Ruth, while it's not a good idea to buy matching sets, in this case you'll be able to make it work because the lines are simple and don't steal a lot of attention from the rest of the room. With the right curtains, rug, and accessories, this can be a very classy room. But first you have to get the arrangement right. Don't hide chairs in corners; make sure all seating relates to each other. Please try putting both chairs directly opposite the sofa and see how that works.

Ooh, ashtonchic, love the chartreuse!

Ruth - I would suggest some drapes like this to hang outside the blinds you intend to get.

Ruth, here are three different looks that take your current seating and add just a bit of punch. Gray curtains, a rug, a new chair to match, a pillow, and a bit of wood is all it takes.

Wow, grover!!!!

Hi everyone . Wow ..I love the idea that I can still work with my living room set :)) here are some pictures of different angles . My house is open concept therefore I need to make sure everything goes in right direction . The small room to the right is going to be my dining room and the kitchen is right across . So that's why I think it's kind of hard on setting up my living room set . I will make some changes thou , once everything is done with the railing and other stuff that the house needs . Definitely love the green ! Thanks again for the ideas guys :)

Oops forgot to post the pictures.. Here they are .

The side view of your gray chair looks massive. Try it facing the fireplace (or tv when you move it there), so that you have at least one seat facing the tv (once you move the tv there). Drape a light colored throw over the back of the chair.
And if you tap the camera screen before you take a picture, the light will be adjusted for you.

You did not make any changes that we suggested before retaking the photos. Please try grover's suggestions.

We really do need to see the chairs across from the couch.

The colors of your living and dining areas look fabulous together. I suspect that rug in the dining room is going to be way too small for your table and chairs. How about pulling it into the living area and letting us see how it looks with the furniture there?

I have not change anything yet . First I would like to do the windows , then remove the fireplace and buy a different chair and plants etc .. Thanks for the help , now I have an idea how to make my living room look better :) once I'm done with all that I will post new pictures .

Walls look almost a camel color or taupe - hard to tell. A deep red would probably be good with this wall color. Envision Burberry plaid. I think the print chair is limiting your options. Take it to the basement too! Seriously, give some thought to what colors you want in your Dining Room so that you can carry through since you have an open floor plan. What colors do you like?

No, don't do the windows first. In design, there is no first and last. It all has to come together at once. As soon as you do the windows, you limit your other options for rugs and chairs. You need a plan for the whole room before you buy a single thing.

This is what I would like my dining room to look like . I guess I will have to save some money to make some changes to my living room , I feel it's going to be over my budget .I'm determined to do it so it will get done !

I know I don't know much of design, but I try . wish I knew about this app before I bought a single piece but it's too late now . I was feeling disappointed of the set I have, but I see it can turn out to be classy ,like I wanted to .thanks for the advise and ideas truly appreciate it :) oh and what's across from the couch? it's my kitchen , and I didn't take any picture yet because it's not done I only have brand new cabinets with all the appliances . I'm renovating my house complete .

Ruth, you don't have to buy everything at once, but you do need a plan. Then you can do it in stages. Things that are color dependent--rug and curtains, for example--should be bought all together. Case goods like tables and media consoles can be bought anytime. So can lighting and pillows because you can always find something that works.

Hi Ruth - I'm glad you showed us the dining room pic. Now we can see where you are going with your design. So far you have gray, camel/beige and linen white. These are beautiful and elegant together. Use these as your basic palette and you can't go wrong. If you get a new LR chair, get one in one of these colors. Then you can bring in an accent color for pillows, vase, etc in Dining Room.

The only things to be careful of are the undertones in the fabrics (rugs, drapes) you use. Make sure you look at them in your house or outside so that they don't clash with what you already have. Google color undertones to find out more.

What do your kitchen cabinets look like? How about countertops? Think about coordinating with them too since you have an open plan.

