Software
Houzz Logo Print
luzianalady

Help Decorating Small Living Room Please

15 years ago

New to the forum and hope someone can give me some advice on decorating this room. It is L shaped, with a small kitchen on the other end of the L, divided by an island. On the opposite wall is the TV, and behind the couch is an antique drop front secretary bookcase..and a tiny foyer. The ceilings are 14 feet, the peak being right above the chair.

Now, for my problems, lol. I bought the large picture at a church Thrift store, and started trying to decorate around it. Not having much luck, and would like some opinions. Need ideas for curtains? The chair is centered between 2 windows. The brown/white check are not going to work? I also have some solid chocolate brown and also some off white roll up curtains, that I'm not sure of either. Any ideas? Seems like it needs something to bring the colors together? I like casual, even country. Do I need a smaller coffee table? I'm not able to center the ottoman in front of the chair because of the wood chest I've used for years as a coffee table. Floors are wood and I think I need to turn the rug around? Throw pillows and knick knacks are strewn about as I'm struggling for a color scheme, lol. no organization. In fact the room is beginning to take on a "busy" look.

I'm NOT a decorator and would love some outside opinions. I'm at a total dead end. Thank you in advance, any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Comments (7)

  • 15 years ago

    I think you have a really nice room. Just some thoughts. Can you move your lovely artwork so it's completely visible above the chair? I would also remove about half of your throw pillows. Three on a chair seems like too many. It also loooks like you have white throw pillows on your sofa. Since they don't really add any color to your room, you could remove them also. The only thing that looks a little "off" to me is the wood blind. A bamboo blind with some texture might be a good alternative. You might also move the two round artwork so they don't compete with your primary art. But, all in all, it looks to me you're almost there.:)
    Dee

  • 15 years ago

    Love that big picture. Can you raise it higher, since your ceiling is highest at that point? It's big enough that it commands the whole room.

    I'd remove the small, round pix, and I think you might be ok with the solid chocolate brown drapes. The check is a bit busy with the painting and the color is just too cool for the warm wood tones.

    I second removing the pillows. They just clutter up the room. But I do like the green, so I'd see about adding a green throw.

    I think the coffee table is a bit undersized for the furniture, something square, that mimics the painting would be good. Since you like a country look, could you use the ottoman as your coffee table and add a large tray to it? Maybe then you could put that chest next to the chair and add another lamp.

    I'd get rid of that small table thing next to the chair. And replace the table lamp next to the sofa with a floor lamp. That round table there doesn't fit with the angles you have going.

    Any chance of changing the sofa/chair? They're kind of contemporary, but if you can't replace them, definitely add some texture with throws.

    I love the green/brown/white color scheme. Maybe if you got a print rug, that would help.

  • 15 years ago

    Thank you so much Dee! I agree about the pillows, I just keep adding them, and confusing the look. And the hints on the pictures really helps too!

    I also agree about the blinds, it took YOU to point it out, lol. A very good point. I had lower wooden shutters before these blinds, with tie up curtains above, and I'll have to say I liked them better. But the bamboo sounds even better.

    I think some of my problems in decorating, are that I love polka dots, gingham, and plaids (country) and am trying to mix them with the zebra and more modern art, confusing the whole design. I love the lime-like green accent color, seems to liven things up.

    Off I go to raise the picture, lol and thank you so much. Glad I found this forum.

    Jo Ann

  • 15 years ago

    Oh wow Pesky, more great ideas and yes yes YES!

    I've had the round drum table since the 60s and it's time to retire them, lol. The ottoman is a fantastic idea for a coffee table, it's large and square. The chest is handy for storage, since my house is small, but I'll try it by the chair as you suggested, or possibly on the opposite side of the room.

    Printed rug is an idea I've been toying with, and I think you're right. It would bring my colors together.

    Thank you both so very very much. I've got my work cut out for me tomorrow!

  • 15 years ago

    luzianalady, I'm not a decorator at all, but I like the suggestions folks have made. Do post a photo when you make some of these changes so we can see your progress. I like your art very much, it nicely incorporates some of the colors in your room. Have fun tomorrow (today now). I'm only housecleaning, no fun redecorating for me today!

  • 15 years ago

    i think you've gotten some good suggestions so I won't repeat any of them.

    What I am looking at is your curtains.......what I would suggest is getting a wider curtain rod, so that your curtains hang to the sides of your window. And I would hang the rod higher than your window trim. With 14 ft ceiling, you can experiment with how high looks good.

    You will need fuller panels and a longer length panel to do this, but I do think it will make a real difference to your room.

    I like your room a lot. With some tweaks, it will look really great!

  • 15 years ago

    I'm so glad I found this forum! You ladies are wonderful.

    I'm going to make some of the changes today (along with cleaning house, lol) and I'll post another picture later to show the progress.

    My son helped me build this little house (632 square feet) after my husband died about 5 years ago. I have decorated, undecorated, changed colors, and literally worked myself into a frenzy the past year trying to get it "right". I'm a thrift store, g/sale junkie and have accumulated so many decorating things (throw pillows, curtains, pictures etc) that will not work, and it's time to clear them out, and start anew.

    I really appreciate your help and suggestions, they're helping so much!

    And Barb, the curtains have always been a mystery with me. I've never been able to get the right look. Your ideas are really good, but I think I'm going to wait until I get the furniture, etc rearranged and step back and see how it looks, before making a decision. I live alone, a very casual lifestyle, the house being a little wood cabin style on the edge of the woods. I actually like the open look at the windows so I can see the trees, squirrels, etc, so don't want to get it very formal, if that makes sense, lol.

    I saw some wheat colored simple long linen panels at our newly opened "Dirt Cheap" store last week that interested me. I'd like something I can pull back during the day to let in the woodsy view. Just some thoughts to ponder. I have the black loop clips to match the black rods (somewhere, lol)

    Again, thank you all! And I'll report back soon as I make some changes.

    Jo Ann