Big changes in the LR - need advice on next steps
bac717
3 years ago
Here is a before of our LR (as many on these boards will recall, I would imagine):
Over a year ago, we had new windows installed, had the floors refinished and had the walls painted. I thought about really changing it up and using 4 chairs around a coffee table, but ended up purchasing a new sofa. Here's where we are right now.
Ignore the plaid chair and floor lamp - they are leftovers from the before.
Sorry about the quality of this picture - it's the best I could do with the lighting during the day.
Piano bench is a stand in for a coffee table right now.
Here are a few new additions to the room- art, console table and lamp. Pillows on the sofa were supposed to pick up the peach/pink tones from the art, but are a little off.
I know I'm jumping all over the place with the order in which I've added new items to the room and hope I haven't made any major mistakes. I think the next steps are a rug and chairs, but, so far, haven't found anything I like. Can anyone help me with some inspiration??
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Comments (8)You're really setting yourself up for one heck of a crash, lady. "We" decided son age 6 can't see his bio-mom? GF's of a short time don't make such 'we' decisions. Was the mother granted visitation rights in the custody case? If so "we" are in violation of court order. If not, "we" may be in for a reality check if bio-mom decides to pursue her rights in front of a court at sometime in the future. --"I try to ignore it until she [recently divorced from Dad and bio-mom of daughter age 2] makes it my problem calling my boyfriend all the time. It's out of hand. How do I get her to stop thinking she's his problem still? Now trying to ban contact of mother of the daughter who is still only 2. You mention in another posting on different forum (yes, OP copied/pasted the same from place to place) that your BF cheated on this little girl's bio-mom (likley a factor in the 'recent' divorce I'd assume)...and complain the girl's mother does not want to take the time to know you. This guy is now on #3 of houseplaying partners (not to mention this time he's picked one bent on being 'mommy')and you all are what? Mid-twentysomethings?. The guy has issues in his parenting abilities for his two very youg children....yet here you come ready to 'fix' it all and live happily ever-after. *shaking head*....good luck to these two children....See MoreNext project: sprucing up a large lr after three decades
Comments (40)Hi chicoryflower: I agree that would be nice. I have actually tried to think of a way of doing that--if the room were just a bit larger, and the door on the back fireplace wall were placed a bit differently, the addition of free standing columns along the division between the areas might work. I have tried to make free standing columns work with the current layout--there is just no way. However, when I repaint I will add columns around that door on the fireplace wall--that will give a sense of height from at least some vantage points. Also I have spotted a beautiful red vase (can't afford it right now), but when I can I think it would work on the cabinet that you see in the above picture to the left of the fireplace--a red vessel stands on the bookcase to the right, and I think this one will be about the same size. The red vessel on the bookcase helps the proportion there so I am hoping that a similar treatment on the left plus the columns, while not the perfect solution, could help. Love to see the pics of your aunts--I can always use a smile during winter--I do not like winter!...See MoreOne step forward - in the LR update
Comments (12)Thanks everyone. Kathy G. the paint is Dutch Boy's "Key Lime Pie" mixed in their Dura Clean "satin" base. I think this color is lovely at all times of the day and with every type of lighting. We first used it when we moved to the base here in 2003. I loved it so much there was no question about using it again when we moved here to The Little House of Horrors on the Prairie. Like all the other paint companies, Dutch Boy has changed their base formula since the early 2000s; still I love this color. I had them mix more of it at 50% color strength for the hallway and kitchen. It makes me happy. I had a shading issue around the new opening between the kitchen and livingroom, but it was not caused by the paint. The new plain dry-walled areas are not completly level with the old wall board which is a thicker material covered with heavy wire and a concrete-like plaster. We couldn't see the small difference until we put paint on it. After four or five coats, I pulled out the 6-ft. level and and found the culprit. 99.9% of the folks that come in can't see the shading issue and I can live happily with it. "It's just paint." I think the sparkly front door and the desperately needed, handy-dandy broom/coat closet trumps a minute wall problem....See MoreNeed Advice On What To Do Next
