I took my time, now I need to hurry up. Living room freak out…help!

last year

Hi everyone,

I can really use your design eyes. We recently purchased and moved into a new home. Although it’s an older home it has so much charm and character.I was dragging my feet to start designing the living room. I’m not a designer at heart and just felt once I started making purchases I would regret it. Now we have been blessed with having a little one after trying for 8 years (that’s another story). I have to get this room together before baby comes in about 4 months. My idea is to brighten the room with a bright color. Stain the floor gray. Put a couch or two accent chairs up against the staircase. Place a couch or loveseat near the big window. Lastly, place the TV in between the two windows. The picture with the furniture in it is from the previous owners and I didn’t like their layout. I think they only had it like that for staging purposes. Please help! Any design, furniture, store, sales, just any suggestions will help. Oh, keep in mind I would like it to be baby friendly. Thank you in advance!

Featured Answer

littlebug Zone 5 Missouri

last year

Don’t ruin that beautiful floor by staining it gray. If you want to brighten the room with a bright color, forget gray altogether.

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Comments (41)

Brown Dog
last year
If you place your furniture the way you described, you will have traffic flow going in the middle of the room, between the couch and the tv. The way the previous owners had their furniture, traffic flow was kept to one side of the living room and more ideal. It sounds like you will be purchasing furniture for your space so you should probably figure out how you’ll be using this room first. If this was my home, I wouldn’t want to put furniture in front of that great looking staircase. Also, rethink your choice of grey stain for your wood floors. Grey stained flooring is very trendy today and has a limited shelf life. You may hate it in five years. Also, try to keep your flooring colour the same throughout your home for a more cohesive and unified look. You’d be better off painting your walls grey instead of staining the floor grey. Paint is a lot easier to change than wood stain.
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HU-187528210
last year
Ok a few things.
First of all, agreed with the above. Don’t stain floors gray. Nope.
I see why you’d want to change them up a bit. They are very orangey and super glossy. On my screen at least …
In terms of layout -
I think you need to create 2 seating areas. On the left side of the room I’d do two chairs and table. Like a little “coffee room” moment.

It’s too long of a room not to separate.
Then on the right side - I think I’d do the sofa in between the two windows. And the TV on the staircase wall.
Congrats on your little bundle💗💗
Take it easy 🤍🤍
Alicia
last year
Please don’t stain those floors grey. Use creams and beiges to warm up and brighten the room.
HU-187528210
last year
I don’t know anything about your style. But, I hope this inspires🤍🤍🤍
Mrs. S
last year
To me, baby friendly means a comfortable glider chair: one in the family room and one in the baby's room. Toddler friendly means no glass coffee tables.

I'm all for great design (that's why I am here: to learn); but babies have a way of taking over the house. I've been there and loved every minute of it. It is a true blessing. Good luck!
Alicia
last year
As a mom of a 2 and 6 year old, I recommend rugs (for crawling) and no dangerous coffee tables! If you do a coffee table avoid glass and get something that is easy to move out of the way for play space. We had similar floors in our old house, and we just lightened it up with some wool rugs.
arcy_gw
last year
I support the NO GRAY FLOORS group! The fastest/easiest given your condition would be carpet--large to cover the orangey. This is not a time for your home to endure the stripping and sanding and refinishing it would take to bring your floors to a beautiful natural wood finish. Babies are LOUD so are hard wood floors. You will spend the next several years ON THE FLOOR. Softer is easier on everyone. Kid STUFF takes up ROOM. Get the basics now and leave the decor- baby friendly means not much a toddler can't touch!!
littlebug zone 5 Missouri
last year
last modified: last year
I missed the part about the little bundle of joy.

Let me share a personal story: when I was pregnant with my first, we were living in a small, old house. When I was 6 months along, we were able to buy a much more appropriate house. It needed painting, new floor coverings, etc. I was so, so excited! I packed and painted and helped move, and 4 weeks later I was in the hospital with pregnancy complications. I stayed in the hospital 3 nights until things settled down (don’t want to get too graphic here) and was finally allowed to go home. I stayed out of the house when others were painting and kept my physical activity to a minimum. I was able to carry the baby full-term and he’s now a strong and handsome man.

