What color rug do you guys (ladies ) suggest? Let's say we keep the sofa, where do we go from here? Thank you again. Thank you Beverly, Karen, Susie and HB.

I don't think two corners on that sectional will be comfortable for anyone to sit there. It's really kind of wasted space. I'd go with a sofa and a couple of club chairs. Add an ottoman to match the chairs which can also be used as a seat.

It’s pretty neutral in there, you can go with almost anything. What accent color do you want? Something to pick up the color in your art? You can keep it modern or go more traditional.

I would personally go for two sofas and two comfortable chairs around a rug. That way you can add side tables/lamps in between for people to put drinks on/food. Put a comfortable ottoman in the middle for putting up feet as well. Your mood board is very pretty. First. Find a rug you like and sofas then pull colors from them to add accessories. Your current artwork is also pretty. You could use colors from that as well. Layer your lighting.

well, it is modern looking. what colors do you want to work with? right now it's very 'cold' looking. do you want to stay on the cool side or bring in some natural wood elements, some greenery and maybe some warmer colors?

obviously that art work is far too small. you need a huge canvas to fit behind on that wall, or do two smaller, vertical pieces. The seascape just doesn't go w/the modern look. do you have any abstracts or black and white pieces?

This is the size you want on that wall (hung 6" from the top of the sofa)

this is what that room needed/ This size is much better suited.

similar sofa w/a warm wood/glass table.

Can anyone by any chance point us to a sofa that has a similar look/feel to the mood board sofa?

We started out looking for that but only found crate and barrel stuff to have the look we wanted (but it's expensive).

Thanks for all of your input. Funny you say you like the art - we actually don't really ike it (especially as a main piece).

I think the sectional could work as it seems you are using this area in your house as a ‘lounge’. As you said it’s for adult conversation not tv watching.
Try to find a low square table that has a lite feel to it. As in glass top something that you visually see through. This will hold snack/drinks etc and will not weigh down the central area. Put a tray on the table
Get some round side tables for holding drinks and light fixtures.
You need really large pieces of artwork to fill the space.
Measure the area so that your carpet will cover 70 to 75% of the room. I have no idea of your taste but pick colours you love and build from there on accent pieces like pillows, throw etc. Right now you have a neutral pallet so have fun creating your lounge

Could we see the other end of the room, please? What you're looking at when you sit on the sofa?

Hi, guys--

However much of a 'bargain' this piece was, it's not helping your goal of creating a balanced, inviting space that meets your seating requirement. Instead, it's leading you down the path to 'Italian oligarch's media room' - it couldn't be further from your initial mood board full of plush textures and light, soothing colors. It's the worst of the worst, and I'm sorry they got some cash out of you for it. Figure out how to get ride of this albatross first.

There are untold numbers of better-scaled seating that could fulfill the brief to satisfaction - even Pottery Barn is now doing 'apartment-scale' furnishings that would help maximize your flow in here and allow you to do a cozy sectional without having it dominate the space as the current model does. And, I promise, none of them features chrome trim. Hang in there!

You've already been daring with the sofa. No time to get weak-kneed now.

I think it’s hard to say much without seeing the rest of the room. With that said, I too feel it is too large given that you are left with no room for anything else such as end tables, bookshelf, armchairs—really anything with a different colour or texture. That leaves the room a sort of shrine to Big Grey (I’ve named the sofa), it being so domineering. At the very least I’d edit out some sections of that sectional. BUT before going there, I’d ask myself if I really loved it. You may end up investing $$$ to build a room around a sofa that you’re not crazy about and in the end have “wasted” well over $1000 on a room that leaves you saying “what was I thinking?” every time you go by.

Grover, those are all awesome.

So OP, are you saying you’re looking for a new sofa now? If so there are plenty of places to find a gray sofa. What’s your budget?

Might as well go all the way.

I say either embrace your big bossy sofa, or let it go.

For six adults sitting about talking? I'd sell this and start again. What is the other piece in the lower front corner and is it staying?

It's a bit too large for the space. Definitely start with a floor plan and be sure you're buying the right size furniture. best of luck!

That large leather sectional will give you the number of seats you want, but not in a conversational arrangement.
It also has big arms and will take up a lot of space. I suggest two sofas and two or three comfortable chairs which can be arranged so that all the people are facing each other, encouraging conversation and being sociable.

Grover, you are awesome!

Grover IS awesome! That said, If this room is a conversation area, I personally can’t imagine sitting in there comfortably and conversing. I CAN imagine lounging and TV watching. So, once again, function should drive form. Sectional doesn’t work for the purpose the OP describes. Sell that piece and buy furniture that people want to sit on and talk.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><md>You guys are all incredible! Sorry for the lack of response today. Wow. Good stuff - Grover, incredible. Here's the other end of the room. Italian Oligarchs Media Room is the vibe we're going for

Your photo didn't show up and a google search of "Italian Oligarchs Media Room" doesn't produce anything but men in suits.

I love my big brown couch I also like yours Now go find pieces you love to add to it

BTW- Of course we're not into Italian Oligarchs, my "laughing face" emoji didn't show up

Continuing the discussion, thanks again for all of your input. So, we've had a couple of days with "Big Grey" and honestly, we're a bit torn. It is not what we were going for but it does have it's pluses. Ultimately though, the pluses (the size, comfort, cost) could potentially be found elsewhere. We're not married to it at all. A couple of you have noted that we got away from the mood board, which is calming and not as "dark" and heavy feeling.

We're at a crossroads here. If Big Grey stays, we kind of need a new mood board built around it. If BG goes, we're back to square one, although we have you fine people on our team now, which truly, is incredible.

