Pls help with large, carpeted, dated, combined living/dining room.
Hi all! Just signed a 2 year lease on this rental. I need all new furniture, rugs, lighting...everything....and don’t want to spend a fortune as it’s not my forever home (I’m a master at finding great pieces on Craigslist, Offer up, etc. - just don’t know what to buy!! This room is so odd because the ugly fireplace isn’t centered from wall directly across - and there is a randomly placed window between dining room windows and fireplace. Furniture arrangement itself is killing me! I’m dreaming of a warm, cozy, inviting living room to spend time with family and watching movies and reading. I can’t change carpet and too large space to paint :/. Would love any suggestions! I removed the awful curtains and will replace chandelier. Thanks in advance!!!
Comments (16)
Taedra Kogan
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Help me give my living/dining room some 'Oommph'
Comments (30)Kswl, I like your tryptych idea over the large expanse of wall. I will look at things today that will be large enough. The ficus tree in the room IS real in an organic looking pot. The predominant colors are a muted crimson red, amber gold and black with the darker woods of the furniture. Blind company coming today to measure for bamboo shades. I agree that the lamps are not a big difference, I will look for something with more heft. More bling would be great, but remember, I am already struggling with a man who things all oak and brass is the way to go! LOL! House vixen, I will attempt to move the LR furniture in the pattern you suggested and will move the tree to the area where the two wall colors meet. There is nowhere near enough room on the angled wall to put the china cabinet there, although I wish their was, as your idea was one I had considered before I brought the pieces into the room when we bought the house. We entertain often and need all of the chairs, but I may be able to repurpose them. I am ordering the hardwood floor samples as we speak. What do you think of this piece under the stairs? I am so decoratively challenged......See MorePaint for Blue Carpet in Living Room/Dining Room/Hallway/Stairs
Comments (36)Take a look at SW Restrained Gold and Blonde. Those are nice honey golds without being too brassy. Glidden Water Chestnut is also nice with blue. As for the stone, it may work with a new paint color, but if not go neutral with it and let that be the accent wall. You don't want to have competing focal points. The carpet is such a striking color that you may not need an accent wall though. Perhaps just a nice large piece of art or some really dynamic fabric. I would definitely paint the woodwork and paint the adjoining dining area the same color. You can set a nice tablescape with colorful place settings for some pizzazz. And i would absolutely change the light fixture in there. There are lots of affordable options out there. I attached some fabric swatch ideas using restrained gold and blonde. Enjoy decorating your new place....See MoreBlank Slate - Help me decorate my formal Living/Dining Room (pics
Comments (6)Now I understand where you are headed. My suggestions will not be matchy matchy and are pretty eclectic in nature. So, hopefully you will get some ideas you may not have thought about. Let's start with the DR. Drapes: I like dramatic so, if the rug has bronze that would be my first choice though there is nothing wrong with gold. I like plain simple drapes. I think drapes like blacksplashes should not be a focal point of a room when you have other beautiful things going. They should help frame the room like the color on the walls do. You may not need pinch pleated drapes. It would save you money not to have the pinch pleats. You need to decide if you want to run them from ceiling to floor or with a rod (I saw some beautiful rods at Calico Corner's. I think JCP carries Kirsch hardware also) above the window not from the ceiling. Dining table: I notice most people select wood to use with oriental rugs. I am working with a designer for my family room and breakfast nook and he just taught me a good lesson: Print rug-glass table, solid rug-wood table. He said you want to show off the beauty of the rug at all times from every direction. They do make some very large glass tables that you can use with 2 wooden pedestals for support or a great square base. If you are having a lot of guests for dinner like Christmas than you can add a folding table and use the same table cloth. This is just a suggestion. You can use wood but I always like to share new knowledge when I learn something. I still like crystal for chandeliers in dining rooms. In this case I would use crystal with some funky lamp shades to add a little fun into the room. You may find these at Home Goods or on line. I would try leopard for shades. It's hard to visualize if this will work without actually seeing it in person. Maybe someone will photoshop. Do