I think if you paint over the red, you'll be less enthusiastic about keeping the blue. You will see how spiffy the "new" living room looks and you'll want to do the same with the dining room.

Yep, take down the pictures. They're the wrong scale for the room and the large furniture, too high on the wall, and not level. Start over!

Get at least one very large plant. Once the drapes are changed out, you'll have plenty of light. Greenery will liven up the room.

Get a couple of fresher looking lamps. There are two table lamps on one table? Stick to one and have it be interesting. Is that a torchière behind the arm chair? Unless it's a favorite, I would encourage you to swap that out, too.

Overall, add color splashes and more interest to replace all that color on the wall and balance the dark furniture.

I agree with removing the valances, along with the drapes in the living room. Move the rods out so the windows are more exposed and let the sheers hang straight. I would paint both rooms the same color since they are open to each other. If you like blue, find a shade a bit lighter than the color on top of the chair rail and paint everything the same color, including the chair rail if you'd rather not remove it. I think that will automatically update your space. How do you feel about the idea of updating the chandelier and adding an area rug?

One very simple thing that would make a whole lot of sense would be to add a fully trimmed cased opening (painted to match your white trim) between rooms. That would support a color change between rooms and help support one room with wainscoting and the other without. And while you're at it - add the trim to the opening to the living room. Not having those openings trimmed out is making your spaces 'wishy washy' with the architectural details. You have some good bones but just need some tweaks. Good luck!

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Lastly, take down all your art and accessories - then, once you have the layout of the living room improved only then start to put art back up....and post back then so we can help improve that. Really truly your space doesn't need much but by having the living room rearranged and all art locations carefully redone you will be shocked how much better it feels!

Thanks for all of your comments! We decorated these rooms 15 years ago after we just moved in and had a very tight budget and literally haven’t touch them since. We only use the rooms a few times a year for entertaining but I would love to have a more calming peaceful space to go sit in and read or play games as a family.

I agree that the curtains and artwork are all really outdated and they are currently in a trash bag as we speak LOL. We’re priming the red today since we had the primer in the basement. I have a feeling the blue will also be painted over once we see how the living room looks. Oh and we did have an area rug until a few months ago there was an incident with some dog poo and a Roomba 🤢🥵😢

Question - if we were to paint both rooms and kind of start over what color theme/family would you suggest considering the color of the floor the furniture? I’m Going to shop online today for an area rug and curtain panels so maybe that will give me an idea of what kind of colors I want to go with.

Nothing like a quarantine to help kickstart your project LOL!!!

It's going to take a lot of coats of primer to cover that red. When you run out of your current primer stash ask the paint guy to tint the new primer with a little grey. If a pink tinge bleeds through the grey primer will cover it.

You can re-use your sheers. And maybe even your panels, which will look very different if hung differently, and if you change the wall color. Keep your budget for other things.

I'd fish them out of the trash bag until you're completely done with your room. Donate them to charity if you end up not using them. I now see that you already have decorative rods, so all you need to do is hang them at the correct height, and add rings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hAUlLYiTCs https://www.shineyourlightblog.com/quick-tip-tuesday-hiding-clips-on/

I really like the furniture rearrangement that @thinkdesignlive suggested.

Your floors and furniture are warm tones and fairly neutral. The only colors that I would suggest to avoid would be cool grays. It will be too stark in your predominately warm rooms.

If you decide to start from scratch, I like the color in the hallway. Perhaps that would work in your rooms. Do you know what the color is? My dining room was red as well when I moved in. It's a warm beige now. My painter uses SW Cashmere low luster and it covered perfectly in two coats with no primer. You should be good with two coats in the dining room, especially if you're priming as well.

From the pictures you have saved in your ideabooks, it looks like you like blue. Blue and brown is a classic combination which would look good with your furniture. You could use your existing wall art as inspiration for the colors.

It has the dark brown of your sofas, as well as the more golden brown of your floor. And the blues that I think you like. Find a rug that has these colors and you're on your way to a great color scheme. I would use the blue for draperies and pillows as well, and paint both the living room and dining room in a neutral color like your hallway. Add more blue in wall art. I like this rug from Wayfair It's well rated and if you click on the reviews some pictures have been added by customers.

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Not a Pro.

Don't rush to buy or you may be returning.

Post the rugs you like, You may be told that the style does not fit the room.

Someone will help with rug size.

When chosen, someone can then help you pick paint colors that work well in the room. Help with accessories and drapes.

It is a processes.

Wow - thank you all for your input! I am pretty sure we'll paint under the chair rail white and possibly add some moulding there in white. Thinking one color above the chair rail that will also be in the living room - deciding between a greyish blue OR a taupe/greige.

I do really like this rug... what do you think? I have a few questions...

- Would you put a rug in both the living and dining areas of this room?

- how large should an area rug be?

- could I add patterned chairs on top of a patterned rug? Thinking of getting rid of the one large leather chair and replacing with 2 smaller chairs.

- What about drapes - should I stick with a solid color if I am using a rug with a pattern? I think same drapes in both rooms, correct?

Thankyou!!!

This is the close up - I feel like it gives me a lot of options? Its from ruggable.

The rug is very pretty but I'd like to see something with a bit of a dark brown accent color. It will help tie the rug with the furniture and ground the room as well.

There are lots of good graphics online about rug placement. Bigger is generally better, make sure all your furniture touches the rug.

Solid drapes are a good choice, make sure they are full and wide and hung properly.

Patterned chairs on patterned rugs can look great. The trick is finding colors and pattern scales that work well together.

