PLEASE HELP and tell me what needs to be moved and where in my 12x19 Living Room. I love simplicity and feel like I have too much furniture at times, but other times I think it is just how and where I have it placed in the room. We have a very traditional English Tudor home, but trying to go for "transitional" look. Just yesterday bought the two plants hoping to warm up the space. Thank you for your expert advice - ALL Houzzers!!

It’s all so very brown. Update your sofa and your curtains. Move the grandfather clock to another room and center the chest on that wall. There is an awful lot of furniture and no color

I don’t have design advice but where is the railing on your stairs?

Thank you Rawket Grl! I have a few additional comments after reading your advice....Fireplace is the focal point, I agree, but the opening across from it is large and off-center, therefore, causing the sofa unable to be directly across from fireplace...ugh...always been challenging!!!! Also, there isn't any room for a second end table. The couch looks VERY weird pulled away from wall as the room is only 12' wide. (I do LOVE that look when it can be successful!). So sad my cowhide isn't working in living room - just got it recently - was hoping it would give a more transitional look rather than traditional. The clock can be moved, however, I was planning on removing dated curtains and putting up new but also putting curtain panels surrounding the french doors. So do you still suggest the clock going next to doors? Antique radio case will probably have to go too. Currently the chairs are angled on each side of fireplace - is that where you suggest? And for the record, I used to have sofa "floating" in middle of room facing french doors - kinda liked it but found it challenging finding a home for the chairs...again only 12' wide room. Thanks so much for all your advice!! Do you have any more now?

Gerry - we do have the original wrought iron railing for staircase. It is down for time being, as it is being painted.

The two chairs won't fit against the wall where the sofa is currently, if you move the sofa floating facing the French doors?

I think Rawket Girl nailed it! You want to float the couch, so it won't be on the wall. The coffee table isn't substantial enough for this room. Something bigger, possible wood, though I think you could still do glass, would be better. A nice rug that doesn't blend into the floor as much. Artwork over the fireplace.

How wide is the opening into the dining room?

Joe, the opening is 58" wide. Thank you...

How far into the doorway would you have to move the sofa so it sat truly opposite the fireplace? Would there still be room to go through the doorway comfortably? Maybe you could add a decorative screen or somehow extend the wall to get a better placement for the sofa. Maybe?

Where do the french doors go?

Here is a sketch that might help you visualize another way to set up this space.

Adds a skinny console table.

Removes dining chair, antique radio.

Using only the room measurements, (no detail measurements for windows, doors, openings, stairs, fireplace, furniture sizes etc...) so this might not be 100% but it might give you some ideas. If you can fill in the actual measurements of the above items I can update the sketch.

And Joe - so the wall the sofa is on is 10ft 20 inches from corner to the dining room opening....

The sofa would have to extend about 1/2 way (24") into the opening...very awkward. The french doors lead to an outdoor screened in porch. Thank you so much!

Thank you Rawket Grl for the drawing!!!! I still feel like sofa will be almost sitting in middle of room, but am definitely willing to give this drawing a try because it looks great how you have it!!! You are awesome! Thanks!!!

Question for Rawket Grl - how big is the rug you drew?

Ok....getting measurements for you!

Pleasant room.

Liking the stairs. Liking the grandfather's clock. Liking the cuckoo clock (German? sis in law brought one back from Germany that resembles it.).

Not a fan of fur floor rugs or faux fur floor rugs. Is it the slip/slide/stumble hazard it appears to be? If it's real fur -- family hunting trip? -- and you really do want to keep/display it, consider putting it somewhere not in the middle of the living room -- perhaps across a blanket rack instead of on the floor.

You clearly want to display family photographs. You could do so without creating a cluttered look on the mantel by picking up a few of those frames that enable you to put a half dozen or more photographs in the same frame and hanging them on the wall beside the sofa in lieu of the landscapes in the row of frames that are not quite evenly hung.

Your plants probably need more sunlight than they're getting. Putting the plants atop the cabinet by the window behind the chair left of the fireplace would enable them to get more sunlight.

