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jeanps

Living room ideas - help!

11 years ago
Hello, I am writing as I am feeling frustrated about my living room. I've poured over so many of the photos on this site, but none seems to be "it."
My living room is about 20' x 22' and has a lot of challenges: no entryway, one length of a wall has a fireplace between two windows (the only ones in the room) and the front door, both walls on either side of that wall has a door (one has a pocket door leading to a hallway and bathroom; the other goes straight into the office), and the last "wall" is about 2/3 the length of its parallel wall as it has a big open hallway that lead to the dining/kitchen and stairs.
My goals: more light, better flow (currently, the room -- the biggest in the house -- is used like a hallway/entryway because there isn't a lot of ways to have conversation seating given that we also have a big piano, and this is the only place where it can fit), better use of the room in general.
I am so lost that now I'm thinking of maybe switching out rooms, meaning putting the dining room here in the living room and the living area near the kitchen. While this seems crazy to have such a huge dining room and small living space, I can't think of what else to do. (Plus, the kitchen/dining are south facing and get the most light.) Another idea I've been thinking about is knocking down one or both of the short walls. What makes me hesitate though is that both of these rooms as well as the living room face the street, which would not allow for much privacy, if I want natural light.
Another fact: I have two little kids (both under five), so the house needs to be kid-safe/kid-friendly and with a little space for them to run around.
Thanks for reading, and I appreciate any and all ideas, comments, suggestions.
P.S. I've attached some photos, but please excuse the mess! The stomach flu took us all out last week, so not a lot of tidying up has happened recently.

Comments (4)

  • 11 years ago
    Here are a few suggestions for you to play with. It would be nice to create some kind of "entry way"; Try putting the small brown cabinet beside the door, under the window. This will give you somewhere to put down packages. Move the two chairs and put the piano in their place, as far from the door as possible. Ikea has some shoe cabinets that hold a lot of shoes but take up very little space and this could be mounted behind the door on the piano wall. Above this or beside it put some hooks for coats. Try putting the sofa facing the fireplace, making this the focal point in the room (mirror doesn't work there, put it on the wall, maybe over the piano). Tuck the highboy chair where the piano sat and maybe deep six the other chair to make room for play. Move the kids table and shelving to the spot the cabinet was on. Your windows could use a little dressing up, maybe just some inexpensive rice paper blinds. it looks like you've put up some temporary window insulation so lined drapes might be another option as they block cold air. Finally, I'd personally think about a brighter wall colour or an accent wall as the children use this space and it lacks warmth even though you have done a lovely job with the hand made decorations. Good luck, hope this helps as it was hard for me to totally visualize this room.
    jeanps thanked oneofeleven
  • 11 years ago
    Piano move to inside wall, kids to another area.
    jeanps thanked happyleg
  • 11 years ago
    I like the idea of switching the living and dining rooms. You'll be able to keep an eye on your small children while you're in the kitchen. If that doesn't work, then you can take down some walls. Good luck!
    jeanps thanked erikaha2
  • 11 years ago
    Glad you got over the flu - what a great family friendly home you have, lucky kids!
    I'm wondering how big your office is. If anything I would consider taking out the wall with the decals on it and putting the piano in that opened up space, an "extension" of your living room instead.
    Then if you still need an office or a kids station, I would consider running some built ins along the wall where the kids table and shelves are. Tall closed cabinets and slider cabinets for the kids items lower down,S easy access for them and no open doors to bump into, with a countertop to do crafts etc and still being able to keep an eye on them from the kitchen.
    Not sure how the dimensions would work out in real like for your living room area, but I would run an L shape couch arrangement win the open part toThe new piano corner, so that it delineates the entry a bit and creates zones, som sectionals come apart so that you could also simply leave an access opening in the corner of the sectional but it still reads as one couch.
    I like the shoe cabinet idea on the right entry wall, if you have lower hooks on the same height as the cabinets, then you won't see the jackets from every angle of your room. You could hang your mirror over the shoe cabinets to help give an entry appeal.
    jeanps thanked mveasey