joestifff

Lounge Design and Layout Help

Joe
5 years ago

Good Afternoon all you helpful people.


We are wanting to redesign our lounge, with a bit of inheritance we would like to treat ourselves to new sofas, fresh paint, and more modern furniture. The issue being, we are both fairly rubbish at knowing what goes with what, plus it is a minefield of colours and accessories.


I have come up with a rough plan of what I think "could" work, plus some examples of furniture we have seen we like, however, if non of this matches or works, be honest and tell me. i want to get it right first time.


The only item of furniture I would like to keep are the two Ikea armchairs (see photos below) however, if these don't work, I guess they can go elsewhere.


The room is fairly big (5.6m x 3.4m) but suffers from one main single door and a set of double doors to the kitchen, which makes furniture placement difficult.


Below is the layout I mention "could" work, along with photos of the furniture we like, a photo showing the Ikea chairs in situ at the moment, and a photo from the kitchen through the double doors the day we moved in. We have painted the wall with the double doors navy blue, we both love this colour, and have curtains on the opposite wall to match, but the other three walls are awful magnolia as we have no idea what


It gets very sunny the room as it is near enough south facing. Anyway on with the pictures.


The "proposed" layout:


Main sofa, Navy blue (to mix it up so its not all grey!



The smaller snuggle chair in grey:



The footstool in grey, to match the snuggle, can be pushed out of the way if needed for more room:



The current two chairs we have, they're so comfy, currently under the window as it's a tall window and don't want to block it too much:



Ikea Besta units, wall mounted, used the ikea planner to show how the room is and colours etc:



Potential rug, not 100% sure on this, but I like the idea of a large rug to hide the god awful carpet colour:


Industrial ladder shelving?:



Current layout, showing curtains we'd like to keep and the two ikea chairs, the fireplace is fake made by myself, just a flat wall behind, so this can go, this also shows the carpet colour and other three walls colour, all vile IMO, please help with colours, I think even white or grey would be better:



Photp form when we first moved in, looking towards the window that now has blue curtains:



Comments (31)

  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago

    I'd go with a warm grey or warm off white on the walls or you risk alienating the carpet.

    To bring the grey and navy and the carpet together you could try Mustard Accessories which work well with all your colours.




  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Hi Joe, i like all your furniture choices and man about the house navy and mustard colour scheme. how about this layout. it would create a better traffic flow.




    rug link https://www.modern-rugs.co.uk/vardo-var22-cloud-dancer-rug

    cushions from Wayfair and IKEA:

    https://www.wayfair.co.uk/home-decor/pdp/metro-lane-tate-cushion-tyne1329.html?piid=27054815

    https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/textiles-rugs/covers/malin-figur-cushion-cover-blue-grey-yellow-art-00281948/

    paint Farrow and Ball Pavilion Grey and Cook's Blue

    Images from https://www.iamfy.co/category/wall-art

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  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    HI, I thought about your room over night. I think you have too much furniture that you're trying to put in, and it needs streamlining a bit. This is your room with all the objects to scale placed in it.



    The shelving looks a little like it's pushed to the corners and the furniture is being herded in to the middle. The snuggle chair is too large for that space, it blocks getting to the ikea unit and impedes opening the doors. Only the sofa and one of the small armchairs is able to see the T.V from those angles.

    So- for instance, take out the snuggle chair completely. Different storage all around the T.V


    Just a different style, maybe have shelves or one ladder unit to the left.


    Or swap the sides back over, put the snuggle chair back in, it fits very well under the window and you can still get a good view of the T.V from that. Remove the armchairs.


    I still didn't like the cabinet at the end, it looks disjointed. So, I put a row of Besta cabinets in ( you have room for 3 across the back wall. I also took out one lot of ladder shelves, put and armchair and lamp in.


  • Joe
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Wow MATH, this is amazing work, thank you so much for all your effort so far, much appreciated.

    I think you are correct, I am trying to cram to much seating into a smallish area. With the snuggle, sofa, and armchairs, that is enough seating for 8 people, how often do you have 8 people in your lounge!!!

    On that note, I will look at your other plans. I didn't massively want to move the sky cable and other cables etc, but I want to get this right, so I shouldn't let the TV placement dictate the rest of the room. I have also looked at Marina's plan regarding flow and taken this on board, (thank you so much Marina).

    In your initial sketch, the IKEA unit for the TV is only 2.4m long, and the room is 5.6m , so less than half the length, your sketch however shows it encroaching over half way. However, even if we scale this back, I still agree with your comment of to much furniture.

    So I have gone back to the drawing board, using a few of your ideas above. Please see below.

