How to create an updated room using vintage floral loveseats?
We have a VERY awkward living room space, and finally realized that we needed smaller furniture. We have a lot of pets, so we didn't want to spend a lot of money on a couch. We found these well-made, mint-condition, 58" loveseats ($45 each!!) that fit perfectly into our space when placed in an L-shape. That leaves us room for one more chair, diagonally across from the loveseats, and a coffee table in the middle. Plus we could put an end table in space between the back of the L-shape. We can't fit the loveseats facing each other.
We are trying to figure out how to decorate--what rug, chair, wall color, pillows, accessories--we could use to include these loveseats in an updated-looking living room arrangement. Right now our walls are a yellowish sage green, but we would like to change it at some point. The fabric on the love seats is a kind of "dusty pink" with burgundy-red flowers and yellowish-khaki details. It is a nice, unblemished, heavy upholstery fabric, and the cushions are down-filled and very, very comfortable!
I would prefer not to slipcover the loveseats, since that will create more bulk and a 'sloppier' look in an already-smallish space.
Attached are photos of them in our space, plus close-up photos from where we bought them. Ignore all the extra furniture in the background--we pushed our old furniture off to the sides and will be removing it. The chair facing the loveseats is extremely uncomfortable and is being taken out today. There is are doors to the right of the fireplace, and diagonally behind the loveseats. This is a combo kitchen-living room.
Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. It took us 10 years to figure out the size of the furniture we needed..I'm seriously decorating-handicapped!
**We like eclectic, ethnic, mid-century, bohemian, etc. We have a lot of asian artwork and accessories, as well.
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Comments (32)fourquinn - there are two things I noticed - and not about the layout. First, you say you will most likely be there for 10 years. Then don't remodel today for what you think will attract a buyer in 10 years! If you are good enough to predict what will be "in" 10 years from now, then I want you to predict the stock market for me! Remodel to create the kitchen that makes you happy. Secondly, you mention your house would sell in the $1.4 million range today. Unless your value is all location, location, location, the houses around you probably have nice stuff. I'm in Houston, and we are building a new house (land $200,000, build cost a little over a million),and my kitchen appliances alone cost $25,000! My builder told me I pretty much HAD to use SubZero and Wolf in the neighborhood I was in (I cheated, I switched to Miele for the dishwashers and the induction cooktop, but Wolf for the ovens and SubZero for the refrigerators). So the $25,000 budget seems small to me IF you are trying to create a kitchen where the cost of the kitchen is similar to the neighborhood (assuming the houses are high-end build, not high-end location.) I know I am in the minority, but I do think your existing kitchen looks dated, or at least not "high end". If I walked in as a potential buyer, I might buy the house, but I would want a good deal because I would remodel. I wish I could add design advice - I am one of the "design-challenged" people that got a good KD and a good decorator - but I hope these thoughts add something to your ponderings. Good luck! I still advise you to do what will make you happy today....See Moreopinions on how to update my living room (pictures)
Comments (26)I would find a soft shade of the blue grey in the chair (and likely in the floral on the seating) and paint the walls that color, the ceiling as well. It will make your trim look fresh and crisp, and make the fireplace stand out. I would like to open up the window area, especially if you are going to add full drapery that should extend past the window on each side. I would take down the two pix over the small cabinet and find them a new home. I would also take down the brass sconces by the fireplace, and move them to the wall where the two pix were - and hang the oval mirror between them. The mirror in that spot will bounce light from the window. Right now the sconces appear to be floating in space. If they are good brass and you are happy with that, leave them. They will be very pretty against the soft blue-grey walls and should work with the mirror. I would find a new home for the art piece over the fireplace. If it would fit on the wall where the oval mirror is now, that is where I would put it. Move the small cream cabinet to the wall area to the right of the front window, and put a small lamp on it, and hang the art piece from above the fireplace low over the cabinet, if it will fit there instead of where the oval mirror is currently. If it is too large, perhaps it would work in your DR, and you could hang a couple of prints or family photos over the cabinet instead. That will bring some interest and light to that area. Move the loveseat from in front of the window to the other side of the room, facing the window. Leave the other loveseat as it is. Put the round table between them, and look for a new lamp, perhaps something with a bit heavier base in hand-painted porcelain or mercury glass. Move the chair to the corner where the tree is, and put the tree where the chair was. Get a small uplight that you can bury in the dirt in the tree pot, and plug in. It will give a soft light in the corner, and also make the tree feel fuller as the light throws pattern on the corner walls. Pull the chair out away from the corner, though. It shouldn't feel like punishment to be sitting there. LOL The floor lamp is fine, but consider getting a new drum shade, perhaps in a deeper blue-grey, to update the lamp. Keep it to the fireplace side of the chair, and back a bit, so that the light would be over the shoulder if someone was reading there. A small wine table or a narrow rectangular chest or table would work, I think. I would look for a new rug, something neutral but on the light side, with some texture. Be sure that the front legs of your seating are on the rug. Not sure what size your rug is, but it might be a bit bigger than you need. Whatever you choose, I would stay away from that open oval, pattern all on the edges look that you have now. It is fine for under a dining table, because you don't need pattern in the middle. But to open your space and make it feel spacious, I think that type of pattern or design works against you. Drapery would be nice in a color similar to the background in the floral upholstered pieces, perhaps a tone on tone stripe or damask. I am kind of intrigued by these - either in the birch or, if it would work, what appears to be a grey-blue, which could be pretty in the richer color if the wall color was similar but softer: annika drapery I like your tuffet ottoman, but I have to say that I think a clear glass table of some kind would be a bit more interesting. Brass and glass if you decide to keep the rest of the brass in the room. I would also think about a rectangle, because unlike a lot of people, you have more curves than hard angles in the room right now, and you could use more of that for balance. Finally, once all the major players are in place, I would look for new art for over the fireplace, something that speaks to you but has a bit more modern feel. Some interesting candlesticks, perhaps in a color like the burgundy in the floral fabric, which will be pretty against the walls. New pillows for the loveseats and chair would be great, too. Don't be afraid to mix in some patterns, particularly a stripe, an animal print, and be sure they are a bit larger than the small lumbar pillows you have....See MoreIs this a dated floral explostion or ok for guest room?
