for some reason, I couldn't add my message, so here I copy it:

I need help with my living room design. I want a contemporary
clean but warm and welcoming living room but whatever I do it looks either
bland (if I don't use accessories) or hectic (if I do). I have two girls and
entertain a large group and relatives and friends, so I need all this seating.
I love turquoise and coral and I haven't been able to decide which of them I
want to use as accent color. And where or how, for that matter... If you could
possibly give me ideas of better arranging the furniture around and what
exactly is the problem here, because I just can't seem able to pin point it.
Thanks! :)

Will your furniture fit in room like this?

Your rug is too small and you need some tables and lamps for lighting. Bring in some color with some sofa pillows and with the rug. ALso with your art. Maybe a long narrow picture above the TV console. Everything is gray. Orange, turquoise, blue or yellow will bring in some needed color.

Added color

Hi oana_yasmin28 - You've got some nice items in your room, but I think you're getting discouraged because almost every item layers on the same color palette of muted browns and greys. You've got to break the habit of adding things that feel the same. In looking at your photos, the one item that stands out is the red painting over the dresser. It brings in brightness and interest.

I don't think it's the arrangement that's the problem but rather you could make some seemingly small, yet significant additions that could make a big difference. I'd first start with new throw pillows. You have a nice grey sectional -- try a variety of colors like coral, yellow, and greys together. Next I'd look at adding some more interesting things to the walls. Take down the framed mirrors (they're nice, but they add to the drab look) over the buffet, and add a more contemporary piece of art or reproduction. Try going vertically rather than horizontally with this piece. This will draw the eye off the floor and the carpet.

After you've done these changes, you can phase in new things over time, such as re-covering your dining chairs with a more interesting fabric.

Lastly, I'd move the large leafy plant to another room. It's a bit too "messy", and the other two are in keeping with a contemporary and clean design.

Good luck! :)

The first thing you need is a better arrangement for your furniture. Entering the dining room between the 2 chairs is not good.

Susan's is a good suggestion if it fits. You have a lot of furniture for that size room. Would you have more options if you removed the 2 white cabinets or floor plants? It looks as if your TV unit is in 2 pieces. You may find an arrangement where you separate these.

If you give us the dimensions of the room and the furniture sizes, you'll get better help.

I'll echo what BetterWall said. You have a large number of smallish grey/beige accessories on many surfaces. They give the feeling of clutter. For now, remove all the small things such as your candle arrangements. Don't worry about leaving a shelf or bureau bare, not everything needs to be accessorized.

The girls' play things need their own spot, easily accessible. Can they have some of the drawers in the TV unit, or baskets for their things?

You already seem to have some turquoise so I would stick to that as your accent. But make is some big items (rug, curtains, large painting, pillows at least 20" square), not small accessories.

One more questions. Does the TV need to stay on that wall (0r maybe the wall where the love seat is) because of cable?

To achieve "warm and inviting" you need to add in some colours that are 'warm'. You have a cool palette. Even the wood you have is a low-key cool brown tone. To add "warmth" you actually need to "add warmth"...as in a warm tone.

I would love to see a rust/saffron/burnt orange coloured rug in place of the gray/teal toned rug you have now. Or you could pull the coral tones from the print above the white dresser. That would be a great way to tie some things together.

You only have 2 colours in "play" right now: cool/dark teal/blue and cool light brown. Designers like to work with 3 colours. The third colour is what brings in interest into the space. Right now you are missing the "third" colour. The print above the dresser would be a great place to find inspiration for a "warm" tone to add to your 2-toned home.

You'll notice that susan's suggestion is to add some "brass" or some bling into the space. This is the same as adding a "warm" fabric.

Thank you all so much for your ideas. I will answer everyone in order, but first let me tell you more about the space. The room is made out of two conjoining areas (used to be two separate rooms when I bought the flat). The living area is 5/5 meters (16.4/16.4 ft) and 3.4/4 meters (11.2/13.2 ft) in the dining area. I only have an entrance in the living area, where you can see the wooden door, because I closed the separate entrance to the dining area a while ago.

