Just throwing out something a little "out there", Corinne, but this could be a fun lamp shade for floor lamp base in that room, and would add some color, pattern, and texture. Just be sure to wait for a good sale : )

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/needlework-garden-lamp-shade?category=lighting-lamp-shades&color=095

All of these shades are really pretty : )

I like the painting too- partially because of the name, Loopy Birds lol

I have a cat and seven area rugs of various sizes in the house and they're all clean and intact. I've always clipped my cats' front claws and brushed them, and of course the carpets get vacuumed, so I'm not quite seeing the problem. With your dark furniture the room looks a little forbidding, and you need a rug to warm this space. A tribal Oriental rug in warm colors would do so much for this room, as would a large painting that you love and colorful pillows. Right now you don't have a welcoming space, but with a few changes your room could easily be transformed into one.

Do you really need a coffee table? I would put end tables with lamps on either side of the sofa. It would give you needed lighting and places to set down drinks while sitting on the sofa and chair.

^ no! Definitely not. I do forget often that a coffee table isn’t a necessity. Actually my originally plan was to nix the coffee tables. Then I saw these little bamileke stool things and forgot lol.

I'll put in my two cents for a coffee table, for function and form, even if it's a small one. It gives you a place to set a book, a mug, a glass of wine, a plate, especially if you're toward the center of the sofa and can't reach a side table at either end. It also makes a room look finished, and without it you risk the "movie theater" look with the seating in front of the TV.

That makes sense. I need to find a bench first and then maybe I can look for a coffee table.

I was anti bench for so long it feels weird to get back on board... no idea why even. Maybe it was just the word that bothered me...bench...

I think sometimes we get a picture in our head of what something, like a bench, is supposed to be. A bench can be hard and uncomfortable, but it can also be soft and comfortable too.

https://safavieh.com/furniture/benches/amh6500d

Yeah, that’s true. I don’t even know what my picture my head of this whole space was supposed to be...

Do you have room for that bench in the space?

I’ll have to measure when I get home.

Lol what if I “compromise“ and put a matching set of one of these puppies right under the window

Annoying photos didn’t attach

If you have room for chairs/puppies like that, and if the fabric has some color and pattern, I think that would be a good thing : ) .

What about him?

I don't know that I would another dark/black mass to the room. Does it come in any other color?

Yesssss. It does- I don’t know why I decided since last night that I need a black chair, but the idea has full on possessed me.

Everything is looking so... beige. Emphasis on the ugliness of the word- beiiiiiige. Even with throw pillows, I think it will kill me to add more wood tones. Maybe I can look for something painted white?

Black is definitely a bad idea? What if it’s just black rope on a natural rope chair? Painted wood with black rope?? Ahhhh!

on a totally unrelated note, I got my daybed in the mail today and it’s gorgeous.

I'd hold off on a chair until you add some pillows, a throw, rug, and art to the walls, which I think will make a difference.

You need to add some color, pattern, and texture into the mix.

Are you going to show us the daybed on your other thread?!

In a living room, I'd go with something upholstered. That last chair you show looks more like a dining chair.

Lol buying chairs stresses me out less than pillows and rugs- I guess that’s why I’ve been focusing on it. I get it- I can’t really “see” what kind of chair I need until I fill out the rest of the room. Thats gonna be a problem, huh? Lol can I tell you I treat all of my life decisions like this- ”maybe if I just ignore it, I won’t have to worry until it screws something else up”.

Grover- it is a dining chair lol. Not cute, huh?

I don’t know how to access my older threads? Ive been inundating this board for so long now. I’m just gonna post here

Note: the too-small pillows are a consequence of me “thinking for myself” & not asking for input before purchasing. Lesson learned- I make a much better follower. I’ll be swapping them out this week.

https://www.kilim.com/productlist?kw=bench

https://www.kilim.com/productlist?kw=pillow

Pretty daybed!