A bit of back story - we've been married for 13 years. All the furniture we own (literally every single piece) has been given to us or bought second hand (but with no ultimate design sense in mind). We're really just not that good at knowing how to put a room (or a home) together. Each time we decide to start to try to do something, we quit because we don't know what we're doing. I've always known we need help.

Finally, a year and a half ago, we moved into our current home, where we plan to stay. It's been renovated and is a great blank canvas for us to create and lovely, warm, inviting and comfortable space. We need help in every room but since this living room is right by the entrance, we've decided to start there. I'm going to post a few pictures of other rooms and the back outdoor area just for additional context. We finally have a bit of money (a few thousand for now) to allocate to decor and furnishings. Every single word of input that you give is greatly appreciated.

Just wanted to add that nothing is off limits other than the floor tiles. Curtains are changeable, paint color is changeable, we're not married to anything. And of course, the toys will be taken out of the room once we finish it :)

Best option start with one room at a time. It looks like you have lots of more modern black and white going on with very colourful artwork. Does your kitchen table reflect your style? Do you have a style you like? Suggest you look at lots of pictures on here and get ideas of what you like. That way you don’t buy stuff out of desperation/frustration.

Kitchen table is on the way out :)

Kitchen table going, but are kitchen chairs staying? Those shell chairs fit right in with Big Gray.

Chairs are fully negotiable. Just got them for $80 (for 4) on Amazon. They're comfy and all but, you know, we need help :)

Anything further you can advise? Should I start a new thread?

The first thing I think of is; where are people going to be putting their drinks?

Please don't start a new thread unless it's for a new room.

If you want more help, you have to give us feedback. First, are you going to keep the sectional? Then, if you are, the next step would be to choose a rug and art.

FWIW, I spent yesterday evening with some friends on a sectional. There were only four of us, and I can say it was NOT conducive to conversation. I was in the middle and my cervical vertebrae got a workout.

Helpusplease, you could help us by starting a living room ideabook with your favorite rooms. Just go to contemporary living rooms on Houzz and save your favorite photos. It will give you and us some direction.

There are 13,472 contemporary living rooms with sectionals here: https://www.houzz.com/products/contemporary-sectional-sofas-prbr1-br~t_523~s_2103

After reading your new info and viewing new pics, I now lean to keeping "Old Grey"....maybe. Can you float the sofa with the back to entry? that would allow for a lean and low, light color console behind (also facing entry) that can be very simply accessorized which would break up the bossy factor. Rug,tables,lamps can all be done within your budget. A plant or two and large and graphic art to finish. What I would not do is try to "soften" Old Grey too much. No plethora of pillows and throws. Let him be the modern boss he is.

Posting pics for art and mood....and because I can't get Houzz sketch to work.

Someone mentioned it above - can you separate it? This will give you the space for needed tables and drinks.

Who cares what the inside looks like with that outside!! BG seems to go with the home and your vibe. Is it as crammed in the corner as it seems in the pictures? Looks like a large open space. I agree on trying to seperate/take off a piece before you give up on it. A few thousand won't go far if your talking sofas and chairs, etc...

Good morning fine people. I'm back with an update. BG is gone. We have sold the Big Grey sectional and we're ready to move on.

We literally have an empty room now.

Can someone please help us come up with a functional layout that had comfortable seating for 6 adults.

Back to the mood board that I uploaded - can anyone point to a sofa or sofas that "fits". Not sure if we should be looking for a sectional or not. Left up to our own devices, we will buy another sofa that we like but may not for into our plan.

Just an FYI. My friends exchanged two sofas in their family room for a monster sectional from Macy's configured like Big Gray. It's probably fine for watching TV, but horrible for conversation! It has reinforced everything I think about sectionals; just say no. A sofa with a chaise will probably work.

Take a look at Crate and Barrel's sofas. Many of them tend to be a bit more transitional, not quite so modern, and they have lots of upholstery choices.

I just watched the newest Houzz video where a football player remodeled his mom’s main living spaces and fell in love with the sofa from Apt2b. Check out apt2b.com for fun sofas at reasonable prices with loads of fabric choices. You can order up to 10 swatches for free so you can really check them against your mood board. Our custom sectional (on sale for 5K in 2011) is a mess and too big for this house so I’ve been doing lots of shopping. I’m loving their Brentwood sofa with the tufted detail, think that may be a winner for us (once I bill enough hours :o) ). They also have chairs and lots of fun furniture too. Good luck! P.S. So glad you ditched BG, you would’ve hated walking in to that every day.

My SO went back to Macy's and has chosen this sectional (sorry Grover). What do you think? $2,800

following

A sectional is not for adult conversation. It is for family tv watching.

Just because it fits in your room doesn’t mean it is the right size. A sectional is designed to be put together in a particular pattern, so there really isn’t any flexibility. Two sofas and two or three good chairs would have cost more, yes, but would have given you a lot of layout possibilities. If you had a basement sports-watching TV cave, the sectional would have been perfect.

Umm sorry but did you not just sell the big brown sectional? This one yes has smaller arms, but is the exact same configuration.
Have you actually bought it? I know you have to look at price point but you are ‘buying on sale’ the exact same oh boy what are we going to do. Really try to find a sofa/love seat on sale instead. Sectionals are great if you have a big wide open area with tons of clearance and no issues with walls. Big hug

I for one am so tired of grey, grey, grey. How about a different neutral for the wall color?

Really need help with the layout. I'm going to start a new thread since this one seems to have run it's course.

Hey! You can totally make it work! but I'd also recommend you start a living room idea with your favorite ideas to decorate this room. My advice? If you're considering this for conversation, a good coffee table will go a long way in terms of keeping things like drinks or books easily at hand. I hope that helps! Good luck!