Thanks for the info. Ashtonchic . See picture below my kitchen , which I had posted for help on choosing the color for counter top ( granite) and the backsplash . Didn't get much help on that . So I'm still in not sure what color to get yet:/

Thanks for the info. Ashtonchic . See picture below my kitchen , which I had posted for help on choosing the color for counter top ( granite) and the backsplash . Didn't get much help on that . So I'm still in not sure what color to get yet:/

I wouldn't normally put a TV unit in front of a window...but what if a TV unit against the window, couch on the solid wall, big chair facing TV, small chair angled on left side of the TV unit, towards the couch? You could then hang a large mirror or artwork above the couch. Just a thought!;)

Love your kitchen cabinets! Have you found any granite that you like? I'd go with black so that it doesn't compete with your flooring. Is that what you were thinking? Black also does not pick up oil stains the way lighter colors do. You could do a mix of your beige (LR wall color), linen white and dark gray for your backsplash - again check the undertones with the cabinets. That way all your rooms will tie together. Then you will be able to add most any accent color(s). Now I see the room separation with the flooring the way it is - perfect for an island. You could even find a chunky movable island that would go with the DR table you are looking at.

I agree with black counters and a portable island would be very useful. This kitchen could really benefit from some can lights in the ceiling.

Here is the idea I was thinking of for a backsplash. Also a rug

Hello , I saw the images above and love them all . But what I had in mind was ( need your opinion ) for the countertop a light color , because I was told that black makes it look smaller . ( not sure about that ) for the backsplash , it's exactly what Ashtonchic suggested , and for the island I would like the same as the cabinets .The company that did my cabinets will be able to match an island . Btw I removed the fireplace from the living room (see image below) and rearrange my set . As of now I'm going to keep it like this until I go to store and buy the rest of the things I need :) ( first step )

Sorry, Ruth, but the new arrangement looks like a doctor's waiting room. Not welcoming or cozy at all. And I advise against going to the store for anything until you have a plan for the whole space. Adding things piecemeal to the room will limit your choices further and further as you go along.

I am baffled as to why you won't try the sofa centered on the window wall with the chairs directly across from it. That is the logical arrangement for a conversation area. What you show above just doesn't work.

Ruth, if you want to have light granite go for it! Make sure you are ready for the upkeep. You have to put a sealer on it every so often to keep it nice. You might want to take a look at quartz - doesn't have the problems of granite but costs a bit more. You are the one who is going to live with it. I thought the black would bring a nice contrast and tie in with the dark colors in the LR. Think the matching island will be great.

Ruth, I also think you can go ahead and get your window coverings. I thought the very first set up from Beverly looked perfect with your palette. Keep us posted on what you find!

Ok I think I'm going to sell the set or move it to the basement . I would like light color for my new LR set,and like an rustic look any ideas before I get anything ?

Well, actually I'm stunned. Look at lots of pictures and make a plan.

Here's one with colors in light and medium tones - not a permanent item - say if you wanted eggplant, buy a rug with eggplant in it like this:

Your dining room wish list was soft in color - an ivory rug offered with pattern in blue, chocolate, or sage.

If your kitchen tile has some grey in it, and your chair has some green, maybe this stylized floral, which has a bit of your dining-room "like"!?

Don't get rid of it yet Ruth... hang on just a little bit longer. Now I know you want a what would we call it? a soft romantic look [your dining room photo]. Might this blend some of your rooms' elements together?

Ruth, like ashtonchic, I am also stunned. I feel like you're stumbling around in the dark. You're ready to get rid of the living room furniture before you've tried the one arrangement everyone recommends. And now you say you want a rustic look, but that wouldn't go at all with the glam dining inspiration room you posted above.

Hoping for a little more direction, I went to your ideabook. There is nothing in it. Let me suggest, before you make any more costly mistakes, that you save some photos you love in your ideabook so we can have a better idea of exactly what you want.

Here is the first rendering I did for you. Can you tell us exactly what you do and do not like?

Ruth, please let grover and the others help you to help them help you! All we want is for you to have a comfortable and attractive living space.

