Oh my...If I'd just look at the room, I would not have guessed that you guys are in your mid - 20's. Yes, the room looks dated.

Do you have another room to put some of the stuff in?

The bookshelves should move to a bedroom. They crowd your space and make the room look messy.

Then spread the chairs a bit wider.

Skip the shiny fabric for the drapes. That says formal and your room isn't.

Maybe bamboo blinds would give the room a totally different look and make it less pastel. If you install traditional drapes you might need to move the furniture away from the window to give the fabric room to hang properly. Do you have room to do that?

Definitely too much furniture.

The wing chairs block the fireplace.

The white chair blocks the dresser.

The bookcases seem too "heavy" for the space.

This looks like a gramma room. I agree too much furniture , the pink chairs have to go IMO the bookshelves make the space feel very crowded . I would do a black curtain rod with some simple grommet curtains in a simple but fun print some pillows that go with the drapes and some lamps that are more on the modern side with a bit of black

Yes I agree, this room is wayyyy too crowded :(

Fist suggestion: Put the piano or bookshelves in a different room if you can!

-(With the bookshelves and piano removed) one layout idea is to turn the couch around so you see the back of the couch when you first walk in. Move the two pink chairs up and away from the fireplace so that they're facing the couch instead. From there, add a gold accent console table to go behind the couch to disguise the back when you first walk in.

-Second layout idea since you're on a budget and may not be able to afford a console table for behind the couch, instead put the two pink chairs on the wall across from the window where the piano is. This will make the room a more functional conversation area.

If you have no other space to put the bookshelves, find some pretty decorative boxes to store some of the clutter and add simple candles or picture frames in either side of the decorative boxes.

-Turn the gold mirror lengthwise and hang it that way.

-Take away the black metal fireplace screen if the fireplace is just decorative.

-Some suggestions for color updates would be to play off the pink and gold ;) get neutral white or grey couch cover and add more pink and gold in the wall art, mantle decor and shelf decor (candles, picture frames, etc) or floral accent pillows.

-Take away the plaid table cover and use the table in between the two pink chairs.

-Lastly, I would get a new coffee table if you have the funds and update the lamp shades.

Good luck!

Remove the table with the plaid tablecloth and put a martini table between the two wingbacks.

Add something with interest to your coffee table.

Can you carve out a library/office elsewhere for the bookcases and the chest next to the sofa? Then you can push the chairs a bit further into the space vacated by the bookcases. Use the mirror above the piano so the view outside is reflected. Put art above the mantel.

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions! It is refreshing to hear your insights. I tried my best to make everything fit and somehow look decent when we downsized. A few things though:

- Bookcase: I can perhaps get rid of these but I will need a furniture piece which can hold the books. I placed them at angle in the two corners as they were too wide to be placed flat on the two sides of the fireplace. What if I just decluttered the shelves, fixed the books and other things properly, painted the bookcase or painted its interior "backing" in a light color - will that help?

- Sofa: the sofa is placed in the middle of the large window and already pushed back at a maximum. I did think of having it centered in the room facing the fireplace/ with the back seen as you enter (+console, etc. as one of you suggested) but the width of the room cannot accommodate this and the built-in closet on the right side blocks access and limits the space :(

- Piano: It has to stay in the living room as there is no other space in the house that can accommodate this. It is also somehow centered in the room (right beside the built in wardrobe unit) / or is also centered in relation to the sofa and window.

- Wing chairs: I can push the two wing chairs further apart but if I do the arms of the sofa will already be blocking the wing chair (visible as you enter the room). The fireplace is a permanent fixture but it is just decorative and it does not radiate heat.

- Table (with plaid cover): This is just a cheap $15 ikea white metal table that is why I opted to cover it. I will have to spend for a proper side table if we remove the cover. Can we just change the cover instead?

- Dresser: will take more pictures of this side. I do not have other side tables aside from the $15 ikea table so this acts as another side table and holds the table lamp which balances/ matches the other lamp on the other side of the sofa. It also holds/hides our mail + other office items.

I guess, as all of you have mentioned, I should declutter first and remove furniture pieces before deciding on accessories and drapes? Can I not just declutter the bookcase, keep furniture as is in the same position but perhaps use slipcovers on the upholstered pieces to update them? Honestly, it is just that if I get rid of the bookcase + dresser, I will have to purchase / spend for new & proper (but correctly sized / scaled) furniture aside from the spending on drapes on accessories - turning "$" expenses into "$$$"... lol

I will be posting pictures and perhaps a floorplan soon for all of you to have a better idea of the scale of the room. Thank you!