you know the size of the table you want to use? I also think you may be able to find dining room chairs on ebay or a used furniture store that might be in decent condition or you can buy them new. Remember the chair wood does not need to match the wood of the table. There is more interest created when they don't. Here is another idea for chairs: you can used entirely different ones for the head of the table. Actually, I am pretty good at decorating eclectically. My friends are always looking for my eye. The designer I am working with always says to me "what do you need me for". Well, he is a great buffer between me and my BF whom I share my new home with. He has made my life so much more easier and is worth every penny. I am also learning alot about decorating from him....See Morechandeliers for combined living / dining room
Comments (53)Here is Rev 4. The measurements I am least confident in are the back wall between dining and kit etc. I think it’s close but that wall has many openings. Anyway. I sized the table up to Approx your stated size (huge) and your sofas. The only way you can position these sofas is this way due to length and depth. I put a couple buffets/consoles along right wall for China storage and other seldom used items. I put a pair of bunching tables for coffee table because to maintain entry space you can’t do much wider a coffee table. You could slide right sofa over to right and delete the sofa table. You need about 18” from edge of sofa seat to edge of coffee table. That would give you more space for larger coffee table so that’s a personal choice. The chandelier over the dining table must be moved. As you can see the center of the coffee table is about 9-9.5 feet from left wall and approximately 5.5’ from back wall to center line of the table. I like large coffee tables so I would lean in that direction. You might have to do a custom one (which could be beautiful in a simple metal frame with glass inset top) to perfectly fit the space. Or you might find a set of bunching tables that could work. You need to maintain sufficient space on ends to comfortably get in and out of sofa area. I would think about two sofas and cancel one for two comfy swivel chairs instead. Much more comfortable for the space and space would feel more open. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. 🥰...See Morehousegal200
2 years ago
PROJAN MOYER
2 years agolast modified: 2 years ago
Rachel Lee
2 years agoTaedra Kogan
2 years agoTaedra Kogan
2 years agoRachel Lee
2 years ago
decoenthusiaste
2 years ago- PRO
JAN MOYER
2 years ago 
freedomplace1
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoI agree with measuring well, and I also agree that a 3-seater sofa and two chairs would be your best option. When you move, you would be able to most likely use both in a new place, or you would perhaps be able to either use the sofa or the chairs. And it gives you the most flexibility with options for furniture placement. Also, since you would like to use the space for tv watching and entertaining with family and friends, the sofa and 2 chairs would be the best fit, I think.
I would keep it simple. I would not paint. I would also switch what you are planning - and I would instead use the space in front of fireplace for the dining area.
If you’d like, you could bring in some rugs for more definition; and you could do a swag plug-in chandelier in dining area.
I don’t know your style, so these are just some general ideas/views. But if you like any of the items i’ve used, I do have links for them :)Another chandelier:
Below, a view with swag plug-in chandelier in dining area. They come in a variety of styles, this is just one:.
Below, with rug to define living room:.
And I would put the tv to the left of the fireplace - by that wall/window - on a floating/mobile tv stand/cart/console with wheels. That way, the tv can be seen from dining area, but can also be swung around to view from the living room area. It gives you the most flexibility for tv placement in this arrangement; and I see that there is an outlet right there, below that window.
I would place the sofa on the long, window-free wall that faces the dining area and windows.And maybe a plant on right side of fireplace, and some art or a mirror over fireplace.
freedomplace1
2 years agoSofa placement. (I am not Picasso... ;) Hopefully it’s good enough to show the general idea.
Shelby Hayes
2 years ago
PROEverything Home
2 years agoTaedra Kogan
2 years agoLove all the ideas!! Thank you so much!! We actually found this super soft, comfy Italian leather designer sofa set on Craigslist for $300 - got them cleaned, repaired and delivered all for u see $800. Now trying to figure out placement, rug, ottoman/coffee table, accessories, etc. will move the big mirror because not great there :/. Please lmk if u have any ideas! I prefer a mid century modern look - or kind of bohemian/scandi look. Thank u!!
Taedra Kogan
2 years ago
housegal200