Design crew
Sat, 5 Mar 2011
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"I could really use some help with finishing off my living room. The major elements (couch, love seat, ottoman, and cowhide rug) would remain intact, but I need some help filling in the accessories, especially what to do about curtains. We are hoping to add 2 low chairs, as the living room is a great room, with the kitchen and entry stairs behind where the photo was taken. I would love any ideas that people have to share. I am thinking of taking out the existing lamp and putting in a larger floor lamp in the corner (like this one)." - Jennifer
Reader Comments (23)
nice room!
i reckon i'd go for natural timber blinds on the windows.
you can direct the light when you want it and shut it out completely when you don't want it.
and a couple of embroidered leather pouffes.
and a living plant in a pot.
Great items so far! I agree with patti, a large living plant in a colorful pot would look amazing. You could also add some kilim pillows to the couch to add some warmth. And for the windows I do think that wooden blinds would be nice, but I would soften them with some easy, flowing curtains. I have the Wilma curtains from IKEA (http://www.flickr.com/photos/49923785@N03/5482695018/) and I love them. I think both the black and the white wood look great with the wooden blinds. Good luck!!
Although your furniture and decoration pieces are well matched there seems to be too much of the the same material (leather), 'low' shapes (the couches and ottoman) and earthy colours so a (high) green plant, a (high) lamp and some color (pillows, a big floor pillow?) would certainly liven things up.
Since there is so much leather used with the two couches and the ottoman I would recommend you move the ottoman to the bedroom (and put it at the footend of the bed or move it to the wall opposite the couch. I would instead bring in a simple table (not brown and more square or round table, e.g. a large round pouf with the glas top) instead.
The couch group seems too much cramped together , and 'glued' against the wall.
I recommend moving the 2-seater about 20-30cm to the left (=towards the door) and also to move the big couch a bit away from the wall. Also have a gap between the too couches instead of 'glueing them together'.
I agree with Caroline. I think you need to break up the furniture a bit. I like the idea of the pouffes too, but I think more leather might be a bit much? Unless maybe they were in a different color. If you could find them in a suede fabric would be nice. I would then move the ottoman perpendicular to the love seat and then get a new coffee table in a rustic wood colored finish and then place the pouffes in front of it. That way you can maximize seating space without the pieces blocking your vision of the room and you're not seeing any furniture backs. Then maybe a side table or two. One by the couch and ottoman. Perhaps small glass ones that are easily moved around the room if need be.
I love your furniture, but the lamp you are thinking about I am not to sure about...I would, as Hadrian and c&o above, move the sofas a bit, in order to have a less cramped look. The 2seat I would move away a bit from the window, and put a low long table/bench in front of the window - and put some high green plants on it! Perhaps you would not need any curtains then? I am sure the plants would love all the light from the large window.
I would also put some "opposite-colours" on the wall, something to break up the earthly colors of your furniture, perhaps a large blueish painting? I think the room would get more lively with some green plants, some more colors on the walls, perhaps some pillows in brighter colors and I would go to a fleemarket to find some funny special lamps! Put your personal touch on the room!
I would pull the sofa away from the wall and behind it put a slim console table with two lamps. This would help make the room less blocky and open it up. I also think the pillows are too matchy. Also, there is too much "cow" in that living room. If you are going for contemporary, I would move the rug or the ottoman, or both to another room.
I would recommend a bright color on the triangle of wall above the window to break the brown-taupe theme, maybe orange.. Also in the corner between the sofas a plant to take advantage of the light.
It looks like you've got some really good pieces. Your sofa and 2-seater look familiar. Are they by American Leather? They make nice stuff but, I think the set needs to be broken up. Could you use the 2-seater in another room (guest, office or bedroom)? A couple of visually lighter chairs (with legs...think Wassily, mid century teak, etc). Blocking less of the window will really open up the room. If you really don't want to lose the 2-seater, move it to the opposite side (in front of point where the picture was taken). Everything seems to be heavy, rectangular, contemporary and new. So, really either the ottoman or 2 seater should leave the room.
I'd love to see some plants, some eclectic vintage, antique , industrial and ethnic mixed in. I like your lamp idea, that or a single light Arco lamp. Could you lose the doormat? Perhaps, only one outside? Wood or bamboo blinds. Perhaps, side drapery panels if you want a softer look. You could even run the rod wall to wall with side drapery panels. It shouldn't interfere with the use of the door and will give the impression of a wall of windows.
Let your personality shine. Got some fun, funky accessories, weird collections, art? Maybe, it's time for some thrift-shopping or flea markets. Have fun!!