The piano does not look that large. Can it fit 1) Catty cornered near the fireplace - or - 2) In the space where you have the dresser?

You really need to get rid of some furniture. What is the purpose of the dresser?

It is obvious that even without the huge bookcases this room is too small for your furniture. Without the piano it could be made to work. Could the piano find an inside wall in the foyer or dining room? If the piano must stay, then I'd remove the wing chairs and use the small chair from this photo (and a mate if it has one.) If the chest has to stay, I'd turn it flat on that left wall. The sofa has a coffee table so end tables aren't needed. Would the wing chairs work as master's chairs at your dining table?

The piano is too tall and wide to be in space where the dresser is. I can try to see if it can be cornered beside the fireplace but where do the others go? Yes, which pieces have to go (dresser and 2 bookcase) and any suggestions and what to replace them with ( a slimmer bookcase and a proper side table?) ? I use the dresser to store my mail, office supplies, files.

Those bookcases are huge for the room. It looks so much better without. I would sell them and buy a single smaller bookcase on Craigslist etc and put it where the dresser is. Sell that too. Sell the huge pink chairs and buy two smaller chairs. If you sell stuff the process will obviously cost you less. Buy second hand too.

Here's the plan of the room at the moment with all the pieces in it. Thanks to you all for the suggestions and advice!

Main thing is what everyone is saying--the room is way too crowded. Some thoughts:

--Put your bookcases in a hallway or another room.

--Remove the chest to the left of the window in another room or sell it on Craigslist.

--Remove the left wing chair and keep the right one where it is. Get a great pillow in a graphic green and pink for the chair.

--Place your wooden arm chair at the end of the coffee table closest to the room facing the fireplace.

--Replace the rug with something like these. If your existing rug is new then layer a graphic area rug with green and pink underneath the glass coffee table so that it extends out a foot or two.

--Get bamboo shades like those shown above. Get a rug in green, black, and pink. Place the remaining wing chair.

--Get some white drum shades for your lamps.

--Paint your mantel mirror white and turn it horizontally.

--Ditch the Ikea table and cloth. Get stackable end tables from somplace like Overstock or Target and put them next to the chairs as needed.

Can you maybe just find better storage solutions? Maybe consider hiring a professional organizer to eliminate some clutter and come up with better storage solutions. Do you really need to replace the bookshelves? Do you really need such a large dresser for office supplies? What other rooms in your home can house such items?

If you get rid of dresser can piano fit on the wall behind the white arm chair? Not where the dresser is but perpendicular to where the dresser is.

Thank you. Guess the bookcase and dresser really have to go. Declutter, declutter, declutter :) . The piano is too wide for either the window wall (goes beyond window) or the perpendicular wall beside the entry (piano juts out by about an inch into the opening).

An inch? Might be worth it if you can move the couch to face fireplace or move pink chairs to where piano is.

Thanks for the suggestion S Mistry! I understand your suggestion. Will get to work this weekend, try that out and take pictures.

Circling back to your original post. You have slip covers that you can use right? If so, try them on and post a pic. If you don't like the green and pink we can fix the lack of color that you see with pillows and accessories.

What colors would you like to see in the room? Spend some time looking for inspiration pics. You have some good furniture pieces so it'll be fairly easy to fix your space.

Thank you. Will put the white/sand slipcovers on the furniture as well and then take pictures! Colors? Green as the dominant color perhaps (deep green and not faded like the couch :( , with a little black and white + gold accents. I definitely want to get rid of the pink or dusty rose.. hopefully limit the color to a vase of peonies as maximum.. lol

Ahhhh, just eliminating the bookcases is a huge improvement! It really opens up the space. Can the dresser/storage chest be moved to the bedroom as a nightstand? I love the tips from housegal200.

Also, ask yourself -- how much time do you spend using this space? Is it really a place that needs so much seating, etc., or are you using it as a catch-all room for things you don't know what else to do with?

Small thing to mention, but if you keep the current lamps, I would change out the shades to white drum-shaped ones.