Comments (50)Hi All I've been out looking for other bedding in several stores and online and haven't seen anything I like as much. I asked my mother and MIL what they thought and they both like the print without the matching fabric curtains. Waverly has solid green panels that will work, but my windows have cellular and not sure if this will look odd (two panels on a dark brown rod and nothing in between). Currently the room is neon pink from the previous owner and so would need to paint it something soft, like a warm yellow. It will of course not match anything in the color scheme in my family room which is gold and red and green, but I think it could still look nice if done well. A dark sleigh bed headboard, dark nightstand and two pretty prints (maybe birds) over the bed. Even went to Wickes to see what was left from their going out of business sale but it was just awful stuff--like broken, wildly ornate or plain BAD. So I will pursue this room with your input which is as always completely spot on!...See MoreVintage sofa and loveseat -- wwyd?
Comments (25)Tomatofreak -- thanks for that interesting info on the Stratford Company. And you're right, the fabric probably is cotton velvet not velour. It doesn't have any stretch. The tag says "Body - Blended Cotton Felt 80%" (not sure if that is the upholstery fabric, but the rest of the tag is definitely about the insides). madeyna -- Great tip! I don't have Woolite Oxiclean, but I do have Woolite Dark so I'll try that first, it won't foam too much. It sounds like one issue with velvet is maintaining the fabric nap, so I'll have to clean very meticulously and go with the grain, and maybe brush it too! beth0301 -- I appreciate you sharing your story. Since I'm not certain we'll use this set, I don't want to spend any money on it yet. Also I'm not dealing with any major odors other than a sort of musty smell from it being inside a home that was not lived in very often (grandma's main house is in a different state). The main issues are that it looks like some of the fabric has faded, and a few places have spills or something on them. Our pets have loved having the set on the patio, I covered it w/a sheet for protection for now. And as much as I like the style and find them to be more comfortable than the set we have now...DH is convinced I'm blinded by sentimentality and don't see them for as bad as he seems to think they are *sigh* Just last night, he reminded me that we spent about $1500 on our current set -- 9 years ago -- sofa, chair, ottoman (all too big for the space, a big mistake since our house is small) and why would I want to be so wasteful as to get rid of what WE bought TOGETHER with our OWN MONEY, for something OLD and DIRTY. Hence why I want to try to clean them up as best I can without spending any money ;-)...See Moreboingercat
3 years agoboingercat
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3 years agoTheresa Janssen
3 years agowas just looking at one of jinx pics she posted and I think the rug above can work fabulously... very similar... add light teal wall color with teal chair. very eclectic, bohemian
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Jilly
3 years agoboingercat
3 years agoSo I spent the last couple of hours perusing rugs on the internet and putting them into that collage site. What about something more in the tan/yellow category, since that color's in the loveseats? Or would that be boring. I always 'play it safe' with colors....
beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
3 years agoJilly
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3 years agoTheresa Janssen
3 years agoI think that one will look great, can't wait to see it. another thought is to layer a couple of the other smaller ones on top for a bohemiam feeling...i think you said you liked a little bohemiam
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3 years agoTheresa Janssen
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3 years agoboingercat
3 years agoDo these types of rugs make it look too outdated, not contemporary? Used the "see this rug in your room" feature! It helped me rule out a lot that I thought were good...
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3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoTheresa Janssen
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3 years ago
I know this one is still heavily patterned and kind of "old" in style, but I liked the colors.
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Theresa Janssen