Living Room Chairs Connundrum

by eddy4444

My wife and I would very much appreciate your opinions about a decorating
disagreement that we are having!
As you can see from the attached photo, we are in the process of re-decorating our living room. The rug will be ivory, the walls are B.M. Navajo (creamy beige), the floor is medium dark walnut (oak parquet), and the ottoman is light cocoa brown (suede). We have an existing chocolate brown leather sofa that we both like. The issue is with the two chairs that we have. One is a fabric club chair in light blue and brown-beige with a leafy motif and a black leather "Ikea Poang" chair with a light/natural wood frame.
My wife thinks that all three pieces go well together. I don't. Something bothers me and I am not sure if it is that the Poang is too large for the space or that the natural wood frame is too light in color, or ??. We discussed many options such as changing the Poang frame to a darker wood, changing the Poang for a smaller chair (style??), or ????
Help, please!

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Scott's Creative Home There are a couple of focal points currently in the room. Notice how the Poang chair stands out against the large open glass windows. The Poang chair has the lightest wood element in the room, which also pronounces its stature. Consider exchanging the chairs to see if the Poang chair blends into the room. You might also angle the chair and take the emphasis off symmetry, where the two chairs need to balance. Adding the final elements to the room design will allw you to focus on all the elements. Adding artwork and/or drapery panels will change your focus. When the room is more complete, you can decide if the Poang chair wood finish should be darker.

5 months ago · Like

mmilos Everything looks too close together. I would spread things a few more inches apart, add the rug and then reassess.

I think the patterned leaf fabric chair is too busy with the small parquet floor...but could look better on a simple textured ivory rug. However, I think it is this chair that doesn't belong. Perhaps upholstered in a lighter, textured fabric would be better. Get a new media console in the light wood like your Poang chair to tie it in. Or, two different matching upholstered chairs would make the design simpler.

5 months ago · Like ·

Aja Mazin I agree with you ~ Totally mismatched.

5 months ago · Like

Carrie I personally don't like those poang chairs so my first instinct was to get rid of it. Now, not so sure after looking at your room. I find they are too "college dormish". I think it could be the ottoman is too large, as well as the fabric chair (love it though). Maybe a 2nd poang chair, a new, smaller coffee table in a light wood as well as an entertainment/bookshelf combo on the wall across from the sofa. You need at least 1 end table to balance things out.

5 months ago · Like ·

MLB Design Group Studying this photo, I realize that each of the four main elements is different .... The comment about the "dorm room" seems right. I would get rid of the suede ottoman, then pick two of the remaining pieces to work with. You said both you and your wife like the couch, so keep that piece. Install built-ins at the wall as has been suggested here by others which will help declutter the space (dark wood with a white/light top would work well).

5 months ago · Like ·

GARY FINLEY, ASID there is yet to be any continuity- three items, one/one/one, each with its own independent personality, of which each is announcing itself rather strongly. Two of a kind would be helpful...

a rug will certainly help 'belt' this little group together.

no doubt a very large flat-screen is heading to the wall, right...

5 months ago · Like ·

Barbara Griffith Designs Get rid of the ottoman and the print chair. Get smaller ottoman that can still be a table top. Also need lighting, and every seat needs a place to set a drink. Need larger console if TV. It is all way too close together. You do however need a "print" in the room and it needs to be significantly larger than the parquet floor. I suggest a large stripe or large paisley, etc., it can be on a chair & pillows or draperies. Rug needs to be textural, but solid in color.

5 months ago · Like ·

By Design EK I agree with Barbara on the scale of the only two patterns, the upholstered chair and the wood floor, are too similar and something to break it up would help. The plain rug may do the trick. As for the chairs I think the feel of them as well as the scale are different. The Poang has the open frame, and all of the other pieces are boxy and closed. You may need to move the chair if you have another place to put it. You may be able to add an open end table in a light wood finish at the end of the sofa next to the leaf chair and this could make it feel more balanced. Maybe a round maple table with an open shelf, or just legs. Or I like the suggestion above to add a media center in a light wood, It could have some open shelving to go with the open feel of the wood chair. I think you are close to getting this all to balance out! I would add more light instead of dark.

5 months ago · Like

Kelly hmmmm...this is a mix of styles which can work if the arrangement is right. Chairs do not need to match in design, but they should in scale. I would get one more of either chair. The ottoman adds extra, easy seating...so I don't know that i would get rid of it. Is there room for one more chair? If so get one more fabric chair- place the ottoman between them in front of the glass windows. Now you have a new seating area. Not sure what is going on with the entertainment/media center, but it seems out of place. The walls are bare so your eye is drawn to all the furniture. An area rug would define the space. And window treatments floor to ceiling.

5 months ago · Like

groveraxle First, I think you should add the rug before you decide. My sense is that the piece that doesn't work, though, is the ottoman. It's too substantial; you'd do better with a coffee table with legs, I think. I also would include some blue in throw pillows to bring out the blue in the print chair.

5 months ago · Like

Aja Mazin Keep the existing chocolate brown leather sofa, return the other pieces.

Develop a plan before you buy anything else and make a costly mistake.

5 months ago · Like

Bonnie Get rid of the Poang and the ottoman. The Poang is too slim and airy to go with the couch while the ottoman adds one more heavy rectangle. Add a rug and then reassess.

5 months ago · Like