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Home Decorating Furniture Design Dilemma

Suggestions for furniture for blank slate living room

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Recently purchased our house and looking for all new furniture for the living room (couch, coffee table, end tables, maybe a side table, rug, and some lamps).

House was built in the early 80's, located in the South, on a wooded lot.

The tall walls will be painted this weekend, the wall under the stairs and the wall with the bookcase have already been painted, Cargo Pants by Sherwin Williams.

The floors will be sanded and stained a more neutral color at a later date.

Still coming up with a plan for the fireplace, the tile around the hearth will not be staying.

The floorpan is not to scale but hopefully is helpful on layout. Would like to leave a walkway along the bookshelf wall and by the stairs so the pink area is where we plan to place furniture.

Leaning towards this couch in dark brown, or something along that style. Unsure what to pick for everything else. Everything in our old house was black, white, and grey which I like but doesn't suit this house and is not my husband's style.

Previous living room furniture was all hand-me-downs so I'm not sure what I like for styles. Something simple but not too contemporary? Our dining room is a parsons style table and I like how simple that is. My husband would like a blue leather chair, something along these lines but I'm not crazy about mcm. I guess I would say I lean towards transitional style but most photos I find are very light and bright which is not our house.

Photos of the house below, appreciate any insight and suggestions.

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Comments (4)

Elaine Doremus Resumes Written
3 years ago
Pictures aren't showing. The definition of transitional is combining traditional and contemporary. You can certainly make the room darker with huge dark wall decor, rug, and other accessories. The dark brown couch you are getting will help as well.
ml368008
Original Author
3 years ago
Shoot the pictures didn't appear originally and I edited my original post to add them and they were showing when I checked. Hopefully this works.
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The French doors at the two ends of the room could be removed to make room. If you have to allow for them to open you'll have less space for the sectional. I would float it in front of the FP. You need a large piece of casegoods or a long console table and big art gallery opposite the fireplace as a visual counterbalance to it, and you need to leave walk space behind that wing of the sectional so both doorways can be accessed. Subtract depth of the casegoods (12-18" for a console, secretary or bookshelves) and the width of the walkway (36" or a bit less may work) and a small passage (18-24") between the sectional and the fireplace hearth so you can squeeze in from there. That should tell you what length the sectional can be. I estimate about 7 feet for the wing perpendicular to the FP and as much as 9 feet for the section facing the FP. If you can get a reversible chaise sofa you'll have more options. It won't be as large as a full sectional, but it will be more conversation friendly when you have guests because you can add a pair of chairs to the room. Gus Modern makes a nice apartment sized one.
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Maureen
3 years ago
ml368008
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you for posting those! I like the 3rd one with the navy couch. My husband wanted a navy leather sofa but I thought it was a bit too much. I worry about the cognac color being too similar to our floors, even with a rug underneath. I don't care for the colors of our floors, it all reads a too orange to mem and that the cognac is maybe too trendy? That seems to be the majority of photos on pinterest when searching for leather couches. Here is hopefully a better layout

I like the color of the couch in this one with the darker teal rug and light accents with the pillows and ottoman.

This is what I have saved so far, working on adding to it. Thinking maybe a wood coffee table and metal end table near the couch and the chair. I would like to center the couch in front of the fire place, an end table on the left of the couch with a lamp, and then a chair and maybe ottoman on either side of the fireplace?

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