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gabby_diekmann

Bought 1st home & need your layout & design skills for living room!

Gabby D
4 years ago

I have been racking my brain trying to figure out the best layout, furniture, and paint for our new rectangular living room, so I would appreciate any and all help!


I've included photos of the space looking from the front door to back of house, sofa, and somewhat accurate floor plan.


Layout notes:

  • Only furniture we have/would like to keep in the new layout is our left chaise couch in (7ft by 6ft on the chaise side); we need more seating, bookcase(s), coffee table, media console, rugs, dining set for 6 (thinking 4 chairs and a bench so can be pushed up against wall until needed for 6)
  • Prefer to find a layout we can view the TV (65in) from the dining area and kitchen too (we could wall mount or not, open to either way)
  • We come in the door from the garage so not as concerned with entryway/by the front door but for guests to leave anything
  • Grey marks on the floor plan indicate where windows are


Design notes:

  • I originally wanted to paint the whole downstairs (one open space for living, dining, and kitchen with walls around stairway) Benjamin Moore Pashmina but I'm thinking it might be too close to the color of our couch. Is that ok or a no-no? What other neutral colors would you recommend?
  • I don't know how to describe my design style preferences, but I like traditional, global, rustic, bohemian looks and dislike midcentury modern and coastal.
  • I don't know what wood/material furniture would look good with our wood floors, thoughts? And since it is open to the kitchen, our cabinets and island are slightly darker than our floors with white/grey granite counters.
  • Love adding in color, we had used the painting (last photo) as inspiration previously but open to other color schemes (love greens and blues) with or without the painting in the space.


Thanks!










Comments (23)

  • PRO
    Build Beautiful
    4 years ago

    Hello Gabby D ,


    I can try to give you a bit of guidance based on your concerns:


    -In addition to your couch, a space that big could use a lounge/accent chair or two, a pair of end tables, lamp, ottoman, side table & media cabinet for tv & wires.


    -Putting your living room t.v. into the corner to be seen from dining & kitchen would really squish the seating layout into that corner. It would also mean the people watching t.v. have their backs to the party going on in the kitchen/dining area. You have a large windowless wall in the kitchen that could be utilized for a secondary, smaller t.v. - one that could even be concealed for a more formal experience at times.


    -Entry from the garage is cool & functional, as that's where you come in with your groceries - do you have a bench/shoe storage there? With that being said, a console table and/or coat hooks or something by the main entry for arriving guests helps keep things clutter-free.


    - There's no hard rules about paint matching furniture, just more style of the homeowner/designer. Consider that things of the same color tend to fade away into eachother - like camouflage.


    - Forget Styles! Go with what you like. 'We know no styles, only Building Solutions,' is one of my favorite quotes from Mies van der Rohe


    - Those color floors are tough to play off, no doubt. That's where area rugs come in! Whatever wood or metal you end up choosing, stay consistent with those. 2 different woods (floor and furniture) are ok, once you go past 3 that's called a, 'wood salad.'


    I hope that helps. The reason you may not be getting many responses from, 'pro's,' is because they typically charge a lot of money for a complete package like you're asking for. I provide room by room pricing for situations like this, along with a free 15 min. strategy session. Hit me up and let's figure out some more specific ideas for this great space!


    Thanks,

    -frank

  • Gabby D
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Thank you so much for your comment! New to here so just put it all out there. Definitely interested in working with professionals, your 2nd point about squishing in the corner, where would you recommend the tv go then?

  • User
    4 years ago

    I just wanted to say congratulations!


    And, of course, people here would like to get hired...HOWEVER, not many do and there are loads of people here, pro and non, who give wonderful free advice that will either resonate with you, or won't.


    Do you have pictures in your ideabook? That's a great place to start. Collect pics of rooms/things that appeal to you. And, no, they don't have to be something that will work in your space. You just have to like them (unless they are specific things you find that you have to have) for no specific reason.


    If you do this, you'll find that there will be common elements in all your pictures. And your style will become more defined.


    With such a lovely, relatively blank slate, you'll get lots of help. As long as you stick around and give feedback to the comments...


    Now, paint....I would do a lighter neutral. Do you have a photo of the kitchen? Cabinets are usually staying and we need to know what the more permanent elements of the house are like..


    Congrats again!! So exciting for you :)

  • Manon Floreat
    4 years ago

    Hi, Gabby. What is the width of the living room? (See red line below.)




  • Gabby D
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Thanks all!


    Attaching photo from previous owner of kitchen & cabinets, they‘re darker than the floors & the granite has some purple-y flecks in it.



    The width is 14ft there.

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    4 years ago

    I agree that gray is not the right tone for you, nor blue, dont jump on that band wagon. Especially since you like traditional styles moving to a beige is NOT a bad idea, also to the point that you dont like coastal look, your sofa and gray walls would be lending itself to that.

