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fisayooke

Please help me spruce up my living room

fisayooke
11 years ago
Decorating my living room has been a challenge to me. I would like to spruce things up some more but I've run out of ideas. As you can see, orange is my color of focus but at this point the space feels to 'oranged' out. I am currently trying out green as secondary color but I dont think it pops enough against the orange, so I'm open to ideas. In addition, I'm thinking about putting 2 accent chairs in the space in front of the dinning table...could you please comment on the idea and offer suggestions?

Comments (8)

  • Manon Floreat
    11 years ago
    I like your warm rich colors. A couple of quick fixes you can try. Create an L-formation with your sofa and loveseat by putting the loveseat in front of the window. You may have to pull the sofa in a bit. Pull the area rug closer to the sofas as well. You'll probably need a larger rug. Below is an option that would work in your room.

    Put the TV on the loveseat wall and put the painting above your entry console. As resources allow, think about a long low media console and a flat screen TV.

    Open the curtain and let them be stationary panels. Matchstick or bamboo blinds underneath can be installed for privacy/light control. The effect is that you'll have an accent of orange rather than a wall of orange.

    Orange and green make a very happy pairing. Try to find a patterned pillow that incorporates both colors to marry the two. Below is an example

    I hope this is helpful.
  • michigammemom
    11 years ago
    I would suggest that you switch the locations of your sofa and loveseat as the larger sofa is blocking your staircase. Make sure the large abstract painting is centered over the sofa. I like Manon's suggestion to add some throw pillows with pattern. I think the shiny curtains contribute to your perception of being "oranged" out. Curtains in beige linen would lighten up your room. Finally, I suggest lowering your dining light fixture to no more than 36' above the table.
  • PRO
    Sage Lane Realty
    11 years ago
    If you don't feel the love with green for an accent color, what about trying blue?
  • houssaon
    11 years ago
    I think the furniture arrangement should be changed, too. Either the sofa or the loveseat should be infront of the window.

    The panels are about 2 to three inches too short. Can you lowere them so they just touch the floor? I like the idea of the matchstick blinds, that would be enought to make a difference in the orange out feeling.

    The jar painting could go to hang over your hall console table.

    After you lower the chandelier, center the table under it.
  • victorianbungalowranch
    11 years ago
    How about a green/teal color accent and more of it? Perhaps as an accent wall in the dining room by the window with drapes to match or a nuetral. The windows you have are difficult to work with and feel a bit unbalanced and bare in the living room, esp. at night. Perhaps some uplighting and plants would help in the corners?. Nothing poisonous (no Philadendron) or easy to tip over of course.

    Maybe instead of the little Parson's table, you could have a long low bench with cubbies by the big window to help define that space and give you a place to put kiddie stuff. The top would be a great place for playing with blocks and whatnot--maybe some sort of soft edge or a low back could help keep toys from falling off. And it could be used for extra seating for entertaining.
  • decoenthusiaste
    11 years ago
    When you do the makeover, be sure to hang art correctly. I see a piece hung above the door frame level! Art should always visually "attach" to the piece furniture it is with - 8-10" above a sofa. If it is not with a piece of furniture, it probably should be hung in line and balance with pieces that are with furniture. Even with your big high walls, you live in the first 8 or 9 feet of space, so that is where to decorate. Your orange drapes appear to be multiple panels. If so, I'd take two of them to the dining window. Hang all of them so the bottoms graze the floor and try the matchstick blinds with them as suggested. Try the large sofa aligned with the stairs, floating in the center with its back to the dining room and facing the window wall. "L" the loveseat facing the tv, with arms of both sofas cornering. Would try a larger rug that both sofas could have their front feet on, and if you can afford it, one they could actually sit completely on. See homedecorators.com for rugs. Lower and center the large painting on the wall where it is now. Eventually, I'd get a large entertainment center for that wall to house the tv and have some display and bookshelves. Right now all of your furnishings are at one level, kind of drawing a line around the space. Would be good to have a more massive piece that breaks this linear visual. Consider replacing the dining light with a drum chandy and do lower it to the 36" level above the table, unless someone in your family is taller, then lower it to eye level for that individual. I'd center the hall console table on that wall and, as suggested, hang the jug painting with it. If you want to change wall color, greige and grey work well with orange. You'll have a lovely space if you just keep tweaking!
  • PRO
    S&K Interiors LLC
    11 years ago
    I agree that you should leave your draperies as panels only but please do not lower them. I recomend that you have the panels altered to hang from the ceiling to just breaking at the floor. You should have plenty of fabric to accomplish this because they do not need to be so full if they are just panels. Also extend the rod past the window far enough to allow the drapes to stack completely off of the glass. This is enlargen your window and raise the ceiling height visually. It will look much more dramatic. Green is a great color choice just make sure to use a darker green color like an olive shade.
  • fisayooke
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    Thank you all so much for all the suggestions and tips. The following are planned to be incorporated
    -Changing arrangement of sofa and loveseat
    -installing matchstick/bamboo blinds
    -Lowering and changing dinning light
    -repositioning wall painting

    Manon, thanks for providing pictorial examples of the items you suggested. Could you please tell me where I can purchase the rug from? Decoenthusiaste and houssaon , regarding moving the jug painting to the wall on top of the console. I am open to that, but my fear is that the painting is not big enough for the huge wall. What are your thoughts on that and Is there anything else you can please suggest for that wall?

    Thanks again everyone!

    ps: for those that suggested blue, thank you! In light of the suggestions, I plan to give green another go :)