I have windows everywhere, I actually had another window where you can see the niche with the big painting now. I virtually had no walls before! you can see I need to use shades and courtains on half of my walls. I would try adding some color to the curtains. Do you think I should try block turquoise? Or block coral? Or geometric print with any of these, maybe even a combination? I just can't decide between these two colors and I am wondering if I can get away with both.

I need to repaint next summer and - as much as I love white walls - I might give a try to color. But definitely not much color :S Maybe an accent wall? maybe the one behind the buffet, in the dining area - turquoise?... what do you think?

The rug you see is a cheap Ikea rug, meant to get me over the "small child" period (my LO is 4). I actually have a very nice and expensive hand woven rug - but the color is just like the curtains'... so still a drab... Anyway, after convincing my husband to pay for this very expensive rug (that I keep rolled away for now), I don't see any chance to buy a new one - as much as I can see that a colorful one would have been better. I also have a coffee table that I keep in the storage, as I wanted my little girl to play freely in the room.

Right now the room is in "winter mode", when I need to expose my radiators to maximize heating. The TV unit is on the wall with the niche, and it fits perfectly between the niche and the windows. The couch came where the TV unit is in the pictures. The sectional is opposed to the TV, where you can see the two armchairs in the pics. The rug you see has a twin brother; I use them together in the winter and they looks like one big rug.

As I am planning to do something about this room in the summer, starting with painting the walls, I might consider getting rid of the TV unit entirely and buy something really minimal.

Also, I will re-upholster all the seating, as my LO has pretty much destroyed the fabric. I am considering a really light taupe or grey, whitish even. Do you think that's a good idea?

susan2494 - it fits - actually you had a great sense of the dimensions, wow :) This is the "summer mode", meaning I use this position in the summer, when I don't need the radiators exposed. Sometimes I use the furniture like you see in my pictures (couch by the wall and two armchairs in the middle of the room), sometimes I switch, like in your plan (two armchairs by the wall and couch in the middle of the room). But when I bring them all closer together, like in your plan, the room feels crowded in the seating area and too large and empty on the right side of the entrance, where I have the dining area and access to the balcony.

The aditions of color you added in the picture look exactly like what I had in mind when I started but the blue rug would be difficult to purchase. Would it be a good idea if I used the color maybe on the wall instead of the floor?

Galilee Lighting - thank you very much for your idea. The fixtures look indeed amazing but I live in Istanbul, Turkey so I don't think I could consider these products. I do think they are fabulos, though.

BetterWall - yes, I am very discouraged. Specially as I am always on a tight budget. I have just bought two coushions that are coral+turquoise+gray geometric pattern, but, for some reason, they look like they just don't belong here. I will take pictures tomorrow.

Do you think it would be a good idea to paint the wall behind the buffet in a punch color, then use a tall artwork? I can also invest in another rug under the dining table and I will definitely re-cpver my dining chairs, they are beyond boring. A crazy turquoise mix pattern?...

Partim, I took out one of the white cabinets and I can surely take out the second one. Plants are gone, too :) I wish the TV unit was in two sections, but it isn't. It is a huge piece of furniture that I am considering geetting rid of. IT is 3 meters long and 1,5 high (9.8/5 ft). The girls' toys are all gone in their rooms and the 4 drawers of the TV unit belong to them anyway. Usually, it's a mayhem of toys everywhere...

ANd no, the TV unit does'not need to stay on this wall but it can only go on the next wall, near the niche with the big painting (in the "winter mode"). It does not fit anywhere else in the space.

Vanguard, Oh my God, do I love your suggestion?! It is the kind of rooms I have been looking at on Houzz for years but I just couldn't pull off :( I really need to get rid of my TV unit. I also have a big problem with the doors, as they are very traditional, massive oak, but my husbad loves, so I can't have painted in white.

Cancork Floor - I used to have herring bone hard floor but I bought this laminated floor and applied it on top of it. The hardwood herringbone just felt very traditional and it paired up with the doors to make the space impossibly traditional. I am not sure if I made a mistake... looking at the pictures shared by Vanguard - I just might have...

So, you say coral or rust would make the space more inviting. I have used white on walls, shades and some accessories; grey on seating, taupe on curtains and wodden furniture and the brown on the rugs will be gone in 2 or 3 years.