I think the rug is very pretty and you could paint with greige or gray/blue and be fine. You could use a lighter version of the hallway color for under the chair rail. I think it would tie everything in nicely. If you're thinking of a rug for the dining room, it should be 4 feet wider and 4 feet longer than your dining table to leave enough rooms for the chairs to be pulled out and still be on the rug. Since you have such a pretty inlay on your floors though, you could easily skip the rug and in the dining room and just add one in the living room. Be sure to settle on a furniture arrangement before you decide on a rug size.

As deegw said, there's no problem with using pattern on pattern. It's done all the time.

I agree that solid drapes are the best option and yes, I would use the same in both rooms. Choose a solid color that matches your wall color, probably whichever color you use under the chair rail.

Before you decide on a rug please rearrange your furniture and completely 100% settle on layout. Then, it's easy to use blue tape to tape out where the corners would fall for the rug(s) you are considering. Then, settle on a rug and buy it...have it in the space and decide you love it before committing to a paint color in either room. This will ensure success.

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This image reminded me of your space....just sharing for inspiration :)

thinkdesignlive - thank you for all of your input! Where did you find this pic? I love the rug :)

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/new-this-week-5-stylish-living-rooms-without-a-tv-stsetivw-vs~132733653

It was in this article on Houzz last week. Made me think of your room. I sound like a broken record but I think the order of business is confirm layout, select size of rug based on that, buy rug (the one in this image is perfect for your room), then select paint color. I also think you take your cue with window treatments from this image - simple panels from floor to ceiling.

I know I said 'no medallion' for the rug but if it's subtle like this one it could work:

Your room could 'feel' a lot like this if you lighten up one of the sofas by doing a linen slip cover or at least a large light throw. White lamp shades would also freshen up your decor.

This is the rug I ordered - I liked the antique look of it. Also I’m toying w the idea of doing navy above the chair rail and white below and then a coordinating blue grey in the living. I put it in SW color designer -

I'd only like that if you did add the white trim cased opening. I don't like the way the wainscot transitions from that room to the living room. My 2 cents.

I like your rug

I would make the dining room table smaller and remove the tablecloth...save the cloth til you are actually dining...put a pretty centerpiece that is not too tall ..

Maybe try removing the dinnerware from the cabinet and put only one decorative item in each space ...this will be less traditional...more elegant

I would also move the seating away from the walls a little..and angle the chairs a little more and a little closer together...this will lessen the hallway feel of the rooms and give a cozier conversation grouping..

I'm a latecomer, and like new rug! Saw the crisp blue /white room, and if it helps to be blunt: reminds me of a room in an airport [sorry idk why].

Right now seems friendly and relaxed.

The couple by the water is it.. that partim showed - it's not sporty/nautical look? and the rug has a romantic feel... I think you'll get used to DR cause of the new changes. Do you hate me for what I said ? :) well hate's a strong word.

I too ...think the white and blue in dining room is wrong...maybe some lighter more neutral colors to coordinate with the rug colors?..a light neutral is a better back ground for the dark wood pieces as well..a different ambience than the stark white and dark blue

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Progress so far...I chose SW repose Gray and this rug. Ignore the mess and this is not the final placement of the furniture - we’re getting ready to paint the dining room. Dining room will be the same gray above the chair rail and white below.

Attached curtains I like but have a few questions ..

• can I mix finishes? I want to hang the curtains on rings- does the finish of the curtain rod need to match the chandelier finish?
• any ideas on what type of chandelier I could go with - a gold or silver finish?
• also need help with coffee tables - should I go with a lighter wood or a different finish?
  Thank you!!!

The color looks great! Try to stick with the same finishes for curtain rods and chandelier. It helps pull everything together. Decide which chandelier you'd like first, then get the curtain rod. As far as a coffee table, is glass practical for you or do you need something a little harder wearing?

Thanks @katinparadise
Do you think I could pull off gokdvtone accents w the grey? Or stick with silver?
I’d rather not do glass tables - have 2 young kids :(

You have some nice warm colors in your rug so I don't see any reason why you couldn't pull of an antique brass or soft gold if you want to.

Work in progress..don’t mind the tablecloth and other mess as we’re still reorganizing😁

Can anyone recommend what type of chandelier might look good? Looking at antique brass to match the curtain hardware.

Also any ideas on what to put in the hutch? Not going to display my china as I had before so what do you put in there?

Love it !

Love the rug, love the dining room paint color and drapes.

Pull the rug just under the feet of the sofa and a little away from the dining room.

You have beautiful wood floors.

It looks wonderful. Your floors are so pretty. What's your budget for a chandelier? As far as the hutch, I would search the internet for how to display things in a hutch and see what you come up with. Is there a reason you don't want to display your china as you did before?

Thank you!! Thinking about this one- you think it’s ok or too much? I’d like to spend 300 or less

What a nice update. I love the new paint. There was so much going on in the before picture I never even noticed the gorgeous inlay in the floor.

You could take the top off the hutch, store it and use the bottom for a buffet. A couple of pretty lamps on the buffet and some art in the middle of the space would look great.

The light fixture above is too modern for the space, IMO. Try something a bit more transitional. Angular or rounded will tie in with the drapes.

Not a Pro.

I see something like this for your dining room.

Inspiration:

Savoy House Cameron Warm Brass 5-LT Chandelier 1-2540-5-322 · More Info

Beautiful job! Looking wonderful.

How about this one?

Yes to the second you posted, as long as it's large enough. Do you know the measurements? The general rule of thumb to determine size is to add the width and length of your room to get the # of inches the fixture should be. So if the room is 10 x 12, that would mean the fixture should be about 22" across. The bottom should hang about 36" from the top of the table.

Your rug looks amazing!