I love the room. Some more possible options:
1. I agree with others. Move the love seat a little to the left so that a prominent gap is visible between the two seating areas. Move the ottoman and cowhide accordingly.
2. Instead of your current pillows, adding four-five low height rectangular/square assorted pillows (click here for an example of the shape) with a non-busy single image or some funky text on it might look cool.
3. I think the room has too much brown (it might just be the lighting in the photo). If budget permits, maybe redoing the beige walls with white color may brighten up the room. You would still have the brown sofas, darker floor and the brown accent wall with the dark tiles around the fireplace. And the cowhide with the white and brown streaks (and the white ceiling) can help bring the room together.
4. The ottoman is too high right now and a small narrow or even a big squarish low-height table instead of it will work wonders. If you want to
keep the ottoman (for space reasons), then that might be another reason to go with white walls. Keep small books or some awesome coasters on your ottoman. Do not keep anything big because it will overwhelm it.
5. Another alternative is to just re-do the wall behind the long sofa in white color (but only upto the split which is visible), but leave it empty. As per the your photo, the split seems to introduce a narrow loft/shelf along the higher end of the wall. Add some tall books and some BIG colorful photos/art (with big prominent details and not busy details) on this loft/shelf. An example of this can be found here
This would maybe make the room look unconventional because then you don't have a conventional picture in the middle of the wall. If you do decide to place items on the loft/shelf, then you might want to place some clustered pics in a straight column on the corner wall where you currently have your lamp. This will ensure some continuity.
6. You can then add some greenery either in your room or on the patio (so that is visible from the room window).
7. The accent branches to the right of your TV can maybe be done away with or can maybe be of a different color to stand out.
8. Is the TV on top of the fireplace? If not, then add some big photo frames on top of the mantelpiece (assuming it wont cramp up the place).
I really like your furniture and the cowhide rug. I think you should change your lamps for pendant lamps (not too long tho, or it would hide your tv). Put your couches a little bit apart, they are way too close. Place your ottoman in the opposite direction of your love seat. You should get a new coffee table (a modern look would be nice to break the country look that the leather and the cowhide rug gives). You also should get a bigger and more colorful artwork to place above the couch, and a tall, thin plant to replace the branches that you have next to your fireplace. To connect the room, place brown pillows on your white ottoman, and colorful pillows on your couches (it would be a lot better with it matches with the artwork's color). For the curtains, get light wooden blinds. Hope you like it, and let us know which idea you chose!
And I agree with Rinku about the tall books, art and pictures on that loft/shelf !
I know this post is regarding blinds, but I feel like the space needs a break from poor animal skin. Maybe ditch the ottoman and find yourself a cute lucite coffee table, bring in some colour and more pattern with a custom roman blind, and texture via accessories.
re: the loft/shelf...perhaps along with the tall books, photos, add a plant (larger, hanging) towards the corner, nearer the window? Some larger pieces of ethnic pottery could work there too.
It may be the photo angle, but it looks like the ottomon is the wrong proportions...it needs to be wider, and yes, definately un-glue from the wall a bit. Move the love seat over, add some plants - all that. That might help fix the ottoman proportions anyway.
It depends a little bit on the style you want. At the moment it is quite 'matchy-matchy', which is not a bad thing if that is your style. It feels like you need to throw in something that picks up on the cow-hide character (i.e retro), like a really good art-deco chrome finished with glass round side table for the couch (would work with the lamp you like) . I agree with some flowy curtains, white cheesecloth that catch in the wind would make it a bit 'softer. Not sure about the blinds... Honey coloured timber would look very 'smart/swish'...but quite conventional. It really depends on your style.
I also think with the 'great room' scale, and the large walls, you could go with a MUCH bigger painting, at least half as big again. You could put your existing painting on the other side. That relates to what someone else said about bringing in some more height. It all looks a bit dwarfed by the vertical scale of the room. I wonder if you could add some interesting sculptural piece along the top ledge??? (be a dust collector though?)
Also, some honey coloured timber would be nice in the room - add some different textures/ finishes. Something with a rougher/bigger weave. Maybe floor cushions? I really think the biggest thing with all the leather is to add some different texture, and maybe vary your cushion palette a bit - some navy, some pattern?