You don't always have to ask for help. Just get a tape measure and maybe some pillows from elsewhere in the house : ) . Are those just inserts or are those the actual pillow covers? You could probably use regular size bed pillows for the sides, too, to make it more comfortable.

Inserts. That’s a good idea- my bed is a graveyard of expensive failed attempts to fix my neck. I have all sorts of plush & memory foam pillows I can donate.

Thank you! Trust me- it’s best If I ask for help. In high school I stuck Chiquita banana stickers along the top of my walls...

In high school I stuck Chiquita banana stickers along the top of my walls...

Don't knock eclectic and original!

And actually, a daybed is the perfect place to be eclectic and original. When I think daybed, I think of the cover of interior designer Phoebe Howard's first book, which to me (especially as a fan of blue and white) is perfection,

I've found that reading books about interior design and by interior designers -- basically studying rooms and pieces to see why and how they work -- has been very helpful for my interior design education. It also will give you confidence for your own sense of originality and eclecticism, which should be encouraged and nourished and NOT squashed down! So often you'll see things by designers that seem as though they shouldn't work but they do, and it's much easier to break the rules if you know them first : ) .

The first step is identifying designers and design writers whose work speaks to you; for me, especially because I prefer color, pattern, nature, and also an English country sensibility, that's Ben Pentreath, Robert Kime, Schuyler Samperton, Mark Sikes, Lauren Liess, Tom Scheerer, Bunny Williams, Gil Schafer, Anna Spiro, Ros Byam Shaw, William McLure. Phoebe Howard. Find designers you like -- Pinterest is good for this -- and look through their websites and Instagram accounts, and also go to your library for their books; all of the foregoing except Samperton I think have wonderful large-format coffee table books with good quality photographs and also behind-the-scenes information about their client projects; see what you can find at your library.

Some other good books on the nuts and bolts rather than a particular design, and worth buying rather than borrowing if you can swing it, are:

"The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well" by Deborah Needleman

and also by Deborah Needleman, "Domino: The Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy"

"Interior Design Master Class: 100 Lessons from America's Finest Designers on the Art of Decoration" edited by Carl Dellatore

I’m halfway through both of those Deborah Needleman books : )

I appreciate all of your advice (for the past month+)- and I agree it’s easier to break the rules once you know them. At least then, we can explain away our weird decisions lol.

my husband recommended taking an interior design class online. I am fortunate enough to have the time to spare to do it, but I feel kind of embatassed. Like first I get married & move to Jersey, then I chalk paint a vanity, next thing you know I’m taking an interior design class lol.

I’m halfway through both of those Deborah Needleman books : )

Great minds!

my husband recommended taking an interior design class online. I am fortunate enough to have the time to spare to do it, but I feel kind of embatassed. Like first I get married & move to Jersey, then I chalk paint a vanity, next thing you know I’m taking an interior design class lol.

: )

Hang on to that fortunate feeling and ditch the embarrassment, Corinne. Trust me, this slower time will likely be all but a memory in 10-15 years (my youngest just graduated from high school and my eldest just started her first full-time job, so you don't even have to ask me how I know!). Make the most of it now. Besides, you never know where it could take you -- this could be the first step on an interesting journey. And the chance to learn something new and delve further into an interest is always a wonderful thing.

I wasn't sure if this book suggestion would be overkill, but now that I know it won't be : ) , here it is,

"New York School of Interior Design: Home: The Foundations of Enduring Spaces" by Ellen S. Fisher, just out earlier this year and with some good reviews on Amazon

The book would be a great way to prepare for a class, or to have on hand for reference during a class.

If I were still in the NYC/NJ area (I moved to Canada 25 years ago), and I had the time and $, I'd be over at Parsons lickety-split for something like this, online or on campus,

https://opencampus.newschool.edu/courses/CEPSINTD/6409/PCID/0100/B/interior-design-basic-core

https://opencampus.newschool.edu/courses/CEPSINTD/6541/PCID/0110/A/residential-interior-design

https://opencampus.newschool.edu/courses/CENC/7825/PCID/0110/X1/residential-interior-design

: ) I really appreciate the encouragement. It definitely won’t be forever that I have this much time on my hands. I’m in pharmaceuticals- not exactly a lot of room for self actualization lol. Design would definitely be more of an enjoyable focus.