Ok , here is the thing . I really wanted to leave an open area to my DR and kitchen , I didn't want to put anything across from the sofa . But like some of u advise that LR should be like a conversion room , which makes sense . Also I had a hard time putting the cables up to where TV is , I want to keep it there . So how about this idea . Sofa by the window , wall big chair in the middle with a end table a lamp and a live plant on the left corner or vise versa , and last the small chair across from the couch ( which I didn't want to do do that , but it looks ok ) . A rug with some chartreuse color with pillows too . ( I like the chartreuse ) what do u guys think ?

Ruth, please do not get discouraged. You have some of the best on HOUZZ to help you to come up with a solution. Because they cannot be there in person, it really does help when you move items around so that they can see what it looks like. I do not believe replacing your set is the answer....we are actually fighting the layout of the room (not the furniture...except maybe the big chair). Before spending any money, you really DO need to have a plan so that you know what to purchase -- otherwise, you will be back in the same place again.

Here is a big question ? I been looking at some pictures and I love the transitional look . How can I make my LR into one with the set I have ?(After I rearrange the set like I been suggested)

Imo, consider what is there already.

How about a couple photos of the kitchen - is it creamy ivory? Is tile a greyish mix? Rug, etc. needs to bridge between the 2 spaces. Do you have dining room set we can see too? Thank you. One step at a time...? :)

What words describe your feeling about the dining room you wish for?

Is it low-contrast, romantic, old-world? that might help with what we post.

Ruth - set up the room the way you described - I know you want the room open to have room to walk around. Pull your ottoman in closer to the couch - that will help also. After looking at your wall color, I'm not sure if the chartreuse will look good. Do you have anything (like a scarf or blouse) with chartreuse in it that you could put on the couch to see how it looks? You need to test some colors in your room before you spend much money. I would go to a fabric store with your print pillow and a card with your paint color on it and decide what colors you want for accents. You could purchase a 1/2 yard of fabric(s) that you want to test at home. As far as rugs go, if you buy on line, buy a small one first to make sure it's going to look the way you want in your room, in your lighting. Keep us posted, we are trying to be helpful!

I agree about a saturated green like lime --- chartreuse; might overwhelm the kitchen's colors. Maybe the cabinets are actually more beige than cream.

But accent color should be a bit saturated so it "matches the strength" of the dark sofa. I wonder about soft cream of tomato, just for one example.

More info please - your early post mentioned your chair. If you want a good suggestion, I think we need to see chair up close: its colors, etc...

Rug sold at Home Depot and Overstock.com.

A small amount to repeat the color, if it's in your chair. It seems a modern color, and not like your inspiration photo...

OK, this is approximately the arrangement you are considering. I added a fairly neutral rug to bring a bit of the tan color to the floor, and I added something you ought to address sooner rather than later: you need to add a knee wall or a railing or something to that stairwell before someone breaks a neck.

@Grover - is this possible please? -- to see Ruth's "likes" added to her room [of my posts from above] - my wish too! - cause there's a whole other vibe to introduce from her inspiration photo.

Your room will look great once you get it set up and accessorized.

Hello guys .. Well so no more chartreuse for LR. I will try to keep it simple with gray and white or beige . Definitely trying to work on the railing that I had show a pic earlier .. And the set up its exactly how grover showed it . I will work on a few things before taking pictures and will keep you posted. Thanks everyone for the help and ideas . I feel less stress now that I have an idea of how to set my LR .... (Boy I was lost ) ;)

Re Grover's last comment: I was a someone's house last year where I watched a little kiddie tumble down a stairwell like that. Fortunately she not seriously hurt, but it could have been tragic. Glad to hear you're making that a priority :)

Hi Ruth - glad you are working on the railing! As you move forward - your room seems stressful because you have a couple of things working against you - and us. 1. Paint color should be chosen last, not first. There are thousands of paint colors. If you want chartreuse (or any other color) you would choose a paint color that would go with it and the gray, not give up the color you want because it doesn't go with your paint. 2. A print chair is difficult to design around. Lots easier with solids. I would choose a rug I wanted, drapes etc., then find a chair that would go with those. Keep us posted on your progress. You have a beautiful house to work with.