    A few questions, which i would love clarification on:

    • Does the furniture we like actually all match,
    • Do they go with the Navy and Mustard colours?
    • Is the rug to "different" we would like to be bold, but don't know how!
    • Would it work changing the navy wall from the double doors to "TV" wall,
    • Would a change in carpet help? in the grand scheme of costs, carpet isn't up there. If so, what colour?
    • Can you have to many, to few lamps and side tables? Any ideas? modern or industrial?
    • I have put a pouffe in the new plan, a mustard one work?

    I can't thank you enough for your help so far, I wish there was a way I could repay you.

    The V2 plan (honest opinions please):



  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    5 years ago
    Hi Joe. Isn’t there a fireplace on the wall opposite to the entrance door?
  • Joe
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    There is, but it is a fake one, I made the surround, the hearth is just sat on the carpet, and the wall behind is undamaged (just painted black).

  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Hi Joe, I really do think that the White, Navy and Grey are super together. Here's your room laid out with the above in mind. I changed the rug to one with more white to pick up on the Besta Units. I didn't put in the unit between the door and window as I thought it looked odd.



    I took the mustard out and added in copper, you can also use brass, both of which are really on trend. This lamp is a bargain and a similar one from Swoon would be £149

    These are great too:-

    You could certainly argue that the carpet is harder to fit in to your colour scheme and that wood would work the best. The wooden tones work well with the metals and show off the whites.

  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago

    I have been trying to get the last two render's to load for over an hour now, Houzz is playing up yet again. I have emailed technical help as loading pics has been awful for weeks. I'll try again in the morning.

  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago


    Add in a few more accessories, finished. I like to have hard floors matching in all rooms downstairs and carpet upstairs. With the exception maybe of the kitchen.

  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago

    One down, one to go


  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago

    Thank God!!

  • Joe
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    MATH, i can’t thank you enough for all your renders and advice. You’ve certainly helped me narrow done what needs to happen. Some really good ideas. And I’m glad our colours work well.


    really like the final design, my one and only concern is that it may look like a wall of seating, however, in a fairly narrow room I think this is the only option.


    Thanks again, keep any other ideas for anything else coming. Lamps, tables, anything else.

  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    5 years ago
    I know know that there is nor fireplace on that wall I am still thinking for ideas. I have few pictures for some inspiration of colour etc. I am thinking know, maybe it is a good idea to make a real statement wall out of the tv wall. Can be classic off white/grey, painted blue or industrial metal and wood, which work well with navy and mustard colour scheme.
  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    5 years ago
    Paint Farrow and ball Stiffkey Blue and Blackened
    Joe thanked Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    5 years ago
    If you go for the bookcase tv wall, you’d have enough of shelving for the living room and won’t need the shelves behind the doors. The doors will be able to be open fully that way.
    If you don’t need too much seating, you could just have the 4seater with the footstool and two Ikea armchairs for extra seating.
    If you want to make the most if the window, it would look nice to have a console table, plant or a low long cabinet.
  • PRO
  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago

    I think all of the designs above show that you don't need to look like you've got a wall of seating, the trick is to turn the snuggle chair at an angle in the corner, have a lamp behind it, as it changes the line in to an arc. Then have a lamp or storage at the other end which isn't a chair.

  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago





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    Pavilion Chic Cushion Kazaar Hand Embroidered in Ochre www.pavilionbroadway.co.uk

    Malone 4 Branch Glass And Gold Metal Chandelier In White www.furnishful.co.uk

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    Vintage Retro Mid Century Danish www.ebay.co.uk

    Kameko Round Side Table, Walnut and Glass www.made.com

    McAlister Textiles Diagonal Patchwork Ochre Yellow, Grey & Navy Blue Velvet Cushion https://en.ukcurtainsandinteriors.co.uk

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    Estella www.modern-rugs.co.uk

    Oromo Lamp - Antique Brass www.furnishful.co.uk

    MALIN FIGUR Cushion cover Blue/grey/yellow www.ikea.com

    GOLD FLAMINGO gold metal pink flamingo ornament www.furnishful.co.uk

  • Joe
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Many thanks all. We’ve decided on a layout as above. With big thanks to MATH. We are going for the “wall of sofas” which isn’t really a wall of sofas.


    We we went to look at the next sofas, we are not a huge fan of them in the flesh. We are now looking at G Plan Sixty Seven, both in grey.


    however, does anyone know what this sofas is that Marina posted:




  • PRO
    User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    could be DFS Zinc sofa , not sure which colour though. Looks like one of their cushions.


  • Joe
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Having issues posting in this thread, not sure if this will work, but have started another just in case.


    Anyway, we are getting close to this room being done.


    We have settled on the room layout, which, many thanks to MATH will be this (stolen renderings below thanks to MATH):





    However, where the plant is (top picture), I will put just one of my Ikea Ekenaset chairs, and where the shelf and lamp is (bottom picture) we will put a shelf against the back wall.


