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Home Decorating Design Dilemma

Need layout help for big but awkward family room

last year

Our family room is good-sized but with few walls and a really large fireplace wall that dominates the room. We like the position of the sofa and TV (they've been in every imaginable configuration), and we use the round table under the railing a lot (arc lamp is not usually there, FYI), but need help with the built-in bookcase and how to finish/utilize the rest of the room. We have can lights but ambient lighting is an issue because there are no in-floor outlets. Hubby wants to rip out the bookcase and install floating shelves on the brick. I thought we might want to enclose the bookshelves and make a cleaner-looking built-in cabinet. Also considering a console with lamps on the right wall next to current bookcase. We are getting railings updated soon with black metal (horizontal) rods and white trim. Would appreciate any suggestions on making this room comfortable, more finished, and more useable. We spend a lot of time here watching TV and playing games and eating at the table. Thank you!

Comments (10)

Fori
last year
A floorplan with measurements would help.

If you get a larger rug, perhaps you can run electrical under it for a lighting. Or see if it would be too expensive to add some flush floor outlets.

It looks like the best spot in the room belongs to the cat (and the cat looks peeved in the one photo without the cat tree). I guess we want our cats happy because they make us pay for it if they aren't, but does the little table fit in that area? It might be a nice place for games/homework, cat permitting, of course.

It's a great room with lots of interesting aspects. Those are the worst to set up. :)
PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last year
I think book case looks good there, going well with all wood. Just declutter it and decorate better. Console with wall art above and lamps is a good idea.
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This suggestion is kind of taste-specific and might not be your style at all, but I'll share my thoughts... What about this long, lounge-y leather sofa from Article that Chris and Julia put in their cabin? This kind of sectional that's more like a sofa+chaise won't take up too much room in the narrow space between stairs and kitchen. https://www.chrislovesjulia.com/2018/01/sectional-frame-article-sofa.html With the floating stairs behind, I think you need something with simple lines, heft and no legs. The room could probably get cluttered looking very easily with those stairs, so my inclination is very minimalist furnishings. If you must have a TV in this space, I'd put it on the wall opposite the fireplace so at least you can view it from the kitchen. You could put a swivel chair to the left of the sofa so one could spin and see the fireplace. Personally, I don't think I'd worry about making the fireplace a "focal point." The sofa with the pretty stairs behind is a more important focal point, IMO, because it's what you see most prominently from the foyer, the kitchen and the dining room. Here's another layout that might provide some inspiration. Hefty, cool sofa flanked by a swivel chair and a bench. With an arc lamp. . . And a floor plan explanation:
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Small awkward open layout, big usage needs... help!
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Comments (4)
Dimensions of the room and your furniture would help a lot. My thoughts are to move your table to the wall where you have the bookcase with the shorter side against the wall. That would give your dining and seating parts of the room more separation. Put the bookcase on the wall where the table is in your drawing. I don't think a corner desk works best in this room. Look for a smaller narrower one to put behind the sectional giving you somewhere to put lighting. move the sectional further down just enough so you can just walk behind it to use the desk. The tv can stay where it is but the sectional shouldn't extend much beyond it to give you space to move around everything. Your floor to ceiling window shouldn't have anything in front if it unless you'd like to bring in some living plants to take advantage of the light it brings in
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Definitely go with comfort first. I would look for a 3 or 4 seater sofa to face the TV, with either than many separate cushions or one long bench cushion, so that nobody is stuck sitting between cushions If you decide to get a 4 seater you can get more wall space by skipping end tables and instead using plug in wall sconces or swag lamps, or an arch floor lamp For the other wall, not facing the TV, I would go with a swivel chair. It could be really relaxed and beachy. Colourful or neutral depending on what kind of sofa you chose.
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Comments (8)
What isn't functioning now for you? I don't know if it would buy you any space (if you need space somewhere specifically), but you could maybe replace the bookcase with a horizontal unit placed behind the sofa like a sofa/console table. Switch out the dining table to where the bookcase is now. That would allow the sectional to be moved toward the space left by the table a bit and give the dining table in its new space bit more breathing room.
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Lyn Nielson
last year
I'd put the TV on a swivel, and move the sofa to that solid wall.

Buy a few more pieces of upholstered furniture (a couple club chairs,)

Move the glass table to the window area w/ chairs. ... looks like you even have room for a sofa under the stair rail/kitchen seating wall. since you are updating the railing, I;d paint out the storage/kireplace shelving and that odd wood slope on the wall(s). Even a much larger area rug with some color/interest.
ffpalms
last year
last modified: last year
I think the fireplace has a lot going on and is definitely the focal point of the room. If you don’t need storage I would remove the cabinet - it is a clutter magnet. I would not add shelves to the fireplace as they would attract clutter, too. I might put a great floor lamp in that corner and a big snuggly chair to hide the electrical outlet. It’s a wonderful room with all that light. Simplicity is what I would keep in mind going forward. Will you be purchasing four chairs for the glass table?
kandrewspa
last year
I would paint the fireplace and wall unit if you want to keep it - all the same color. SW Urbane Bronze comes to mind - def not white. Maybe there is a warm charcoal color that would work, but your floors are very warm, so you have to be sure not to use a cool color. IMO there is nothing to be gained by replacing the wall unit with floating shelves. If you have children an enclosed wall unit might be your best bet, but still with everything on that wall the same color. Or remove the existing wall unit and leave that section of wall blank as another poster suggested. What is under this room? If the joists are open underneath you could add floor outlets.
elcieg
last year
What if the mantel is dark, the bookcase is dark, all the shelves removed and you create a collage. This idea:
ffpalms
last year
Nice big chair and lamp to replace built-in.
hhein
Original Author
last year
Thanks for the comments, everyone. I should have explained that the bookcase is not usually that cluttered! :) Appreciate all the feedback.
everdebz
last year
last modified: last year
Since you mention clutter, and a houzzer mentioned good idea of hiding clutter with doors - do you like the idea?

Kitty might be saying, "I'd like a bed where the lower doors are... why not?" ;)
everdebz
last year
Which photo shows the room as it is currently?

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