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Design Dilemma living room Remodeling

small living room odd built in

5 years ago

Help, buying this hour and living room is awkward. Will not need to use as a tv room but I’m at a lose over the existing built in on the one side of the wall only. Can I fit a sofa, love seat and chair with ottoman and round coffee table or too much?? Keep the built it or demo? Add molding to rest of room?

Featured Answer

groveraxle

5 years ago

I'm guessing this is not your furniture and that this is a realtor photo. Since this will not be a TV room, I would use either two sofas or one sofa and two armchairs with a coffee table in between. You could even do four chairs around a coffee table. Arrange them on a rug large enough for all front feet to sit on it and close enough for everyone to reach the coffee table.

There are some good stories on Houzz about arranging shelves and you've got a lot of shelves so if you ever wanted to start a collection of pottery or nutcrackers or something, now is the time. Please do not fill them with the mass produced stuff from Hobby Lobby.

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Comments (6)

lisaam
5 years ago
Not sure if I'd want a sofa+loveseat+chair in any small room but drawing a floor plan and dimensioning the furniture is one way to an answer.

Adding molding the whole way around will increase the room's traditional feel which might be just your style.

Live with the shelves for now; you can fill them very differently which will be nice.
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And here's a long shot of the total effect. They look a lot like built-ins. Because they AREN'T built-ins, we left a bigger space above the counter (partly because the TV needed it, but even if it hadn't, I'd have left a space so it looked like there was a "reason" we switched from one to the other. NOW...our fireplace is a bigger focal point than your TV, and our wall juts out there. So we left that big display space. Plus, we have no windows. In YOUR case, w/ those windows taking up so much of the wall, and your TV so low (and it being a TV, which to me is more functional and less decorative), I might consider whether I wanted a built-in look in the middle as well--sort of a "full wall" effect, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling, with an empty space where the TV goes. If I wanted to do that, I'd want a backing on my upper shelves so it looked more like the whole thing was one unit. And with a "full wall" effect, I might even consider whether I wanted it all to be painted the same color as the other walls (or maybe white like the woodwork), so it was less like "kitchen cabinetry" or "furniture" and more like "part of the room / woodwork." That would keep the full wall of storage from overpowering the room, perhaps.
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The room seems big, but so much of the perimeter is kind of useless as a location for new seating. Casegoods could fill some of those voids visually, especially opposite the FP where you need a large counter balancing piece like a bookcase and then some large art in the stairwell. I would plan to ground the seating on a large rug. You can tape out some versions for size using the stair railing and fireplace as your boundaries while aligning the rug to some of the windows. The sofa would have its back to the stairwell end of the room. Two chairs would sit where your large sofa is now and, if you do the 4 swivel chair arrangement, two would sit with their backs to the upper landing. Three boys and a dog need space to run around and play, as you said. That's why I suggested smaller scale furniture that would leave some more floor space.
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take the lamp with the yellow shade and set it on your end table. It will give you a feel for size. Im not sure you can go much larger on the end tables might start to get stuffy. Also, do you have floor out lets? IMO, not at pro. But I think that whole back wall could be better sorted. maybe a sofa table behind the could be a better place for lamps? OR maybe a long narrow console table on the back wall. move your art around and put lamps there?
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PRO
Uhrich Design
5 years ago
Congratulations on your new purchase! It looks as if the built in was "added" to the room and not original to the home. Since the space is new to you, I would move in and live with it for a few months to see how you can use the built-in.

Of course I don't have any idea of the size and style of furniture you are planning to use, but I think you can definitely have a sofa on the left side of the room, instead of a round coffee table, consider an oval table, it won't stick out in the walking bath of the french doors to the slider. Also, instead of another sofa or loveseat on the opposite side of the room, consider a chair and ottoman in the location of the grandfather clock and art piece. You might even be able to do two small lounge chairs. Just don't put them directly in front of the window with the backs to the window.

You might also see if the shelves of the built in are adjustable. If so, take out a few of the shelves so that you have some asymmetrical spaces. Doing this will allow you to put a large sculpture or art piece in a space. Don't overcrowd the shelves with "geegaws", NO SILK PLANTS, add some hard bound books. You might also like to paint the back of the shelf unit the wall color, leaving the shelves and sides white to match the trim.

Isn't it exciting to make this new house your home! Please post some photos of what you come up with. Always remember, "less is more!"

All the best!
Molly
5 years ago
Is this the room you enter from the front door? What will be the purpose of the room, formal entertaining or more casual reading room?
Meghan
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes, this room is directly to the right of the front entrance and French doors lead to tv/family room. In my current home I have a formal living room which I tend to escape to when my kids are occupying the family room. Don’t worry, no hobby lobby for me, I have some lladros that I would consider putting on the shelves and some old fashioned classic books, maybe a few family photos? The space won’t be used a lot, more for show, we do entertain occasionally and I can see us moms chatting in there. I also have a sunroom off the kitchen that I want to use as eat in kitchen space and casual sitting room. Not sure what kind and color furniture to use in there
Molly
5 years ago
That sounds like a lot of furniture for a small room, scale will be important. I’d see how your furniture looks after you move in bef deciding on anything. I love your sunroom. Here are some inspirational pictures.
Living Spaces · More Info

Sunroom Serenity · More Info

Sun Room in Winter · More Info

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