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Furniture Design Dilemma living room

Need help with living room decorating

Micheline Hellwege

5 years ago

I'm in desperate need of new furniture for my living room and I need some advice. My living room is long and narrow (12'8" x 22') and has two entrances into it which makes arranging the seating difficult.

I'd like to maximize seating but need to keep the furniture light enough so that I can move it without help. I like furniture with a seating firmness of medium-firm and I don't want pillow-top arms. The sofa in the images is lighter than I want but the floor plan software didn't have the option of changing the color. I'm splurging on a nice recliner. I'm not sure the one I picked out will look out of place with the other furniture I picked out.

So my questions are:

Would the recliner look out of place in this setting?
Do I have too much furniture in this small a space?
Do I have too many different wood finishes?
Should I go with a solid cream color curtain or a pattern or something entirely different?

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

p.s. My windows are currently a dark stain but I'm in the process of painting them white throughout the house. My walls are Paladian Blue which I want to keep and I'm debating between a light beige/grey carpet or a light wood floor.

Featured Answer

groveraxle

5 years ago

I would get the TV out of the corner, put it on the end wall or the wall where the sofa is now, and divide the room into two sections, the TV viewing area, and a small desk area/reading nook by the window.

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Comments (7)

groveraxle
5 years ago
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what about using the table that the t v is on and hanging the t v on the wall? looks like that table would be the right size and shape..I'm also thinking linen color drapes would be pretty and natural looking..and pull out the color of the rug and the wall of the other room and bring it in here..i like the room. If you hang the t v on the wall you can leave up 2 pieces of art and put the t v between them..also you can look for a console with storage to put where the table is that the t v is on now..something that will store cds/videos..whatever..even components or speakers
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My first feeling is that the sofa looks squished on the window wall; is that the only long wall in the room, and if so can the sofa be give more room on that wall..... Next I think you need a large neutral textured area rug in the whole room with about one foot of floor showing all around Agree with the TV sitting on a low legless console; now it looks precarious and rather nerve wracking. Love the floor lamp; stylin' I would hang the woven wall hanging horizontally over the fireplace and the metal art possibly vertically on the wall space I assume will be on the left side of the sofa as you are facing the windows....they should be evenly space with the center point about 55 inches from the floor.....play with it a bit..... Then add a pair of chairs perpendicular to the sofa be able to see the TV. I am not a designer, but this is what I would consider for the room...... When and if this plan works I would look at it and then find an end table and a lamp that is modern, and finish with the cocktail table that does not match the end tables.....possibly a painted cream color round in shape or oval? Keep the pics coming.
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I see a few things that aren’t horrible, by any means, but could be changed. Mirror and sideboard, for instance, as mirror is too large for the sideboard and it overwhelms the room, reflecting the t v. Try the art over the sideboard and add a floor lamp where the plant is, as it will do double duty for the sofa and the art. Have you ever thought about adding a floor to ceiling strip of trim to separate the dining area from the living area and painting that wall a color? Something like this with a couple of white shelves on that wall?
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Yes, arrangement looks much better!! If you are anxious to paint, you could roll out the Natural Wicker, as you are going to need a primer anyway over that deep paint. Won't hurt to use is as basically a primer. I can't really recommend a paint until you are finished with the room. Your next step will be chairs, lamps, end tables, lamps (I would get a nesting coffee table or oval), art and drapes (which are too short).
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Micheline Hellwege
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
My main objective is a nice recliner, though it doesn't have to be the style in the images. I need a real comfortable place to put my feet up after work to watch tv. I know that counter intuitive since most people position the sofa with the best vIew. Also, I host the holidays with my kids and their families so I'm looking to maximize the seating for conversation.
groveraxle
5 years ago
If you look at your second image above, you will not be comfortably watching TV from that recliner. The TV is 20' feet away and behind a chair. Your furniture arrangement is also not conducive to conversation when you have a crowd. You'll be shouting at each other from one end to the other, plus have people walking through the middle of the conversation group.
Micheline Hellwege
Original Author
5 years ago
I did not think about the line of sight from the recliner to the TV. The furniture I have no is basically in the same position but without the accent chairs. So, when you have your seating away from a wall, where do you put your lamps?
groveraxle
5 years ago
Look at West Elm's recliners; they're only 29" wide. You could get two and do something like this:
groveraxle
5 years ago
I show one lamp in the corner in the plan above. You could also put a lamp on the square end table and run the cord under the couch.

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