I definitely will check out that book! Thank you for the suggestions

(What size rug am I looking for here)

It looks like Emily Henderson is personally offended by too-small rugs- but she doesn’t really offer a lot of insight for people with small or oddly shaped rooms. Not to mention more rug equals more dust, more cat hair, and more hairball stains per square foot.

Does my rug REALLY need to go under the sofa? WHYYYY!

Well, the general rule is that two front feet of the various seating pieces (sofa, chairs) should be on the carpet. But you do need to take into account a small and awkward space.

If the rug is problematic, I'd wait on it until you decide on a chair (or bench), and I think I already suggested waiting on that until you get some pillows, a throw, and some art for the room : ) .

I thought the rug fell into that category. Wouldn’t it be silly to pick an expensive rug based on throw pillows, though?

Art gives me too much anxiety

It falls into the category if it's not a problem. If you have an idea of the size of the chair (not a desk or dining chair) or bench and its/their placement, then you should be able to pick a rug.

What's the length of the room from the window to doorway on the other side of the bookcase?

Any ideas for color and/or style?

I don't know what size rug you need, or your location, but have you ever used Chairish? What about something like this,

https://www.chairish.com/product/915210/vintage-stonewashed-rug-69-x-10

It's wool, which is sturdy, and a flat weave.

Wow. You know I was actually looking for black and white but I really love the colors on this Chairish rug. I’ve been swiping right on colored rugs for the last day and a half because of some little nuance that turned me off with each one. This one actually matches what I pictured in my head.

Im not entirely sure what the size of my room is. I have half a mind to go measure it right now, but it’s 3am here & if I get out of bed now I fear that I’ll never get back in.

I owe you so much advice, beckysharp. I don’t recommend you listen to anything I have to say about decorating but I do know a lot about cats, a handful of Netflix and Amazon Prime dramas, serial killers & eyebrows. I’m always willing to impart some wisdom!

I owe you so much advice, beckysharp. I don’t recommend you listen to anything I have to say about decorating but I do know a lot about cats, a handful of Netflix and Amazon Prime dramas, serial killers & eyebrows. I’m always willing to impart some wisdom!

You don't owe me anything, Corinne : ) , I'm glad to help and have gained so much from others over the nine or so years I've been hanging out here that I like paying it forward. I'll pass on the serial killers lol, but now that Amazon Canada has started monthly vs. annual Prime -- it doesn't make sense for shipping for us because we live in a rural area where two-day shipping is a fantasy lol -- I'm thinking of getting it over the holidays so we can watch Man in the High Castle, Mrs Maisel, Jack Ryan, and the new Julia Roberts one.

Though if you lived nearby I would probably take up on the eyebrow advice! I've always had an abundant supply, and now they're turning grey/white, sigh.

Ah, that’s what tinted gel is for! I use lighter colors even though my brows are almost black. Using dark colors on eyebrows usually results in a very “Disney cartoon villain“ look.

I actually like grey/white hair though. Didn’t the lady from What Not to Wear have a big gray streak on the side of her part?

Your TV taste is much more similar to my husband‘s. Action & comedy. I usually go for the darker more dramatic shows like Bloodline & Ozark. Doesn’t do much for my mood lol but I can’t help getting sucked in

Indoor/outdoor rugs come in wonderful colors and patterns, AND can be taken outside and hosed down. That would help with the cat debris and stains.

Ah, that’s what tinted gel is for!

Does it stay put? Or does it come off if you get exasperated with a teenager and face palm and then rub the stabbing pain right behind your eyebrows? Any brands better than others? I have a collection of stuff I've tried but tries to wander off my face.