Here are measurements (pardon my lack of professionalism here):. French doors are 53" wide, with 46" wall space on one side and 44" wall space on other side. Window frame is 44" wide, then 21" of wall space before hitting mantle. Fireplace is 65" wide plus additional 3" each side for mantle shelf. Wall space of 26.5" before front door framing. Front door is 42" wide. (Bottom of door frame meets bottom step of staircase.) Staircase wall to corner is 79". Then wall from corner to Dining Rm opening is 46". DR Opening is 58" wide, and other side of opening to corner (where sofa is now) is 122.5". Now for furniture:. Sofa is 80" long, and matching chairs are 34" wide by 30" deep...hope this helps! I do GREATLY appreciate all you and Joe are helping me with!

Interior Design, you are welcome! The top down sketches help so much. I like to say "measure and sketch away or you'll pay "

Once I get the measurements of your couch and the wall behind it we may very well change our perception of the space and it might look odd but maybe not! This way you don't have to move the furniture around too much to find out.

The rug I put in there is 7'6" x 10'6".

Hi Suezbell! Thanks for your comments as well! Yes, cuckoo clock bought in southern Germany 25 years ago when we got married. Real cowhide rug bought in Texas two years ago...does not slip or slide at all - does have one little corner that tends to lift though!!! Not a real hazard as it is in a place not foot traveled much lol!! I do love it, but if it's unanimous that I need a different rug in living room instead, then it for sure will go somewhere else! I agree about mantle looking cluttered - I hate clutter, but then it looks so bare to me! I will try removing them and see. The landscape pics above sofa are treasured by my hubby, so will be keeping them but can be arranged differently and can even put them somewhere else. Thanks so much for your kind words!

1. Rawket Grl - my sofa is 80" long, and 36" deep from top back of sofa to edge of cushion. The wall behind it is 122.5" Wide. Thank you for rug size. I think you will see what I mean about large sofa looking awkward pulled away from wall, but truly deep down I am hoping you have it right and it WILL work!

Also, suggestions on curtains - color and material - would be awesome too!!

If you want to go more transitional, I would choose a simple large-scale print in a light color. And don't do the swoopy thing at the top.

Here it is with your measurements. Your couch is actually smaller than I had drawn.

I think it works but of course you will have to move it and see for yourself if you like it. I also added one where I turned the setting so you have more options! I like them both.

Rawket Grl - there is one thing off with your drawings that I probably wasn't clear about...the front door bottom right frame butts up to actual staircase, so when front door is open it actually hits first step. Does this make sense? Can you see it in the 3rd pic? This would make your second drawing look odd to put a sofa table AND have the buffet against the wall....there would actually only be a small space for someone to walk between them. I can take another picture if you need me to to help you see it!

I.D.....Why not go ahead and move your furniture the way that R.G. has drawn it in both pictures....then report back.

First, get rid of everything in the room. Sand floors & steps..
Just keep the color of the natural wood & seal w/polyurethane.
Add a simple black railing.

Remove those curtains, too much for that space. Add simple blind. Paint the room & going up stairs soft cream or light gray.

Mickey, our floors were just professionally redone 4 years ago after tornado hit...they are light and almost natural color - beautiful! Agreed!! Also, horrible dated, formal drapes are going for sure!!! Just waiting for hubby and his tools for assistance - they were professionally installed and bolted to withstand an earthquake!!! The room and staircase are same color - a cream called Oatmeal by SW...as for blinds, no offense, but I hate blinds - too institutional for me. Thank you so much for your comments!!! JUST curious - you are suggesting no furniture??

In process of making changes that Rawket Grl suggested...will post pics this eve!

Here are the new pics...

New photos...of course, still need finishing touches, (like rug, art above fireplace, moving of grandfather clock and centering buffet - need hubby's help with all of this) but getting there! Hope you get the feel of sofa pulled away from wall - still looks a bit strange to me and I don't know why...sofa appears to be almost in middle of room. Hoping once I get area rug it will be better. There doesn't seem any way however to put a narrow table on wall behind sofa, as there is only 27" between sofa and wall to walk. I actually angled the chairs a bit (do you like it ok Rawket Grl?). Lots of space left in left corner of french doors. Have so many questions still....when I do get curtains, I plan to put them on both window and french doors, so they will almost butt up against each other in right corner of french doors. Do you think the clock will still look good there? I was thinking angling it in left corner....what do you think? Also, the room lacks lighting. I have a floor lamp - do you think it is OK where it is in pics? Thanks again Rawket Grl!! BTw...I arranged furniture the second option as well, but chairs looked too funny to me, so I though this one was better.