    So furniture choices!!!!!! we looked at the Next sofa, didn't like it! Have kind of gone off the industrial bookcase, we think it is just to dark! So new ideas, but do these styles, colours, different types of wood match????? Please help and advise!!


    So firstly, the sofas, both the same colour, one two seater, and one three seater, Ercol Consenza:



    The legs are clear matt oak. the material a fun and exciting grey!!


    The shelving unit, which would sit to the right of the three seater sofa in the second rendering above:



    I love this bookcase, it is plywood construction (so not oak like the sofa feet) and I even like the colours used for drawer fronts, although they can be any colour we choose. I guess it wont look as "woody" with lots of books etc on it!!! it just feels more light and airy than the dark industrial metal one previously shown.


    Onto the TV unit, good old white (non gloss) Ikea Besta unit, with white (non gloss) doors:



    Then next to that, where the plant currently sits in the rendering, one of my Ikea Ekenaset chairs:



    So my better half's concern is the variation in woods across the pieces! However, I have heard not to match woods, as it becomes all "samey", plus the Ikea chair and tv unit are on one side of the room, and the chairs and bookcase on another!


    Finally wall colours, as advised by you lovely people, we are hoping to go for F&B Stiffkey blue, and F&B Blackened:



    However, I like the idea of the blue wall being the sofa wall, and the other three the blackened colour, so opposite to what MATH has rendered!


    Any advise on whether this will work?


    Many thanks again, you have been such a good help!

  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    5 years ago
    Es this is dfs sofa. The picture is form 2014 DFS twitter post referred as Barton sofa. The closest to it is Zinc from French connection series,but they don’t have it in that nice navy fabric.
  • Sarah
    5 years ago
    The sofa in the picture is DFS zinc in teal fabric. The colour can look very different in photographs online or when a filter is applied. I have the exact sofa at home and I've also matched it with the same ikea chairs - they work well together. I'm not sure why it is referred to as the Barton sofa, I've seen this previously as am still confused.
  • Joe
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thanks Everyone.


    Sarah, how is the sofa? I have read reviews that the cushions slide off constantly and that the material does not wear well after time. Be interesting to hear some non bias views.

  • Joe
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thank you pmasmith3


    It is good to hear first hand experiences of the Ercol, we are going to go to Harrogate on Saturday as there is a shop there that seems to sell a lot of Ercol sofas. They do also sell it in Furniture Village, but not in the best of colours!


    Do you find them quite an upright seating position? Or more slouch? That T232 colour looks very nice in your lounge.


    The only downside is they don't do a snuggler chair, so would have to be a two and three seater, much like yourself.


    There is a range called the Ercol Gela, they seem to have a snuggle chair.

  • pmasmith3
    5 years ago
    My husband is 6' and I'm 5'2" and we both find the sofas comfortable. Supportive to sit in but also nice to curl up! You might find the armchair suits instead of a smuggler.

    I tried the Gela but didn't find it as comfortable - also didn't like the colours. There's an Ercol 'for John Lewis' but I can't remember the name.

    Enjoy your trip to Harrogate .....
  • Sarah
    5 years ago
    Hi Joe,

    It would be fair to say the cushions do move about quite a bit and I have to nudge them back into position - particular the seat cushions. They probably move about because they're fairly light and hold their shape firmly so they shift around. The benefit of this is that the sofa holds its shape and still looks smart 2.5 years after purchase despite a lot of use.

    The particular fabric I have is very hard wearing. When you look close up the fabric is quite mottled so it is fairly forgiving. We have two young children who eat and drink on the sofa and the fabric still looks good as new.

    The sofa is comfy yet you are sat fairly upright, rather than slouching into it if that makes sense.

    I'm happy with it because I wanted something that wouldn't show stains, wasn't overly expensive (so that we didn't need to stress with the children) yet it still looks smart. I think it really depends on your circumstances and how you need your sofa to work for you.
  • Joe
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Quick thread bump. The living room is now 99% complete, and I thought I would update here to show you the finished article. You have all been a great help, and as you can see, I have taken advice from here to complete this room.


    So it is 99% complete as we are thinking of changing the lampshade on the large lamp behind the sofa to yellow as it is a bit lost being grey like the wall. Also we still need to buy a couple of yellow cushions.


    On with the photos:









  • Maths Wife
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I think it looks absolutely amazing, must tell Hugh, ( Man About The House ), he'll be really impressed.

    I would change one tiny thing............the pictures above the sofa. Swap them over, so that the long one is above the sofa and the smaller square is in the square gap above the table in between.

    It really is a credit to you, well done.

  • PRO
    Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
    4 years ago

    Very nice, well done! Beautiful room.

Ireland
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