Lastly - Art and sculpture....some big beautifully framed black/white photos might look good.
p.s Me again, I just wanted to say the couches are lovely, as is the cowhide (GREAT), and I actually really like the wall colour (I have the same :) ). I was going to suggest you go to the "Chester Jones" post here on desire to inspire. There are a couple of images there which I thought could work well....Picture 7 which has the chaise longue and the cushions and the sculptural pieces and the gold picture in the background. All of those (except maybe the side table) (and possibly the chaise) I could imagine would work well in your room. Definately the style of cushion and the sculptural pieces, and even the art. (not so sure about the lamp for your room either.) Sorry for the ramble....This is actually fun. Good practice for my own place!
i would swap the placement of the love seat to the opposite side of the room creating a more L shape focal point around the fireplace.
then place a thin table behind it with 2 small matching lamps.
Also, move the white rectangular ottoman in front of the window and add a round coffee table or even a cluster of 3 small round tables in front of the sofas. there is a lot of straight line and some roundness would break that up.
It looks like the tv is on top of the fireplace - can it be moved to the right (closer to the windows)?
As far as window treatments - i would do a combo of sheers with some rich silk drapery over that in brighter color. I think wood blinds would be too much brown & wood.
Have you considered layering rugs? something in a Navajo print or slightly Persian with the cowhide off centered on top? it could bring a nice eclectic look using tradition prints.
Are you in love with the paint? I would paint the wall with the door and the wall where the couch sits "5007-6A La Fonda Tortuga" by Valspar, available at Lowes, and the color nearest to the ceiling " 4004-18 Urban Sunrise" by Valspar. The TV wall , " 4009-2 Lincoln Cottage Black" by Valspar.
Angle that rug more and get rid of the white table. Find some old scarves at a fleamarket and make slip covers for your pillows. coordinating fabrics in a solid color for the back side of your cover. That would really change the room. Blues and Greens are so calming.
Wood blinds to match the wood flooring. Live plant, in a colorful pot was a nice suggestion in the other comments. You may want to add some pottery or art in the inset. nothing cluttered though.
I have played a little with the photo of the room and here is the new look - please see the picture here . I have added some pillows, a side table and lamp, curtains and two armchairs. All the stuff is from Crate&Barrel and Ikea. Wooden blinds, as posted above, would look also good with the curtains I think. I would also replace the glass vase (with branches) with some white or cream pottery. I would replace the picture above the sofa with some bigger scale b&w photography to create a sense of balance with the TV and fireplace on the opposite side of the room.
I too would remove the ottoman. I'd use a glass coffee table like this one here http://www.cb2.com/accent-tables/furniture/smart-glass-top-coffee-table/f3439?fromLocation=search. I would pull the large couch to the right more just so it hits the corner of the wall. I'd move the love seat closer to the patio door and away from the window a bit. I'd get a round side table (in wood) to the left of the longer couch as to break up all the rectangular pieces. I'd remove the current lamp and replace it with a table top lamp. I'd add colored pillows to get them to pop against the brown leather. On the wall to the right of the fireplace I'd add long floating shelves (four vertcal ones). This will give the room some more space to add art and give height to the room. I'd also add in a chair (in colored or patterend fabric) and set it diagonally from the right corner of the room (where the wall meets the glass windonw) looking into the seating area. This will create a more intimate seating area and add some color and texture to the room. I'd also add sheers to the window. I'd also remove the blinds from the door window and spray paint it with "frosted glass" paint. You can purchase at any hardware store.
Thanks for the input everyone!
The TV is stuck over the fireplace, because all of the media wiring is bright in there, so to move it would be a huge headache in re-wiring. I will keep my eyes open for some kind of plant to put in place of the branches, and maybe move them elsewhere.
Jana - I like the picture you put together. I really like the chair that you photoshopped in by the door. I have the dog bed there at the moment, but I might have to move it back, and put some kind of chair there. I like the way you have the curtains pictured, and will definitely try to do something like that for our window coverings.
The reason for all the leather, is our 140 pound Newfoundland dog. All of our surfaces are wipeable, since he drools a lot, and it inevitably ends up on the furniture (LOL). I had cloth upholstered couches when we first got him and it was a disaster! I might consider removing the ottoman, and bringing in a more modern table, like the table suggested by Tina.
I love the leather and cow hide! I think a couple lamps, side tables, spacing the couches apart, a plant and maybe painting the back wall with the painting a lighter colour will open up the space. As for the blinds, a tried and true favourite are the wooden blinds paired with sheers.. I've mocked up a little example for you that might help? Click here to see my alterations... Good luck!
pic.7 slideshow at http://studiogaia.com/ Kenneth Cole flagship store is inspiring:
2 color seating is better than 1 color on each,
floor and window textils match with basic color,
on going with ocres, (light, mid and dark ocres, sorry for being reductive)
see the jackets side by side? they don't go together, they don't have to, one has to pick.
see the ottoman? we seat and drop our stuff there, it's not lounge item.
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