You know what? I think I am going with the coral and rust.Cancork Floor, with all the neutrals I have - white, grey, taupe - should I still add another color? can it be turquoise or should I try another one with the coral/rust?

I am starting to feel better already! I am looking forward for your replies, you have done so much!

Please don't forget to tell me your opinions about re-upholstering the seating in very light grey or taupe and about the accent walls.

It is recommended to buy art and rugs first (can be hard to find the sizes and colors you like), then upholstered pieces (easier to buy), then paint last (an unlimited number of colors).

I have found that re-upholstering is expensive, and not much of a saving compared to buying new. But it may be worthwhile if your furniture is very high quality, or if you have a source for inexpensive upholstery.

With a young family, furniture in very light colors is impractical. Think about slipcovered furniture such as some Ikea pieces, for this time in your life. I think you should add some color in your large furniture pieces. Doesn't need to be bright - a tan color would be more colorful than your pale colors, and go well with the rust you are contemplating.

I recommend that you start a collection of inspiration pictures on Houzz. That will help people to advise you.

Vanguard's first picture is the closest to what you have now. Can you start by selecting a large piece of art with the colors that you want to use? Then buy pillow covers (no need to buy all new pillows) in a solid color that repeats the color that you love in your art and the new pillows that you just bought. Notice that in the pictures that are mainly neutral but with some strong color in pillows etc., that those colored items are solid. That gives them an impact although they are small. A throw would be another way to add an intense amount of color in a solid.

I am not a big fan of accent walls. They can imbalance a room, and I seldom see them in the designer-designed rooms shown on Houzz. Better to add a medium-light toned color on all the walls in at least one of your rooms. Look to some of your inspiration pictures to see how the color is introduced, and balanced. You can search in Houzz for "rust living room" "or "rust and gray rooms" to see examples of wall colors and furniture examples. You may, for example, choose a couch, or a pair of chairs, in a rust and gray pattern fabric and take your scheme from that.

A word about decorating with accessories on a budget. Paint can be your friend. Thrift stores are a wonderful source for vases, art and decor items. You may find a wonderfully shaped vase that would be perfect except for the color, and you can paint or spray paint it exactly the shade you want. The same with picture frames that may not be to your taste but you like the picture - metallic or any other paint can fix this inexpensively. Or paint the frame of a picture or mirror that you already have, or even one of the white cabinets.

Pillow covers can be made from any fabric that you find, even large scarves or shawls, or sheets. Google "no sew pillow covers" to see how to make these easily. If things are not so expensive, it's less stressful to decorate. Google is also a good source for how-to information, for example you may feel comfortable recovering your dining room chairs yourself. It's pretty easy with just a staple gun.

I pulled up some pictures just to give you some ideas. You can certainly work with the rug you are using now, and the one you are keeping for a future time. But somewhere, you need to introduce color.

This picture has washed-out tones of turquoise and coral/rust.

Here is color introduced in a very few spots, but intense color when it is used.

This one is more monochromatic.

Gray and coral. This is something of the look you could get until you replace your couches.

A very warm look with the warm brown color couches. I like this wall color with the rust accents.
Imagine this room with white walls - it would be blah.
This is one of my favorites. Search Houzz for "beach decor" and you'll see lots of coral/rust and blue. I think some of the tones here are similar to your existing wood furniture pieces.

I would really like to see some colour. Right now you don't have any...except for the picture over the white dresser. Neutral + neutral + neutral = neutral. Even if you have 3 different neutrals...you still have neutral. A colour adds interest. Look at the photos give as inspiration. Count how many "colours" are at play. Partim has shown 3 "neutral" rooms with subtle colour: gray, blue, beige (all neutrals) with a hint of peach/rust/orange/red (colour). That's how you add colour.

If you have herring bone floors underneath...please reveal them. They will add the colour/warmth you are looking for...without spending another penny.

This should help inspire you since you have a lot of grey.

