tonicuk

Complete through lounge remodel! Need an injection of character

tonicuk
3 years ago

Hi guys, I've nearly finished the downstairs of my house 😊😊 only major thing left is my through lounge.

I'm really unsure what to do but I really, really dislike the neutrality of it all!!

Mainly, I want to add character.

There are lots of ideas that I have been considering:

Wide plank wall panelling low level
Coffered ceilings
Window seat
Fake chimney breast (behind where sofa currently sits)
Plaster cornices
I like bricks (brick slips) on show
I like blues and reds

One of my worries is that long wall I have (behind the sofa) it's approx 8m long! To just tar it with 1 colour will, I think, be a little much?

SOS!

Any ideas?

Thank you

Comments (8)

  • tonicuk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Anybody? 😬 No idea what floor to put down.
    Something dark and rustic or something lighter?

  • Tamara
    3 years ago

    I think overall your ideas are great. The best way that I’ve seen character injected into wonderful spaces like yours is with leafy plants - a couple of big (but different) ones and then loads of smaller ones all in nice pots.

    I like your panelling idea but I think in the design above, it’s far too high on the wall and dominates the whole room, even though it’s white. I love the blue colour.

    One idea I had to add some interest to your room was a bespoke bookcase acting as a kind of room divider between the living and dining areas. Or maybe one on each side of the room there, leaving a slightly larger than doorway size opening between the “rooms”.

    As for the floor, I’d probably go for something with a nod to the period the property was built in - maybe herringbone or parquet? Wouldn’t go too dark with it but a bit distressed...

    I’d probably put a radiator cover over the radiator too and use it as a shelf (for plants or small bits).

  • Lynn Baba
    3 years ago

    The floor is lovely--I think a bit of decorating will help fix things. There is too much visible floor--you need a couple of large rugs to define spaces, which will also cover much of the floor area. Your living room rug needs to be much bigger--large enough for at least all the front feet of your furniture. I would use another large rug on this side of the sofa to define this space, too. Buying a couple of extra large rugs is much less expensive, and less labour, than relaying the entire floor! I also think the paneling is too stark (and tall) for the room; I would paint it a darker colour, something that continues the tone with the walls. Right now, the contrast between the walls and the paneling is too stark. (Think about lowering the paneling too, but that is much more work!) I would also think about moving the television away from that beautiful window. Finally, I would think about introducing some throw pillows on the sofa to soften the leather and bring its colours more in line with the rest of the room. Right now, you have a yellowish floor, bright white panels and ceilings, blue walls, red/yellow/green rug, and a beige sofa, and it is all a bit jarring and bright. Pick a complementary colour palette that you like, and use your a mix of palette and neutr paint, rugs, cushions, blankets, curtains, and some green plants to tie the room together. oh, and art or pictures! yeah, the paneling is far too high--you don't really have room to put anything on the walls above it. :(

  • Fiona Ca
    3 years ago

    Is it a solid wood floor? You could sand it and re-oil. I used Osmo oil in 'raw' which has a tiny bit of white in it so gives a more bleached look and stops the floor yellowing as it ages. Will you keep the sofa? If you’re planning to change I would go with a more contemporary style in a colour that complements the blue, maybe mustard yellow if you like that, and then get a couple of big plants. I agree that the panelling is a bit high but it will be a lot of work to take it down so you could use it as the baseline for some pictures or artwork so they rest on the top of the panelling. It already looks very different for. Your first photo and the blue is lovely!

  • Sonia
    3 years ago

    I can only reiterate what has already been said. A lovely big rug! I love Persian rugs but they are expensive, so a faux Persian rug is a good alternative. I love the faded ones. The big rug will create real cosiness. You also have very few accessories like a mirror or art, the room looks a little unfinished. I think a big rug will tone down the floor. Yes the floor is a bit shiny and new, but the big rug will help break up the expanse of floor.

  • tonicuk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Thanks for the responses!

    The flooring is real wood but i have children and the amount of dust that refinishing it would create pushes me away from the idea.

    As for the height of the panelling, i agree it is out of the ordinary but it works and feels great inside the room.

    I have have locked horns with the wife about replacing them as I have grown to dislike them but she is dead against the cost of replacing it.

    You know, a larger rug never crossed my mind but I shall be on the lookout.

    Watch this space

  • Sonia
    3 years ago

    Tonicuk, I don’t think the panelling is too high, it’s lovely. I saw a picture today on a Farrow & Ball Facebook page and the panelling was the same height as yours. 😊

Ireland
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