it moves it really far from the tv and it looks very college like for some reason. I am going to anyways shift it and send a picture.
Sneha Jain
Original Author
5 years ago
So it turns out the rug is wayy too big. A lot of it is going to go under the sofa now. Is that ok? If i turn it in the other direction, it looks way too long then

@decoenthusiaste : I want to see the game table and chairs turned a quarter turn and pulled further out of the bay window.... can you explain a bit more what you mean by this? Turn it 90 degrees so it is as right angle with the alcove?

Also I thought I could move this all by myself but need to wait for husband to finish it.
Laura Hill
5 years ago
Rather than moving the sofa back against the wall, what about getting a sofa table/console for behind the sofa? You could place lamp(s) there, etc. Still get the taller cocktail table since the one you have now is too short, though.
Celeste
5 years ago
With the rug being completely under the sofas is perfectly fine, as that is the proper way if any furniture is going to touch the rug. Since you don't like pictures on the wall, try some type of wall art that matches your decor.

Also, by adding some circular pieces of furniture gives it a little more character to the room. Possibly replacing the rectangular coffee table with an ottoman and a tray for drinks. You can even add a round pillow or 2 to the sofa and loveseat.
Sneha Jain thanked Celeste
Laura Hill
5 years ago
Examples...
Sneha Jain thanked Laura Hill
Celeste
5 years ago
The red vase is nice but also add a little more red to the room tho get some pop. You might like framed pics that are matted. Look through Houzz or Pinterest for the look and some ideas. It is a perfect way to display happy and fun times you and the hubby shared together.
Sneha Jain
Original Author
5 years ago
Yeah I like these pictures. Also what color pillows do you think might look good?
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ACT ONE DESIGNS
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
You could place a console with large lamps, flowers, books and art behind your sofa. Hang the pictures lower and closer together. Replace your corner book shelf with a plant.

Add pillows with texture using cream, blues and browns.

Add a small textured slipper chair.

Add a tray with some of your favourite decorative objects to your coffee table.
Sneha Jain thanked ACT ONE DESIGNS
suezbell
5 years ago
Really nice room, well put together, too. Doesn't seem odd at all -- not even odd shaped. But then, I do like bay windows and I'm liking all that natural light.

Like the rug. Like the art (3) on the wall behind/over the sofa … but ... maybe not where it is currently hung as it is currently hung though. Do you have a fourth, similar pic that you could have framed with the same frame and hang them in a (slightly longer) row -- sofa edge to sofa edge -- and hang them lower? Unless everyone in your family is really tall, the art seems hung a bit high.

The dark art over the loveseat seems out of place. If you put a tall thin lamp atop your bookcase, you could hang that darker piece to the right of the lamp shade (with the tops of lamp shade and art approximately even).

In the single window above where the sofa and love seat form a corner, have you considered adding a stained glass window hanging there?

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=doMtW4DMO5LcswXLnJvwDw&q=stained+glass+window+hanging+square+or+rectangle&oq=stained+glass+window+hanging+square+or+rectangle&gs_l=img.3...2178.3980.0.4244.13.13.0.0.0.0.147.918.9j2.11.0....0...1c.1.64.img..2.0.0....0.h4yPZoUPbdw

You mentioned the shape of your living room -- did that influence your putting the table/chairs by the bay window or, is that your usual/only dining area?

If the table is actually used -- perhaps for card games or board games or putting together jigsaw puzzles or for arts and crafts or socializing -- if there is any reason the table is there, then it works there. If you just put it there because you didn't know what else to put in that space, perhaps it is time to rethink its location.

Try the rug underneath the 3-seat sofa with its edge stopping at the left edge of the loveseat (after you move the loveseat to the right to center it with the wall behind it).

Leave the sofa within a few inches of the wall -- embrace the extra room, especially if that is a fireplace hearth across from the sofa (potential stumble hazard). If it is slightly raised hearth (not just a rug or mat), then make sure you set something on each end so it is less of a stumble hazard: fireplace tools, basket … anything that says "look" so a raised edge hearth can be seen.

Prefer taller lamps for living rooms -- leaving the shorter ones with tiny shades for desks or bedrooms. Matter of personal taste, though.

Is the interesting tall white fabric rectangle to the right of the piano a cover for a tall ?something? handle or is it a lamp? … Do wait for your husband to move the heavy sofa and loveseat; however, you could work on that corner where thy meet: If it IS a lamp, have you tried setting in that corner where the sofa and love seat meet, either on the floor or atop the short table?
Sneha Jain thanked suezbell
Sneha Jain
Original Author
5 years ago
ok so moved the rug to line with the wall. and sending a picture with sitting on the couch. What do you guys this?
suezbell
5 years ago
YES, to moving the rug; look improved.

Appreciate your posting the pics. Like to see the progress.

WOW that tv is set h i g h!

If your room were smaller -- the distance shorter -- that could cramp a neck?

With your room size though, is it comfortable to watch it that high?
decoenthusiaste
5 years ago
I don't have the scale and walls right, but this is what I meant about centering the rug with the wall. I was talking about the long wall where the rug and larger sofa would center and leave room to pull the table & chairs out more. Bookcase is where you have the loveseat between the two windows now.
Celeste
5 years ago
That fireplace is nice but the tv is high. Is that a wicker chair next to the fireplace? Try incorporating it into the living room. Maybe in the open space to the right of the large sofa. It will add a different texture to the room and add a pillow to it that corresponds to your accent color, which looks like it is red.

The idea of placing a sofa table behind the sofa will work too. Like the previous response, you can add lamp(s) and another decorative item If you move the Orchid to the window in the living room, you can then raise the shade to match the other windows. That is of course, given that the new window isn't too much light for the Orchid. Just an idea.

One last thing, the table seems to be partially obstructing the full view of that nice fireplace. Try to reposition the table while making sure it doesn't cramp the walking space between the sofa and table. zzIf you don't mind the partial fireplace view, try adding a low table arrangement to the coffee table.