I thought the 2nd option was best as you could move the sofa across from the French doors or in front of the French doors. In the current arrangement the chairs would look better straight rather than angled. Most importantly, the artwork on that wall is way too high.

Thanks for your input Shirlpp...I have lot to do yet! I will try sofa in front of french doors to see how I like that way. The artwork is part of details just haven't gotten to yet - yikes, all the nail hole patching waiting for me! Lol!! Here are some comments/questions I still have as the room progresses:. How big should the artwork be over fireplace? Hang it or lean it? How and where should I hang current 4 artwork frames? My room desperately needs some lighting so where should I put my floor lamp? Have table lamp also, but no floor outlets, so would have to be near wall - maybe have to do without it? The larger corner is to the left of french doors - would grandfather clock work better there? And important to note here - when I do get new curtains, they will cover over half of wall space on each side of french doors and making them ALMOST butt up to each other in right corner of french doors, so will that look to "heavy" in that corner to place anything else there? Maybe clock angled in that far left corner then? Would you put curtains around french doors? I always thought it would warm up the space, add some weight and balance to that end of the room, PLUS it seems awkward to me to only have curtains on window and not around the doors...I do know the rules about curtains - rods hung almost to ceiling and panels actually cover wall space not over windows! LOL!! ESPECIALLY with an English Tudor that doesn't offer much natural light anyway! HELP!! BTW...I actually HATE my current very formal dated curtains - but need hubby's help in getting them down.

I will get a new rug soon - you suggest approx 8x10? What kind of pattern/texture?

Not crazy about my coffee table, however, I do like the glass in my room - definitely opens up space. Just maybe a rectangular one?

Thanks for your continued support....PLEASE don't give up on me yet-I have been waiting for Houzzers help for years!

Keep on trucking Interior Design, you are on a roll. It is a darling room.

I would like to see the couch pulled into the room a little farther, square the chairs up on either side and pull closer to couch & add a small table to either side of couch. A rectangular rug will make a huge difference.

The console table I drew along the wall behind the couch was 9 inches deep and leaves a 27" path between couch and table. Not huge but doable. The table is not necessary though if this is too tight.

For lighting I like the floor lamp in the corner but the room does need more light. What about a swagging a cute plug in chandy over the coffee table?

You might be able to add a ceiling or floor plug if an attic space is above
or a crawl space is below... something to think about for longer term
anyway.

So I waited several days, and just cannot get used to living room as is (option 1)....sofa was in middle of room and felt weird being so close to fireplace, so I moved the sofa with its back to the french doors, and the chairs backing to buffet - (Rawket Grl Option 2, only reversed sofa and chairs) and LOVE it! Looks so much better to me....still working on getting curtains removed, and finding an area rug, as well as finding a very narrow sofa table to go behind sofa. Thanks so much for the ideas for lighting! Again, any ideas on color/texture of curtain panels to hang? I think I like drapery rings or grommet style - opinions PLEASE!!!!

I think you can pull the color of the chairs into the room with the rug and the curtains. What color are the chairs?

The chairs are a bluish grey...Thanks!

I think we need to find THE rug 1st, then that will inform the choices for the curtains.

What do you think of something like this? Also what is your budget for this?

Not crazy about that one...a bit busy for my taste...I tend to go to neutrals, although I get that I need some color. I love the punch of orange in my pillows on sofa! Blue and orange go well together - is there a simpler pattern using those colors? My budget is no more than $400 for a rug - is that doable? Thanks again!

Here's a few rugs in blue, orange, and neutral. Some are a bit more modern. Not sure if you are interested in that.

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/wrought-studio-ferrint-orange-area-rug-lgly2641.html

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/mistana-loretta-grayorange-area-rug-mtna3609.html

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/red-barrel-studio-barton-radiance-printed-area-rug-rdbs9459.html

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/mistana-elson-ivory-blue-area-rug-mtna3395.html

https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/mistana-newburyport-navylight-blue-area-rug-mtna1026.html

Wayfair is a great place to find reasonably priced rugs.

Thanks for the ideas Emily!!! I will certainly check these out and more on Wayfair!