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shannon_martin5

Need help on design for small living room

10 years ago

Hi all, would love some help on how to maximize space and design our very small living room. Just bought our first condo and I am a total novice/slightly anxiety-ridden when it comes to styling a room and picking out accents. We have our couch and chair and lawyer's bookcase from our apartment, and just picked out a new rug (6x9) as pictured, but I'm not sure where to go from there. The living room is only about 11x13 and is surrounded by the 2 large windows and 1 door on the far end (cellular shades coming soon to replace ridiculous temporary blinds), fireplace, blank wall next to coat closet, then opens up to small dining room as can be seen. Dog bed/toys also temporary.

Would love any advice or suggestions on where to go next in terms of accent colors, coffee table options, art, anything really! I've heard great things about this site, thanks in advance!

Comments (16)

  • 10 years ago

    Is it possible to get photos of the space from further away so we can see larger portions of the walls?


    You've achieved a calm and welcoming ambiance here, but a couple of things feel off. One is that the rug, and consequently the seating, are offset from the fireplace which is your natural focal point. I'm not sure this can be remedied considering where the doors are, but if you could get a wider shot of the area, maybe we can come up with something better.


    Your mantel needs restyling. Right now, it's just a bunch of disparate elements spread out with no connection to each other. You need a bold piece of art in the center and fewer objects to tie it all together.


    The TV is way too high, both aesthetically and ergonomically. It should come down to eye level with a console beneath that is longer than the width of the TV.

    Shannon Martin thanked groveraxle
  • 10 years ago
    Perhaps think about putting a large rectangular mirror behind the couch or a circular mirror over the fireplace (but not both). Then, a piece of artwork on the other wall. Can't say I'm a huge fan of the red carpet, but hey, to each his own. :-) That's a lovely couch and it's neutral so you can do a lot with the room. Have fun!
    Shannon Martin thanked Katie Webber
  • 10 years ago

    I think we need to see the dining room portion to help. The logical thing is to center the rug with the fireplace. I'd rather see the chair in that corner where you have the undersized lamp and table, with the sofa floating to face the French doors, dividing the living and dining areas. Another good rule is to pull the rug under the front 1/3 of the sofa and have a foot of it extending past the sofa ends. I don't think your rug will do that. Can you provide a measurement for the sofa? Your dining table and benches could be replaced with a drop leaf table that backs up to the sofa to give you more living space and an expandable table when you have guests. You could use an arc floor lamp to hover above the coffee table, or turn it to work above the dining table when needed. Art flanking the French doors and above the mantel would be a nice addition.


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    Contemporary Living Room · More Info

    Shannon Martin thanked decoenthusiaste
  • 10 years ago

    Shannon Martin thanked groveraxle
  • 10 years ago

    If deco's arrangement above works and gives you enough clearances with doors, you can mount the TV on an articulating arm so it can be pulled out from the wall and turned to the best angle to watch.

    Shannon Martin thanked groveraxle
  • 10 years ago

    Let me go on record as opposing removal of the dog bed and toys. In fact, pups needs a larger toy basket; that little thing is pathetic. ;-)


    Shannon Martin thanked groveraxle
  • PRO
    10 years ago

    As you just got the rug, work with it. To do so, get some accent cushions in the colors of the rug and sectional to tie the space together and a throw for the chair. As for the coffee table find a nice combination of metal and glass, maybe 2 round ones in different heights and repeat that pattern for the tv stand (yours is too high anyway) and a huge mirror framed with a distressed wooden look.


    Shannon Martin thanked Monika Griffith Rooms - Intentional Interiors
  • 10 years ago

    Would love to see you try Deco's arrangement and art over the fireplace as well as Grover's t.v. recommendation.

    Shannon Martin thanked indomom
  • 10 years ago

    Thank you all so much! I attached 3 additional pictures giving a longer view of the room and the dining room and kitchen (with dog photobomb - don't feel too sorry for him, he has 2 other beds and giant toybox in the basement! :). The couch measurements are 7.5ft long by 5 feet wide on the chaise and 3 feet wide for the rest of it.

    Mantle is definitely temporary stuff for now with our thought to try to get something large above, I like the idea of the large mirror. And I really like the rearrangement of furniture as suggested, will give it a try and push husband to lower the TV.


  • 10 years ago

    I added the 3rd French door, adjusted the sofa size, removed the coffee table and arc lamp in favor of glass "C" tables, put in a place setting as a stand-in for the high chair, enlarged the dining table and added a table lamp by the chair, showing the ceiling fixtures.


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  • 10 years ago

    Before you put a mirror over the mantel, ask yourself what it will reflect. The doors? Do you really want to see them twice?

  • 10 years ago
    Consider floating the sofa a few inches away from the wall
  • 10 years ago
    I'd think you've done the best you can with the floor plan. Agree with lowering the tv and getting a media console below. I would move your kitchen table the other direction with the bench against the wall. I think that would open up the walkway to the living room. Consider the following:
    1. Painting the fireplace area a darker version of your wall color with a large scale clock above.
    2. Large artwork above dining table and sofa.
    3. Mid-century modern coffee table.
    4. Adding color and pattern with drapery panels and throw pillows to tie all the colors together.
  • PRO
    10 years ago
    how about installing TV on top of firewall
  • 10 years ago

    Some of my best tricks to make a room bigger:

    1. hang the curtains floor to ceiling and about 6 inches past either side rather than just above the window

    2. place things in odd numbered groups

    3. use mirrors to create dimension

    4. display landscape photos

    5. choose a dark color so the walls seems as if they are receding