How to finish off this living room?

8 years ago

I have been trying to figure this problem out for a while...when you walk into our home, you enter into our living room. We have two young kids so toy storage and staying on top of clutter is a constant battle. Then our living room backs right into our dining room and off to the side is a doorway to staircase to go upstairs. So the questions are:
1. How to decorate the rest of my living room so I'm not blocking entrance ways.
2. It's a pretty dark room - I would love to lighten it up. Maybe a new rug? The window treatments are another constant battle because there's a school nearby so lots of traffic but was want to her some privacy while bringing in as much natural light as possible. There's no built in lighting in this room. It's an old home, 1930s.
3. Wall color doesn't have a lot of continuity to the dining room which is a bright yellow. The living room is a neutral beige.
4. We love to entertain but clearly this makes it difficult for people to sit, but their drinks/food down somewhere...while having room for the kids to play in the common area.
I'm very confused as to what to do and would appreciate hearing any thoughts this community has!!!

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Comments (5)

PRO
Cramers Carpet One Floor & Home
8 years ago
Hi Veronica. You don't give the dimensions of the room but I wonder if you could fit a love seat facing the fireplace, "L"-ing it with the sofa? You would be creating a "foyer" space behind it where you could put cubbies for shoes, toys, etc. Then, in front of the sofa and this new loveseat, you could do an upholstered cocktail table, for more seating when entertaining or a place for the kids to play a board game or color.

You should really look into top down/bottom up shades for the windows. Hunter Douglas has some beautiful styles (and a great website.) The top down feature of these shades gives you all the privacy you need while letting in all the natural light, very much like a transom.

You don't have a lot of molding, and you said the room needs light, so why not be classic and paint the walls a nice white? I noticed that you love art and photos: white walls make the best backdrop to show your masterpieces! But, paint the wall over the fireplace a shade of the dining room yellow. The yellow will contrast with your white mantelpiece and will create continuity with the dining room.

Replace your area rug with one that's smaller, that will define the space in front of the sofa, instead of almost filling the room. Look for a geometric with a medium tone background with a light motif to further lighten things up a bit.

I hope some of these ideas help to get the ball rolling for you. Best of Luck!
Susan Davis
8 years ago
Flip the art and the gallery wall and edit the gallery wall to one third pictures one third stuff and one third empty space.

organize closet so it meets the needs for entry and exit items only. Store or move no essentials

find ling low storage cabinets with cubbies to store toys easily and attractively

add more seating to the room
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Veronica
Original Author
8 years ago
@Cramers Carpet One Floor & Home - thanks for the ideas! I never considered white because it seemed too 'blank' but it might be what I need. Would you paint the ceiling above the crown molding the same white too or would you contrast that with something else?
lefty47
8 years ago
HI -- Beautiful older home . Paint the whole interior a warm white ..ceilings too . Find a nice wardrobe for the stuff and place it where the big painting is now and place a small narrow storage bench near where all the shoes are lined up . Paint the front door a semi-gloss black . The wardrobe /coat closet could be white also or a light wood . Get a natural fiber or a neutral carpet that just has texture perhaps a textured one with a bound edge or a black band or border . Have venetian wood blinds either in white or a natural wood tone with drape side panels beside the window and just covering the sides of the window slightly . The blinds give you more control of light and privacy . Either lighten up the furniture or add some color in accents in cushions or décor . Add good LED lighting with table lamps and a floor lamp or two.
PRO
Cramers Carpet One Floor & Home
8 years ago
Veronica, I think I'd use BMs Dove White on walls and ceiling...except that accent wall above the fireplace. And I'd use BMs Super White on all the trim. This will add volume and brightness to the space, and changing up the trim just this little bit will make it fresh and crisp, not boring.

How to finish off this living room?

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Cramers Carpet One Floor & Home

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How to finish off this living room?

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