I love the couch and chairs. What if the rug moves to the tv room or bedroom and you get a new rug?

I love the idea of the chairs and the color. The dilemma is that no one sits in them. Ever. Even when you’d think they would, like family visits. Seriously, I’ve had two adults and two children squeezed on the pink sofa and the green chairs are empty.

The rug in the third picture is currently in the tv room but can be swapped out. Or I could sell/donate either of the navy rug or the other rug and get a new one. It can’t go in the bedroom for various good reasons.

I think you can move the sofa towards the kitchen and add a coffee table. The green chairs or their replacements might be more inviting if they had a small table within reach for drinks. You could turn either rug the long way and maybe move the art to either side of the fireplace to keep the seating area from being so...vertical? IDK what i mean, it just looks a little pulled in to the fireplace. Which is good but also maybe has gone too far. I also might consider putting the sofa on the other side with a thin console behind it as a separation from the dining room. But I like it! I think your green chairs could be replaced by something cool and sculptural since it's a loft and you'll see them from both sides.

If people are avoiding the chairs, I would imagine it's because they aren't particularly comfortable. I can't imagine anyone not sitting in them because of the color.

I would replace the chairs with two really comfortable chairs and I wouldn't use another solid color.

I just finished remodeling and my fabric choices complement each other but there is only one solid color - a teal blue velvet sofa. Here are fabric choices

This is fabric I'm using for panels on my windows.

This is a MCM chair I inherited from my mother. Original fabric was a cream but I thought the paisley was unexpected and fun.

This is a chair I had reupholstered. It's a bit washed out in the photo. I the original picture it's the swatch to the extreme right and the blue is much richer than this picture. It's back at the reupholsterer because I didn't like the way the cushion felt :-).

Love your style... why not something really fun instead of the hated green chairs? You say you use the room for lounging and reading... this would be fun and later might find a home in the bedroom.

It’s not Art Deco. It was bought in the 1950s new from a middle class furniture store - either Sloanes or Bloomingdales because that’s where middle class ladies bought their furniture in NYC in the 1950’s.

While the curved motifs might echo some Deco motifs, it isn’t pre WWII. I know it isn’t classic MCM but the designer I asked said the used of the curved wood had elements.

At any rate, the actual style genre is irrelevant as I like the chair and just used it to illustrate that one could upholster with an unexpected fabric selection as velvet or snubby solids would have been more expected.

Too bad about the chairs, but you can do better. Don't buy anything you don't sit on first. I have loved those anthropologie ones idaclair posted for a while!! You definitely need a coffee table, and a floor lamp :)

Ideally, and with all the monies :) I would get the 2 sofas the same and have just the seats (and, ideally, one long cushion instead of the two separate ones) re-done in a fun, contrasting fabric...

I've heard that reupholstery is very expensive, but reupholstery is not the same as re-covering, which is not the same as slipcovers (and NO, don't think about slipcovers, here....your sofa isn't the right style for that look). I'm wondering if you could snag the same sofa off Craigslist or the like and have them both recovered to suit you? Would that be in budget?

The good news is that, for some reason I can't fathom, Ikea furniture sells for a lot of money on Craigslist...so nobody likes the chairs, list them like, today.

Just my 2 cents. Take it for what it's worth.

Fun place, btw...I can see the direction you're going with it...

I think you need to replace those green chairs with something with curves. That was my first thought when seeing your space. A lot of angles. Those green chairs don't look comfortable and the fact that no one is using them is proof. Sell them and replace them with something curvy that will be comfy for lounging. Either two club chairs, a curvy chaise longue or even a kidney-shaped sofa. I'd be entertaining the thought of orange, navy, purple as well as green for colours.

Look at this fun sofa that was won for $55 on EBTH.

I'm also tempted to suggest you get a larger rug. And one of those Moroccan leather poufs for extra seating or your feet. Maybe a metallic colour?

As for the bookcase on the wall, I'd leave it there until I found something I liked better. You're right, you need something on that wall. Or, if you're the type that stops seeing your stuff from too much exposure, remove it so that the blankness prompts you to find something else. Maybe it just needs colour, not something. But if you don't need the storage (how lucky), I wouldn't replace it with more storage.

You have a great looking space and I love all your colour.