Bottom line: TAKE IT EASY! Make your health and your baby’s health #1.
jordanmicayla
last year
Can you hand draw the room with dimensions incluing the door & window openings?
K C
Original Author
last year
Thank you everyone for all the advice and ideas. I will listen and keep the floors a natural tone. I will be out the home for a few days while the contractors work. Please see the pics below to see the rest of the 1st floor and tell me if your suggestions change or not based on the rest of the first floor. The living room looks nothing like the rest of the home so it is so difficult for me to figure out the design. This is the sunroom.
ffpalms
last year
Here’s a possible layout, but won’t know for sure until we have some dimensions. Placing the TV on the window wall should minimize glare on the screen. I would use small poufs instead of a coffee table to make the room safe for a baby. A tall cabinet to store toys, and only artwork on the stair wall so the traffic path is left open. Below is a visual to determine the best height and distance for TV viewing,

Helpful Info · More Info
K C
Original Author
last year
I like this! The middle of the window is not aligned with the blank space on the staircase. People would have to look to the left to watch the tv. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t want the couch between two windows. I will take a pic to show what I see from the other side.
K C
Original Author
last year
The rest of the 1st floor
elcieg
last year
last modified: last year
So every floor in the first floor is tile, except for the living room?

Definitely leave all the tile, wall color, etc for now.

Keep the living room floor, Reverse the colors.

Choose white slip covered furniture to connect with the rest of the first floor.
K C
Original Author
last year
I do like this Judianna! Thank you. Would you still do the white with a new baby? Baby will be here in 4 months. Back in the day children were taught not to touch certain things. Now with the new age children, things are a bit different. I did hear of performance fabric furniture but wonder if it is durable still in white.
K C
Original Author
last year
This would be the view if I put the couch between the windows. It’s off centered if I were to put the TV on this wall.
jordanmicayla
last year
Check out washable paints like BEHR’s satun or eggshell sheens.
K C
Original Author
last year
Thank you for that. I had the upstairs painted and its all matte. Fingerprints everywhere!
jordanmicayla
last year
Eggshell will be the closest to matt in terms of low reflection but it is washable. satin will reflect more light making things more shiny which is great in a dark room. i lean towards BEHR eggshell for most walls.

also i was just looking at HGTV magazine pg 77

and this picture may be a nice application for both stair walls- paint below stairs and wallpaper or stencil above stairs
K C
Original Author
last year
Now that is nice! I see wallpaper is coming back.
jordanmicayla
last year

Is this even close to your rooms dimensions?

Having dimensions would make it so much easier to help with furniture placement
everdebz
last year
last modified: last year
If ivory-ish walls, and blue ottoman - this could be pretty.
Carrington Armchair, Avignon Sky Fabric and Solid Wood Espresso Legs · More Info

GDF Studio Alfred White and Blue Floral Fabric Club Chair with Chrome Nailheads · More Info

Herrera Classic Armchair With Pattern, Paisley Beige · More Info
everdebz
last year
Beige, mocha, blue or dark grey-
GDF Studio Evelyn Mid Century Modern Fabric Loveseat, Beige/Walnut · More Info

GDF Studio Temescal Mid Century Modern Dark Teal Fabric Club Chair, Dark Teal · More Info

GDF Studio Evelyn Mid Century Modern Fabric Arm Chair, Blue/Walnut · More Info
elcieg
last year
last modified: last year
Choose either a performance fabric or slipcovers. My friend always has slip covered furniture. It has held up with two boys, two dogs, the boys' children and their dogs. I don't know your budget but there is a slipccovered sofa at IKEA which ranks high on the lists of "bests"

Another friend, who can buy anything she wants, always goes with IKEA sofas, slip covered (in all her 4 homes). Her money goes into rugs and art...beautiful interiors. It is the Uppland sofa.

Another suggestion from this photo, this might be the time to choose a rug.

List of several, reporting the pros and cons.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-area-rugs/
PRN
last year
On a side note, I think your dining table would look better if you turned it the other way and centered it in the room rather than having it pushed up against the wall.
K C
Original Author
last year
Thank you everyone, my wheels are turning and I’m now excited about the project rather than being drained. PRN I’m getting a round dining table that was the pic of the previous owners.
K C
Original Author
last year
Jordanmicayla, I’m attaching a pic not as detailed as yours. Hope it will help.
K C
Original Author
last year
Everdebz, I love the color scheme.
Mrs Pete
last year
Thoughts:

- I understand waiting until you're SURE of what you want.

- Those floors are lovely. Do not, do not, do not stain them gray. What you have is so much nicer, and gray is trendy /on its way out.

- I see cords in two spots in that first picture. Before your baby starts crawling, those need to be under control. They're a hazard.

