Old house living room room dilemma

1917craftsman

6 years ago

My Craftsman home is over 100 years old. I have struggled to find a good furniture placement i the living room . A few years back, the piano was right in the forefront, and thanks to Houzz advice, I moved it to the back of the room, We placed the armoire in the front corner, which houses the television. The speakers etc are all wired, these two pieces have to stay where they are, TV over the old fireplace just would not work here. However, my sofa plus two vintage chairs I recently --and probably mistakenly--bought from a neighbor's sale are now crowding the room. I though they would help with seating for guests, but now everything is tight. Without the club chairs, there is only the sofa and the old arts and crafts laddederback to sit in. Not very welcoming with guests--too much focus on television watching, not talking. With the chairs, it looks overcrowded. Should I just keep the one chair, have it redone in a light color? Keep both and get a smaller sofa? I had to move one of the chairs into the Dining room to get some space. The dimensions of the room are on the narrow side and with the piano, hardly any wall space, I am stuck. I tried the sofa in front to the windows and that looked crowded, too. Please help with any suggestions. As you can see, I have lots of antiques with not a lot of places to put them. The Shaker drop leaf table is also crowding the fireplace. I like my room, but don't see how to make it work and not be an obstacle course.

Help!

Featured Answer

PN _Bos

6 years ago

It’s hard to grasp the space with the photos provided, but here’s a few thoughts. It’s a shame the fireplace is blocked, I’d try to make it more of a focal point; do you have space to put 2 small chairs in front of it? And the sofa seems to be cutting the room in half, I’d try to open the space by putting it along your long wall – if it fits. Is the table in front of the window serving any purpose – what about the drop-leaf table in front of the fireplace? They’re pretty, but taking up valuable real-estate when you need seating. I see 3 mis-matched chairs, I’d ditch them all and get 2 comfortable small scale chairs. Your floors are GORGEOUS but a rug may help anchor your space. The trunk seems too small to serve as a coffee table – I think you need something bigger. I know you say the armoire needs to stay, but it's a bit big and bulky, i wonder if there is a better option.....

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Comments (13)

1917craftsman
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you, Paula. I posted the dining room, too, as they are connected/ The armoire is holding all the electronics. Husband's grandmothers table i front of the dining room window--but yu are right, I need smaller scale upholstered chairs. No one watched TV in 1917 and we have no family room, so the fireplace is just getting lost. Where would you put a rug?
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PN _Bos
6 years ago
lol -- nope, not a lot of TV watching in 1917. I think once you get your seating area figured out & re-arraigned, the rug would go under the sofa, coffee table & chairs (or at least the front legs of sofa/chairs). The armoire is lovely, but bulky for your space, I'm still thinking there is a better alternative, something lower w/ shelves & doors so you can still hide stuff. Hopefully someone smarter than me will chime in. It's very pretty space -- i LOVE old homes!!
ricepuddinghouse
6 years ago
Thanks I agree. Also the right chairs would help a lot. There are nice consoles now but but dislike exposed TVs. Thanks so much.
MarleneM
6 years ago
Have you thought about switching rooms? If dining table and piano were in LR, it looks like sofa and two chairs could possibly fit in dining room with room for armoire/tv where China cabinet is now.
ricepuddinghouse
6 years ago
Interesting idea. Not sure about fit
but something to consider.
happyleg
6 years ago
The smaller chest ib DR go be moved to fp; do a switch.
ricepuddinghouse
6 years ago
Which chest? The black one in the dining room?
happyleg
6 years ago
Yes that one. I had computer/net issues.
1917craftsman
Original Author
6 years ago
I moved the sofa to the window wall--does this layout work better? Vey hard to know how to arrange a long, narrow room with very little wall space.
happyleg
6 years ago
The chair at piano exchange with the dining arm chair. U have 2 LR?
ricepuddinghouse
6 years ago
One living room and one dining room. That barrel chair is very tall to be in the middle. Thanks.
njmomma
6 years ago
following