If you love the sofa, why not get another in a different color? You might need to replace the rug to make it work well together, but I think any of these would look terrific with your pink:

Also love all ida's chair choices with your couch

Right now, it looks like the waiting room at my dentist's - colorful, fun furniture, and antiseptic walls.

The chairs look difficult to get in and out of. Maybe some larger firmer cushions as a temp. fix. As for more boho, add boho art to walls and also maybe a colorful tablecloth for the dining table. Also maybe put a dish of fruit or even just some colorful pottery on the table. I have some trivets and candlesticks on mine, along with a napkin holder, salt and pepper shakers, a fruit bowl . . . all vaguely "bohemian" as many were purchased in Germany and Eastern Europe by friends and family. I use them regularly so don't mind them being on the table, they are not clutter to me. I also got a plate rack to hang some of my more colorful platters. We drink a lot of wine, so wine accoutrements decorate a credenza at our house too. You could do the same with tea or coffee or set up a little bar, whatever you like to drink. I don't know where you live, but a basket of throw blankets or a quilt display would be another way to add color with functional items. I'm always chilly so have lots of artistic throw blankets . . .

The first thing I thought was that the rug is not quite right with the sofa and chairs, which I love. Do you think you have too many pillows to sit comfortably? If you don't use the case, try removing it. Position the sofa facing the fireplace and the chairs on either side. Love the high ceilings; would not do anything to reduce the height.

Thank you everyone. I will try and respond individually.

IdaClaire- yes, I realize just how fortunate I am in having a spouse who loves color as much as I do. And I’ve thought about getting different chairs, but I think it doesn’t solve the basic problem for 99% of the room’s use- both of us want to lie down on the sofa with a good book. Like, theoretically, more comfortable chairs would be better for the two or three days a year we have company over, but I feel like I should decorate the room for how it’s mostly used.

Cbiscuit- I’ve tried moving the sofa towards the kitchen but it always ends up scooting closer and closer over time, at least in the winter. it’s just not close enough to the fireplace unless I have it where it is. As for turning this rug, it’s exactly as wide as the sofa if I turn it the other way and looks funny. It looks better this way. Maybe I should change out for the other rug? Also, for tables with the chairs, they’re not there currently, but I have a stack of small wooden tables that nest together. They tend to float around the house used in various ways, but if i’m having company, I make sure they’re all in the living room. So, drinks tables are available if needed. You can see one hiding between the pink sofa and the fireplace.

Helen- I love your chairs and palate.

Gustaviatex- I’ve thought about a chaise. Before the green chairs, I had a chaise thing with no arms. It was hard to relax on because at that place it the room, it just felt to open and exposed. But maybe with an arm on one side it would work?

Greenfish1234- the funny thing about the green chairs is we did sit on them first. They didn’t seem too bad at iKEA. Like not crazy Netflix marathon comfy but they’re definitely not torture devices. I’m not sure where to put a floor lamp, because to my mind, the best spot would be at the end of the sofa by the fire place and that already has the pendant lamps. Any kind of floor lamp would compete with them.

Pennydesign- I wouldn’t dare risk buying upholstered furniture from Craig’s list. I feel the bedbug risk is too high in this city. Maybe its safer in other cities? I don’t buy anything used unless I can throw it in my washer and dryer on high. Or toss it in the freezer for several days.

Tartanmeup- I think you’re right that I need some curves. But I think I feel about curves like many people feel about color. I don’t know what’s safe, what looks good. Straight lines are easy.

Olychick- I think a second club sofa might be my first choice, but I’m not sure what other color would be best. I definitely wouldn’t want to mix up the rugs I have with yet another color. But the problem with most rugs that I know for sure would go with my pink sofa and another color are synthetic and I don’t want to buy another synthetic rug. Believe me. I’ve looked at a lot of rugs. Bright pink almost always comes in two ways in a rug- maybe three. Synthetic. Moroccan (like one of those Boucherite rugs) and maybe sometimes in a flat weave kilim.

Molly- I haven’t heard of them. I may have to look for them.

Ackcx3- I agree. Why be gray when you can be happy pink?

Mad_gallica- lol. Dentist’s office was definitely not what I was going for. It’s just so hard to paint in here- with the high ceilings and the way it’s all one big space. just refreshing the white when we first moved in cost a fortune. I’ve thought about some kind of wallpaper accent on the wall where the book cases are, but so very many choices, you know?