Comments (21)Kitchen: Think this through: The kitchen is the hardest working room in the house. It's the room where you're working, cleaning, trying to be efficient and fast -- and you're saying you care more about LOOKS than FUNCTION in this room, of all rooms? No, no, you really don't want this. Why is the kitchen not functional? Angled cabinets are expensive, yet they provide less storage than standard cabinets. The island (which is too small to support 4 stools) is placed at such a way that it blocks comfortable access to the kitchen; the aisles on each side are too narrow. You have no work zones, so you'll be walking back and forth across the room constantly -- too many extra steps. I see that you intended the kitchen to be the bright, shining jewel of this house ... but, really, it isn't. I suggest you ditch the idea of the SHAPE and focus on BRIGHT and FAKE the shape a bit. Keep the room square /rectangle, but angle your corners and go with LOTS of windows and no upper cabinets. Without uppers, you'll need to consider a modest-sized pantry too. Other downstairs notes: - Why set the dining room off with walls? You won't have space to move around the table comfortably, and in a house this size, you really need to consider going with open floorplan. I suggest that you go with an L-shaped banquette table in that corner. It'll take less space and everyone loves them. - The stairs aren't working. I'd consider an L-shaped stair hugging the lower right corner ... then tuck the desk UNDER the stairs. This'll save space and look cute. - The living room is sort of squished into the back end of the house ... and then you have empty space towards the front of the house. I'd consider going with a window seat (great space saver) and going with more of a rectangle shape for this room. - Coat closet by the door? Storage for games, books, movies, and other things you want in the living area? - The bathroom doesn't work in its present spot. I wonder if it could scoot over near the front door, providing a bit of a barrier between the entry room and the dining room. - You need a back door somewhere. I'm pretty sure two exits are a standard "must have" for fire safety. Upstairs: - The kids rooms are too small, and I'm not in the camp of "kids need a full-sized suite!" If you're going to stick to something this small, consider giving the kids toddler beds once they're out of cribs ... then loft the beds when the kids are older. Note that the kids don't have dressers or desks in these rooms, and their closets are SMALL. Large closets make it possible for kids to keep their rooms clean. Getting larger closets for both of these rooms will be easy: For one room, steal space from the hallway -- you don't need a hallway going all the way to the end of the house for no reason. And the other room can get a good-sized closet using the space over the top of the stairs. - Actually, all the bedrooms are too small. A twin bed is 75" long, a queen or king is 80" long, and that's just the mattress -- not the bedframe. So you'll have 18" at the foot of the bed, not enough room for those double doors to open. A tiny bedroom would have 3' at the foot of the bed -- a comfortable bedroom would have 5' at the foot of the bed. - Size is a big issue throughout this plan. Start measuring things around your house -- it'll help you start to develop a sense of how big things realistically are. Sure, you could build your stairs 30" wide and allow only 18" to scoot around the island into the kitchen, but in the long run, you won't like it. - On the subject of the master bedroom door, you probably don't want it to open straight across from one of the kids' bedrooms. As they get older, that'll be a privacy issue. - The bathroom needs some work too, given that it's going to be shared by the whole family. It's not a bad size, but you have lots of wasted space in the middle of the bath ... and no storage at all. I'd try to go with a split bath: half bath for the parents' room, half bath for the kids from the hall, shared bath in the middle....See More
Jilly
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoSuch a pretty room, those windows are fabulous. You have a great, neutral start here that could lend itself to a lovely, eclectic style.
I‘m currently crushing on this rug and thought of it for your room:
Since I was already on the Horchow site, I took a quick look at coffee tables ... love the mother-of-pearl one:
If you wanted to go a bit more casual and organic, but have a very elegant, eclectic, sort of vintage look:
I‘m just posting these as examples to see if this is a direction you like ... or maybe you’re wanting to go more modern, etc?Do you still have the coffee table and side table in the “before” picture?
bac717 thanked Jillybac717
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agobac717
3 years agoI do need to visit some rug stores in the area! I'm also considering having some carpeting bound, as well. I just need to get out there!!!!
I've lightened this picture
And added one more.
bac717
3 years agobac717
3 years ago
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