I had a client with almost this exact same size room except she had two long couches with her piano. We eventually relocated the piano to the same wall in the adjoining dining room and eliminated the bookcase with basket storage. She ended up liking the separation a lot better and no longer had to stare at a huge piano when seated in the living room. But she also had a TV to contend with!

Also...your fireplace is quite lovely and needs to be seen.

I think you have some lovely, classic, and timeless pieces - a lot to work with. If you want to update it with a more modern sensibility, I would agree that de-crowding the space would be a key component.

I would keep the green sofa (I like the sofa the way it is, btw - with the sage color - and shabby chic feeling); I would also keep the white chair. If you really need to use a coffee table - keep the coffee table (it's very nice and the glass offers good reflection). I would, basically, relocate everything else.

Bring in one 'statement' floor lamp. Perhaps opt out of the lamps, altogether, and hang a chandelier - skewing, perhaps, toward the modern. If you don't have wiring for this - you can use a swag light - or have a fixture rewired as a swag.

Remove the beige carpet, and have the bare wood floor only, if possible.

Showcase the beautiful fireplace (by clearing the area, relocating the pink chairs, to another room or the foyer, etc.; relocate the bookcases, as well); and consider getting an electric fireplace insert, perhaps. The mirror you have on the mantle is fine, and I like the vertical positioning. I would do some tall candleholders - skewing toward the modern - on the left of the mantle - and perhaps a large piece of rock crystal on the right.

I would use simple window treatments... simple Roman shades in white - or even Shoji paper blinds/shades - in white.

If you ever have the opportunity to relocate the piano - I would suggest having your sofa on the wall where the piano is now - facing the windows. It is a better placement, in terms of Feng Shui; this change would also significantly open up your space.

I think you can accomplish much of this update very inexpensively - by just clearing the space. Modernism and minimalism really have a lot in common, conceptually.

Best of luck.

Okay, Dominic, I hate to be the voice of dissension here, but I think you can use everything you've got in there. I appreciate the symmetry that you've tried to accomplish...as much by default as design I think, but, consider this. Use the same symmetrical plan, but turn it in the room. Will the bookcases fit flat against the OUTSIDE wall? Either side of the sofa..(which I really like, BTW)...then put the (now) pink wingbacks on either side of the sofa...go ahead and use the sand/tan slipcovers for them. Now take your piano and slide it down just a bit toward the fireplace. I love the dresser. Will it fit on the wall just inside the doorway there? With pretty decor, and maybe a mirror above it, it will be like an entryway table, never mind it will take up part of the doorway then. There should be enough room to walk between it and the new position of the wingback. Now the little bergere goes into the area between the fireplace and the piano, kitty-corner facing the room. Find a cute little footstool to go in front of it. Now, you have somewhat more room in front of the fireplace. Get a (or make) an interesting fireplace screen. Dude it up. I like the vertical mirror up there the way you have it...but if you DON'T want "English Garden"...get rid of the topiaries there. Maybe some heavy vases with tall twigs to flank the mirror, see? Now your room is balanced..WHEN YOU ARE IN IT. From the doorway, no, you won't see perfect symmetry, but when you use the room, whether for conversation, or a small piano recital, it will feel cozy, balanced. The dresser there is it's own vignette. Perhaps paint just that wall behind it some slightly deeper shade? Put an orchid there for height/breeziness, and a silver tray for keys etc. Also, frame the sofa, (now between the 2 bookcases) with as much drapery as you can fit into there, floor to ceiling, so that it frames the sofa. Choose a fabric that has that same sagey green, as well as that sisal color, and maybe a rust. (if you are going to keep the brass lighting). Try to think in terms of English Gentleman's Drawing room. "Built-in" bookcases framing the windows, making a "niche" for the sofa, and the wingbacks in front of them. (I say that mostly because that style has a different proportion for size of furniture, and placement than the average American living room mentality) I don't know that there will be room behind beside that little armchair for the round draped table, but if there is, cram it in there. Definitely cover it, with perhaps a co-ordinating plaid fabric, and bouillion fringe around the bottom...always a classy look, no matter what others say. Add silver AND brass picture frames, a rustic wooden box...who knows? Also add a few items to the coffee table...which you might "antique" a bit with black to darken it, otherwise, I really like it. Be fearless. I think it could be very elegant, if a little "cozy". Have fun, and congrats on your new place.

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