Thanks again everyone. Of course I look at pictures on houzz a lot! I mean a lot! but I started re-decorating a few years ago, then I immediately had my second daughter and everything went on hold. Partim, I think your 5th picture looks a lot like what I already have in terms of basics (grey sectional and square coffee table) and I am contemplating burnt orange and turquoise. I am thinking to paint my walls in a peach shade and add rust curtains, then use burnt orange/rust and turquoise artwork, patterned cushions and blankets, then turquoise accessories. For now, my inspiration are the following pictures

Do you think this is too much? It feels a bit too much for me, as I am always so neutral and "gray"... I am so afraid to use some color. And I am afraid to have a dark room, as I don't get much sun. I like a bright fresh atmosphere.

Should I go with a lighter shade than burnt orange? Maybe a sunny yellow?

As for revealing the herringbone hard floor - not yet :( I spent a lot of money on the engineered one, my husband would go mad to see I take it out now... I have a few more years to wait for this :)

What about the TV unit? Is it as ugly as I see it? Should I get rid of it and go for something smaller?

Hello Yasmin, I would like to make a completely different suggestion. For as far as I can see there is not so much wrong in your livingroom. You might need some nice cushions and a bigger rug. But from my point of view the thing that needs to be changed is the colour of the light. It needs to be a warmer white. Right now it is blue and that makes it look chilly and not very cosy. To create a more balanced interior, consider painting some of the walls, a corner for example in a warm very light grey, like some of your armchairs. It will pull everything together. Good luck! http://www.groenekabinet.nl

Dear Malou, I would actually love if I could get away with a warm gray wall paint, because as much as I have been trying to picture the peach walls in my mind, I just can't seem to get used to them. I am all about white and gray, but I still want some cosy...ness and warmth :) I can still use burnt orange and turquoise in home fabrics and accessories but I just can't apply that much color on the walls. And my rug is now double the size, as I have two of them. All my seating now is legs on the rug. I might bring my coffee table back in and display some colored accessories or order two ottomans, something like this one, but a more vivid color.

I will use my weekends to go out hunting for some big wall art with my colors, some solid color cushions and maybe two curtains from the same fabric as the ottomans, only on the big wall behind the sectional, not the rest of the windows. What do you think, would that tie everything up?

Partim, what do you think? Susan2994? :)

I think that you have a very neutral palate and sometimes, you will go with a color either yellow or orange, with a pop of turquoise, that you can find in the right accessories. I wouldn't be concerned with the TV console right now. It is ok and after you get the room set up with your art and pillows, you can decide if you want to change it. Right now your room is a sea of gray, bringing in some color will make a huge difference.

I really need to consider my wall color longer than this. I have downloaded an app and am planning to play with it when I get the time. I will also reserve my entire winter to find some nice artwork and accessories :) Thank you all so much, you have helped me tremendously. I can't wait to make it to the "before & after" page :)

You may be able to reupholster your dining chairs yourself. If the upholstered seats screw out, all you need is fabric and a staple gun...and a bit of patience to get the corners just right. It is a very easy DYI. You may also want to paint your plant pots in a bold color. Will give nice pop of color at floor level since the rug is staying.

Hello again everyone. I have been going mad with the wall
color app, and I understood that I don’t want color on the walls. Definitely not
peach or orange… It is not going where I want it to go, with so much color. I
need something more serene in my living room because I have such a hectic busy
life… I need to rest in the evening when I get home. I have gathered too much
clutter, too.

This is where I had started with this living room (please disregard the poor dying plants though ;)). I found
these photos in my archive and I realized that I was going somewhere nice but I
don’t know what happened on the way that I got so lost. Anyway, here is the
original hardwood herringbone floor, the coffee table and the hand woven rug I
had mentioned. Rug and coffee table - easy to bring back from storage. Wood
floors… not so much :(

Can we take another look, now judging from all these pictures
put together – and try to go another way? I need a good plan, one that I can
relate to and adopt in my heart, before spring. Also, I have posted another
topic for my kitchen – I would really appreciate your idea there, too. Thank
you so much.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/fresh-kitchen-with-80s-honey-oak-s-dsvw-vd~3534444

Blue would be very relaxing with the gray. Look for a light gray paint with blue undertones.

Ahhhh. The original herring bone really adds some colour.