    Also is this the entry to the home as well. I see a stoop and two closets, so I assume yes?

    This means you need some space for that as well.



  • Manon Floreat
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I was thinking along the same lines as Relocation as far as the TV placement. As Build Beautiful noted, there really isn't a good location for the TV that's viewable from the living space and kitchen.

    Here's an alternate furniture arrangement with two separate seating areas in the living room. I'm still not sure what the width of the living room is. The diagram below assumes 18' from left wall to stair wall. I've also included a collage. Based on the style preferences you shared, it incorporates the classic with eclectic leanings.

    The inspiration is your your Klimt piece. I've placed it on the stair wall and underlined it with a console. Since the piece marries cool and warm colors, my thought is that the furnishings could follow suit: your warm beige sectional with navy chairs, green accents and warm case goods. And a dash of animal print never hurt anyone!

    Acadia White by Benjamin Moore is another paint color to consider. It's a warm off white and I think it serves well as a quiet and supportive backdrop for a room with varied styles. Of course, you'll have to test.



  • Margo 32
    4 years ago

    ,¿

  • Gabby D
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Wow thank you all! I will definitely try out those colors.


    Those layouts look great too, hopefully showing them will convince my husband it works better not being able to see it from kitchen lol! And sorry I had posted in another comment but might have been hard to see under a photo that the width is 14ft across living room.


    With those layouts, I think I would put a bookcase in the left corner by the chair set.


    I love the navy chairs & green accents too!



  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    4 years ago

    Put a tv in the kitchen, problem solved.

  • User
    4 years ago

    Just wanted to add that I'm a huge fan of having a small table and 2 chairs in the living space in addition to sofa/chair, etc. IF it will fit well. It becomes a great place for games or tea or as a desk for bill paying, etc., so I prefer a higher table than an end table and comfy "upright" chairs...A bit like this but more inviting chairs and a bit larger (if you can fit it) table:



  • njmomma
    4 years ago

    following

  • Gabby D
    Original Author
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Thanks all again but after being in the space and testing out the layouts your offered, I really do prefer the TV in the corner so I'm trying to decide between one of these 2 corner TV stands:

    Thoughts?

    Then I can put an upholstered storage bench underneath the big window and a console/desk behind sofa with chairs for extra seating. And I still want to get a chaise lounge or armchair with ottoman place counter the sofa (empty space in mock up below).

    *Mock up is not the right colors or styles but just picked based on size to help with figuring out layout



  • User
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Have you considered your dining area there at the lower portion of the living room? Then you could have a chair/ottoman more in the dining area...

    It's difficult to "see" this place just based on the one photo and the floorplan, so I don't know...I just feel like the dead space behind the sofa could be better utilized...

    Gabby D thanked User
  • Gabby D
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    I have but it doesn't make sense to me to haul our food to the opposite end of the house from the kitchen when it can be right next to it.


    It's actually not that much extra space and I'm thinking I will put a bookcase in the left corner along with some kind of entry way furniture by the door.

  • Manon Floreat
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    It would help to have photos of the actual room with your sectional in place. With a 24' length room, it seems there is room for more seating. Can you scoot the sectional up a bit? That would give you room near the entry for seating with books and an entry table. Take a look at some of the horizontal bookshelves. Their lower height lend well to serving as a sofa table.

    Painter's tape is a great tool in room layout. You can tape the dimensions of furnishings and rugs onto the floor to see what sizes work best.



    The Benedetto corner console is too high, I think. The barn door console is a better height. Take a look at this one from Ballard Designs. The height is good and the styling is relatively fluid.

    Reston Corner Media Cabinet

    Gabby D thanked Manon Floreat
  • Gabby D
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Great idea, I took a pano to try to get it all.


    I could definitely scoot it up, but too much closer & yeah the tv will be too high (with our current ikea setup we cant wait to replace lol).


  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    4 years ago

    Ya I would totally try spinning the couch to face the window wall and putting the tv between the two windows, then keeping the "front half" as the entry.

    or moving the sofa up, and instead of angling the tv put it on the wall next to the window, on a pull-out swivel mount. I still think this will feel too squished.

  • User
    4 years ago

    What about your eating area in the upper space, and the living area in the lower space?


    I'm actually very unclear whether your kitchen proper has room for a table and chairs? Is your "dining" area IN the kitchen or is it in the living room?

  • Gabby D
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Thanks all for your help! Here is the almost finished product:







    Thinking I might move the desk behind the sofa into another room and get a different console table that's darker and not quite as deep plus the chair/ottomans to go with.


    Need to style the bookshelves, a couple more decorative accents (like photo frames for the small wall between doors not pictured in these pics above) and a rug for by the front door, any recommendations?

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    4 years ago

    I would take the large vase and the globe off the bookshelves and spread more books to the top shelves so you can weed in some more decor to all the shelves pops of white and gold could look good.

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    4 years ago