I do have access to Sephora online here in the back of beyond, and also a 21-year-old daughter living in the big city who loves to buy makeup, so it wouldn't be too hard to twist her arm to pick something up for me before her next trip home.

Using dark colors on eyebrows usually results in a very “Disney cartoon villain“ look.

Oh I know : ) . I know this from my nieces, my kids' friends, and so many young women under the age of 20. When this trend started a few years back, I spent several years of Thanksgivings trying not to get caught staring at my nieces' faces trying to figure out what they'd done to themselves. Almost as bad as the dark colors is the very stark eyebrow "template" which together makes so many young women look like Groucho Marx.

I actually like grey/white hair though. Didn’t the lady from What Not to Wear have a big gray streak on the side of her part?

Stacey! Yes, she did, and I was just thinking that one of my recent disappointments was learning, after finally getting satellite TV after 25 years, that "What Not to Wear" is gone lol (we had two local rural stations via an antenna up until two years ago and then they vaporized, and then it was pretty much nothing but Netflix for two years, so for the new house we got satellite).

I recently decided to stop coloring the hair on my head so it can co-ordinate better with my eyebrows. But stray hairs are now WHITE! And I worry about removing too many.

Your TV taste is much more similar to my husband‘s. Action & comedy. I usually go for the darker more dramatic shows like Bloodline & Ozark. Doesn’t do much for my mood lol but I can’t help getting sucked in

My husband is the big comedy and action fan, and he usually gets control of the remote, sigh. I love Ozark, but he doesn't, though I think it's Jason Bateman he doesn't like lol, because my husband does like Orange Is the New Black (I don't) and Shameless, which I can only take in short doses. I also like Occupied, which my husband doesn't. I love just about anything British, whether it's cooking shows, mysteries and thrillers, Escape to the Country, Jack Whitehall and his father, or the new "Bodyguard", which I have to check to make sure is on Netflix Canada.

Your room looks as though a 5x8 or 6x9 would work. You can always tape out both sizes with blue tape to see what works best. Look at rugsusa.com. They have free shipping, great sales and 1000s of rugs from which to choose. Look at synthetics for the easiest care. My polypropylene rug survives 365 outdoors in Florida. I just hose it off if it gets funky.

The rug make a huge difference in pulling your room together. I love the colors in the first one Grover posted!

I didn’t like OITNB either. Ozark took me until halfway through the second season to appreciate- but now I like it quite a bit. I hadn’t had the opportunity to appreciate Jason Bateman before (hadn’t seen many movies)- but I see why he’s a good antihero.

Measured room. I need 8x 10 IF I count that little side chair that everybody keeps telling me to turn into a bench. I mean I suppose even if it was a bench it‘s need to have 2 feet on the rug right?

I like the pattern of the first rug! I think it might be a little bit orange for me but I think that’s the general idea of what I need

What accent colors do you think you would like to add to the room?

Blue, red, black, white/ivory, maybe some blush/peach, and brass

Side note: My rug will probably outlast that wall color (BM Berber White). Next time my husband goes away for work I’m going to paint the room a brighter white & hope he doesn’t notice.

Eh? 8x10 will make one corner stick underneath the tv console slightly. Is that ok?

8x10 will make one corner stick underneath the tv console slightly. Is that ok?

Yes. Alternately, what happens if you scootch it over a few inches in the other direction?

PS nice rug : )

Thank you! I‘ll Have to play around with it when I get it.

Ah. I feel better. I can’t make the purchase tonight- I need to soul search for 12 hours before hitting ”submit”- but I’m pretty positive she’s the one : D

Reviews say it looks pink : (

So I wanted to post an update- rug came in the mail today!! : D I’m super pleased.

8x10 was the way to go, for sure.

In the 30 minutes it took me to roll this thing out, my cats have already attempted to scratch the crap out of it. So far it’s holding up really well.

I like it! It adds some color and pattern to the room without being overwhelming. The size is perfect! Now you need some pillows to complement it.