Help! Living room needs a breath of life...
Melanie Smith
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (13)
Related Discussions
Breathing life back into this forum!
Comments (26)balkong, i'll tell you what i tried to keep on the balcony in winter. japanese yew - smallish, about 12" pot. overwintered twice/bloomed, then died 3rd year. hinoki false cypress - overwintered once. reg english ivy - died sev years when it was dropping into low teens; survived well last winter. this winter should be ok too - so hardy to 17F, sort of? it's in the biggest 18" pot. hydrangeas - overwintered once, but then bloomed very weakly. so not much point. montauk daisy overwinters well in 12" pot, burried in soil in 16" pot . so for me it's good. it even blooms 2nd year farely well. but then i chuck it, since it's weak. overwintered oriental lilies: stargazers once: wrapped the pot in big bubble and then covered with cardboard box overturned and lined in plastic. but easier to just dig in new ones in spring. oh, mums of course survive - but with NE sun won't really bloom. may be with your west sun corner they will fare better. that's about it for me. i had clematis on a diff balcony facing east/south-east. it did not survive winter though. also juniper survives, but it needs sun. may be SW corner will do. This post was edited by petrushka on Sat, Apr 13, 13 at 14:09...See MoreHelp breathe new life into my room please?
Comments (31)I think one reason it feels "off" is that nothing is centered on anything else. Everything is offset. In your original pic the chairs aren't centered on the windows or the rug, so look off; in the new arrangement, the chairs aren't centered on the fireplace, so look off. I do think the sofa looks better by the windows, like you have it now. Do two people mostly sit in the chairs with your feet on the ottomans? If not, what I would do with this new arrangement is move the chairs over closer to the sofa and center them in front of the fireplace. If that means losing the ottoman with the chair closest to the couch, in order to keep them far enough from the doorway, I would do that. (Maybe get a little pillow and use the end of the coffee table as a footrest if/when needed). Maybe try the taller lamp by the fireplace between the chairs, so you can pull the table back a bit and still have reading light if you need it. You might even be able to turn the ?console? to the left of the window and place it below the pass through so the chair closest to the couch could benefit from that lamp (as would that end of the couch). Or maybe try a sofa table arrangement behind the chairs to hold a lamp so you can put the chairs closer to each other....See MoreDownsized in real life. Update on my 1939 living room.
Comments (110)This house was 1700sf, but I want to "age in place" so I added a first-floor master suite, laundry and a new kitchen. The stairs are narrow, without a handrail, so I didn't want to use the upstairs master (it's now my studio)! The person before me lived here 30 years and had one of those lift chairs until she finally had to go into assisted living. The old kitchen didn't have original cabinets and there was only 1.5 feet (really) on two sides of the island, the cabinets were only 1 foot deep and the 1980s fridge couldn't be removed without removing the island (width of the sink and dw only). The rooms are on a 12' wide scale. So, my new master and kitchen are 12'x12'. My previous home that my husband and I built was over 4000 sf on 4.5 acres. I was an avid gardener (and blogger). I don't have the gardening/blogging in me anymore. I have 1/2 acre here....See MorePlease help me breathe life into an old bedroom
Comments (23)I actually like the color of the walnut. Perhaps doing the inset w/a tufted velvet would bring some life into it. you could also try a diff color on the wall? right now everything is very neutral, which is fine, but you will need to bring in some textures or prints if you want some 'life'. If you notice in your inspo pic, all the diff textures, the art work, the pendant lights, floating nightstands, etc. yours is bordering on a hotel look. So, if you're sentimental about the set, then you'll have to figure out some other elements to offset it's generic headboard look. Putting in a rustic wall w/that furniture, as is, won't work. Painting the wall another color and putting in a white velvet or linen inset might work though....See MoreMaureen
2 months agolast modified: 2 months ago
Related Stories
SMALL HOMESRoom of the Day: Living-Dining Room Redo Helps a Client Begin to Heal
After a tragic loss, a woman sets out on the road to recovery by improving her condo
Full StoryFURNITURE5 Daring Sofa Colors to Make Your Living Room Come to Life
Get expert tips on how to use bold furniture pieces to create a contemporary and refined living space
Full StoryDINING ROOMSDesign Dilemma: I Need Ideas for a Gray Living/Dining Room!
See How to Have Your Gray and Fun Color, Too
Full StoryLIVING ROOMSA Living Room Miracle With $1,000 and a Little Help From Houzzers
Frustrated with competing focal points, Kimberlee Dray took her dilemma to the people and got her problem solved
Full StoryROOM OF THE DAYRoom of the Day: Right-Scaled Furniture Opens Up a Tight Living Room
Smaller, more proportionally fitting furniture, a cooler paint color and better window treatments help bring life to a limiting layout
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESRoom of the Day: Multipurpose Design Brings a Room to Life
A neglected formal living room is redesigned for playing board games, watching TV and hanging out. A cohesive look pulls it all together
Full StoryROOM OF THE DAYRoom of the Day: Custom Storage and Furnishings Rock This Living Room
A space-savvy cabinet, bench and shelving unit near the entry help a busy New York family stay organized
Full StoryLIVING ROOMSRoom of the Day: Custom Storage Supports a Minimalist Living Room
Smart storage and furniture arrangement keep this space uncluttered while packing in all the function the family needs
Full StoryLIVING ROOMSRoom of the Day: Living Room Decor Marries a Couple’s Individual Tastes
She likes Southern sophisticated; he likes modern. See how a designer combines their favorite styles in this Atlanta space
Full StoryROOM OF THE DAYRoom of the Day: New Style in a Creative Couple’s Suburban Living Room
Classic woodwork and built-in shelving add function and interest and take a Long Island family’s living space to the next level
Full Story
BeverlyFLADeziner