- The black stack-drawers, the TV stand and the TV-tray all have a college apartment vibe. They've gotta go. Switch them out for more substantial-sized wooden items and attach shelves, etc. to the wall for safety.

- I'd consider keeping the existing sofa. Your baby will soon become a toddler, and toddlers have no respect for nice things. Add some nice throws and pillows for the moment, even a slip cover ... and treat yourself to a nice sofa when the kiddo is older.

- You've seen some really lovely chairs above, but -- for a person about to have a baby -- I'd rather have an old-fashioned, comfortable recliner. You'll be sitting for hours feeding the baby, and you'll appreciate the comfort.

- I also really like the round coffee table above. Hard corners are not baby-friendly.

- I like FFPalm's suggested layout.

- Add a nice rug in the middle of the room where the baby can play. I don't have any Ruggables myself, but that might be a good idea -- washable would be a benefit. Add a thick padding under it.

- Add a couple big baskets somewhere so you can stash away baby toys.

- Place a Pack-and-Play behind the sofa (so it's convenient for you but not completely visible from the door). It'll give you a place to set the baby when you go to the bathroom, etc.
Alicia
last year
I would probably avoid white furniture. Beige, navy, patterned or grey is ok. The first time your baby knocks over your cold coffee (that you forgot about and never had time to drink) your white sofa is a goner. You don’t want to be dry cleaning slip cover all the time either. We had a brown ikea couch in our tv room, it held up with my 2 boys and pets for 6 years ok. I don’t like brown all that much, but it was better than a sofa with stains all over it. You can always lighten up the furniture with white or cream pillows and throws that you can stick in the washer with some oxiclean. Congrats on your new house and baby! You’re gonna have so much fun!
ffpalms
last year
Here’s a badly drawn floor plan with the room dimensions you provided. Each square equals one square foot. The whole grouping will need to slide up a couple of feet so it’s centered between the windows. A storage armoire or cabinet could go on the entry? side of the room. An 8 x 10 rug looks like a good size for the space.
ffpalms
last year
I’m using this photo as inspiration for an affordable storage armoire. That blue portion showing on the right side of the room reminded me of those huge entertainment cabinets that were once used to house big fat TV’s. You may be able to find one on Craigslist for a fraction of the cost of an armoire, and paint it a color that suits your color palette. It would hold a lot of things to keep the room free of clutter.
Alicia
last year
Just make sure if you get an armoire to secure it to the wall
jordanmicayla
last year

Pictures below are for ideas of sofa configurations - not styles keep in mind that family/baby friendly will serve you best for the next few years . ”He who wears the Pampers RULES the house!” - and its okay!!
K C
Original Author
last year
Jordan you are extremely detailed, thank you!! Got my wheels turning. I’m so in love with this two piece sectional. What do you think?
jordanmicayla
last year
Nice!! it will fir your current need and it looks so comfy. great color eo work with
jordanmicayla
last year
Do they have an upholstered ottoman to go with it? One with storage would be great. Upholstered would really help with toddler falls and youll be glad to have it for adult uses like propping your feet on it . looking so forward to see your other finds
jordanmicayla
last year
GREAT PRICE POINT TOO!!!!!!!!
K C
Original Author
last year
Thank you! The pillows do flip over to an all solid color. The lounger part actually detaches. Unfortunately it does not come with an ottoman. Do you think I could find one that goes with it?That would have been perfect! Now to find a coffee table and two accent chairs to go with this. I would need to get accent chairs to support the big men in our family. This set is extremely firm which I like. We put it on hold just in case we go with something else, but I keep coming back to this one. I have been getting a lot of gray and I’m glad to get something in the family but it’s more of a taupe.
jordanmicayla
last year
Ask for the scotch guard treatment on all upholstered pieces. Regarding the ottoman -matching is more work than its worth instead go for an accent color and pull that color into the pillows or lap blankets, art , etc so it looks like part of the plan. Have fun with it You may even find accent chairs that go with the ottoman.

Chairs & big men- the story of my life. The thing about men is the are very honest about their seating preferences -if it ain’t comfortable, they ain’t hanging around! I live in N. Alabama so forgive my southern. Look for chairs that are rated for “300 lb capacity”. They will hold up better, last longer and will be more comfortable for everyone and hopefully be really comfortable for you and baby. Regarding baby- get yourself a good upholstered recliner - even if you never thought the words Lazboy would be in your vocabulary or in your house, i slept many a night with a sick baby on my chest and the recline was my and my husbands saving grace.