Pinkmountain- we used to have a bowl of fruit on the table, then we went Keto and don’t eat fruit any more. Maybe a heap of cauliflower in a bowl? :) Actually, we only rarely eat at the table- we use the island in the kitchen. The table is used constantly, but more as a desk/craft table/folding the laundry table/taking care of the houseplants/all purpose work table. Anything put on it just has to be taken off for it to be used. I think I do need some art on the walls near the table but It’s something I’m picky about and am taking my time to find.

Houssaon- no- the rug isn’t right with the sofa, but I do think it would be better without the green. As for the pillows- I don’t have a problem with them now, but I do go in cycles. Sometimes I heap them on, sometimes, the pillows spend a lot of time in the chest in the other room i use as a linen closet. I’ve tried the sofa facing the fire with chairs on each side but it feels so closed off to the rest of the room.

There's a lot you can do in here, but I guess you'll have to solve the sofa dilemma first.

I like the idea of the same sofa, different colors. You can find an amazing rug to tie them together...I don't know what the colors look like in person, but blue, as well as the gold, goes with almost anything...

What about wallpapering the wall when the bookcases go? Or the fireplace wall (I can't tell if there's a good stopping point to the right...

I'll take a stab -

start with what you have, but change it up. Have you tried to turn the rug the other way - try the sofa turned towards the fireplace, have the chairs flank the fireplace, a tall reading lamp behind one of the chairs, Right now everything is drawing the eye to the height of furnishings - something that brings the eye up - a tall narrow plant - remove all pillow from both chairs and sofa then play with what you have mixing them up or see what you have in other places -

Consider taking the painting from over fireplace - Do you have a mirror or a tall piece of art work

Playing with the narrow shelving - behind there adding some interesting artwork, glass, plants and consider fun wallpaper, art paper or interesting decoupage on the fronts of the shelving - Putting some large scale art on the wall there

adding some fun colored small ottomans may make the chairs more inviting you can get some that double storage inside and tops flip over to become trays - Right now there is no where to set a drink down

If the hanging lights stay - Add some more silver accents to play off the silver in the lights

Painting the fp wall an accent color

I'm always about start with what you have

Good luck

If those pillows are always in those chairs, I wouldn’t sit there either. Who wants to fight with pillows for room?

Are you sure that nobody sits in the chairs because they are uncomfortable, or because they are kind of aloof? They are just sitting at looking at everything/everybody else from. They are at quite a distance from the sofa, there's no table to set something down, no lamp for reading, or enjoy the fireplace, some forbidding pillows.

You could cover the existing chairs seat cushions with a printed fabric and while you're at add a down layer inside for extra comfort. Would add color and print, make the chairs less aloof looking, layer in some boho and eliminate need for pillows in them.

Tall plant in the white void of the corner. Bring some exoticism to the space. and more shape.

What do you think of this picture?

BTW, I have a dark green Ispahan that has just enough pink in it that I think it would go really well with your furniture. The current carpet probably has too much rust in it to really work.

I’m laughing at the thought of my squishy, comfy pillows being called forbidding or them fighting with anyone. I took a couple of more pictures, including the chairs without the pillows and I think you’ll agree that the cushions make them look more inviting, not less.

Also rearranged so that people can see that the sofa facing the fireplace, chair at each side will not work in the space. I tried it as the most obvious answer and discarded it. It’s awkward to me, like the sofa is turning it’s back on everyone. Also, due to the placement of the fireplace, the sofa and chairs cannot be centered on the fireplace or the bedroom will be blocked completely. I can’t pull the sofa back much more without blocking the walkway. The fact is, space for the ‘living room” is much smaller than you think.

I also pulled the rug away, to demonstrate that the rug and sofa not going together is kind of the least of this room’s problems. I wish I could get a good angle that shows just how off center the couch and chairs are.

Actually, this Rug is amazing and would probably be perfect for my sofa. But my husband would flip his lid if I spent $6k on a rug

You could eliminate some pillows and for added interest, get some fun boho scarves and layer them on the backs of the furniture.

But none of this solves the issue that you want 2 sofas to lounge on...

What do those lime green chairs look like with the blue cushions on them, instead of the murkier ones?

Have you considered re-upholstering the back cushions of the green chairs? Ala some of the suggestions above?

Are people saying what they don't like about those chairs?