Getting closer. Sofas should be within reach when sitting on sofa. I would love a bigger single coffee table. Because of my guideline for 15-18” from sofa with this table you will squeeze up the room too much. I am pretty sure you could use a 48” x 48” square coffee table. All you need on sofas is one large on loveseat and 2 large on sofa. No whites. Lumbar for chair very small and darker color. The eye sees white first. So with all the white, everything gets distracting. I love how hard you are trying and each step brings you closer. I think you will see what I mean when you push the sofas toward the coffee table. Try it.

Pillows are hard. I love pillows and I do a lot with them but it is hard to get it right even if they are your thing. What Flo said above is pretty much spot on. Either no pillow on the navy chair or something dark. I think I mentioned before that the white scattered around the room is distracting because it pulls your eye.

I think if the pillows were darker and less contrasting you might be able to get away with that many of them. But the white jumps around too much. Texture is a thing as well… Too many different textures is also distracting. Think of your pillows as spice. Something to enhance but not distract.

I love the new coffee table and the picture the way it is. The coffee table's color seems to pull together the room with the pillows and curtains. The room looks inviting. Is the TV in the room or is this just a room for conversation? I only see one end table but I guess drinks will all go on the coffee table?

The room looks incredible! The changes you’ve made created a whole different feel. I know you’re now worried about the pillows but the room is just looking great. Bravo. Take a minute to pat yourself on the back.

Thank you everyone. It looks better than I expected due to the excellent as I w form the pros Flo Mangan and Jan Moyer.

@susan there’s no TV in the living room.

Month in review

Paris, can you humor us?................pic as of now: SO much better! ! Can you do just a bit more sweat equity? Try turning that rug ninety degrees ? Move everything forward toward dining about six inches when you do that, and bring those sofas in just a bit closer to the new cocktail tables

When we picked on you to lose some of that jarring turquoise stuff? It doesn't mean ditch ALL the color. .........So . While I agree you don't need a ton of pillows, I DO think a break from too strict a relationship to art is more interesting, and richer, .....

Go to the grocery and grab a hot pink orchid for that cocktail table. : )

AND THEN GET ONLINE AND DO WAYFAIR.. NO MORE NAVY. NO MORE WHITE. HUMOR ME

Good call on the rug, Jan…..why didn’t I see that before? 😜

Wow the room looks lovely!

Great ideas!

Honey, the clock needs to go. .................if hubby can't see the results from the group thus far? Get the guy some glasses? Or he's counting the minutes until everyone goes HOME? The last place for a clock, is a dining space, near an EXIT door.

😂😂Good point Jan

Talk to him. And btw? Adding more crap to the clock will simply worsen the visual. Get some art over a shallow console, When you bring it home? Hang it right OVER the clock so he gets a visual and moves ONNNNNN from the darn thing. Good Grief. My Gawd. Hang it over the bed, and tell him you're timing him...I hope that needs no explanation : )

Possibly the previous owners were challenged about being on time… Installing the clock right by the door helped them get out the door on time.

I’m a little confused however. I thought this was the living room space not the dining room. Just make sure the guests aren’t facing towards the clock if you can see the clock from the dining table. Simple solution.

Please humor Jan and get some hot colored pillows, and buy an orchid! The room is wonderful but it does need a bit of color.

Sure will. I turned the carpet 90 degrees and it looks much better.

Can we see a photo with the rug turned?

Picture , please ?

Here it is. I hosted a graduation over the weekend, ignore the decor on the fan. I used the blue and gold pillows for the occasion and the looked simple and pretty. Los of complements from guests on how the house looks.

Rug turned

Your room looks lovely.

I also pulled the couches closer to dining area as advised. Oh lord, I just noticed that my hubby snuck in a couple of items back on the mantle (we had nowhere to put them, so i guess he put them on back on there at some point :).

The room looks sooo different from your initial photos! Still needs an orchid or pop of color as Jan has said but it’s still great looking. Turning the rug was smart.

Yes. I need to get that for the table.

Looking great! I like the gold pillows, particularly on the blue chair. Ties in nicely with the gold on the coffee table. It’s all coming together! Big change from the first photographs! In terms of a pop of color, with that pillow combination I’m not quite sure what you would choose. Maybe not a pillow? Be interested to see what the experts have to say about that. I know they have mentioned fuchsia but… maybe there’s some other options.

Did I miss the party? What's hanging from the fan???!!!!!!! Rug looks much better.........bigger could be even better but I will settle for SOMETHINGON THE DARN COFFEE TABLE!!! good grief! Color!an Orchid! they are 20 bucks! : ) add a few coffee table books, a nice candle plain and UN scented. No Yankee Candle please.

I

@JAN MOYER

You missed the party :-)

"Here it is. I hosted a graduation over the weekend, ignore the decor on the fan. I used the blue and gold pillows for the occasion and the looked simple and pretty. Los of complements from guests on how the house looks."

Well, there ya go. Still ............get some rich color in there ..............Okay? Bye!

Looking good and a nice party helps confirm choices (now just getting that click down!). Lol

The coffee table is genius BTW… It just softens everything up but fits right in.

Agree .......despite I rather shoved it down the tonsils..... love the brightening effect, and the proportion and the softening effect on all the other angular elements.

I beg..........ditch that damn clock. Buy him a TIMEX.AND I DON'T CARE if I never get invited to a party lol

All kidding on this aside:

Me, Flo....and other pros. Talented OP's too. It's not about being "right". It's the Rubiks Cube we can do in out HEADS,. Like some gifted child who is far too young to walk to school, but can play Bach by ear,. Change one thing and it's a domino game. It happens at lightening speed in my head. My head sees the WHOLE. So yes. Harp on about the rug size and dimensions. or......why a simple trip to the grocery should have an orchid sticking up in the darn cart. why you order a SLEW of pillows, do some play at home and ditch what you hate. Why you tell hubby to back off as if HE doesn't like compliments about his house?

Use the eyes that are free, and free only HERE.

@Jan Moyer - I think the phrase you’re looking for is Design Savant. You and @Flo Mangan and others can see the end result when we can’t. All of you are generous with your time, ideas and talent on Houzz. The rest of us are grateful.

Just wondering why a white orchid wouldn’t be preferable considering the color palette of neutrals.

It's enough white in the table........

A completely neutral room? Here's the "bad" news. It truly requires a bit of skill. It requires even a bit more quality or the LOOK of quality. The sofas do not have that. the shiny chrome metal doesn't either. We "nuked" the polka dot turquoise for just that reason and their jumpy nervous contribution to the space.

They generally don't just happen with a few trips to Home Goods.

But.... You can make it all more interesting and less harsh. You add the deep rich color.......add the softer edges as in that table. : ) But enough white is already in the space. JMHO : )

Good neutral??? Lots of planning : ) Contrast, texture...... mixed elements, hard, soft, matte ...and shiny and blah blah : )

even with a pop : )

and picture this.......without that animal print? Not nearly as GOOD The leopard makes it sing.

You are so right! I have just been going along. Without the help I was just going into a tail spin and having sleepless nights about this whole project. Now I walk in and smile. And yes, I’ll get that orchid. I’m so grateful to Jan and Flo. And others who have chipped in.

Jan, what you talk about in terms of interior decorating is pretty much exactly the process that an artist goes through. I teach art and one of the hardest things to teach is that sixth sense.

Not sure you CAN teach it. That's why it's called a sense. A gift, in many ways that can also on SOME days feel like a curse . . You can improve an inherent ability, but you can't really create the gift that was not given. For many of us? It's impossible to UN see something not working...... and just as difficult not to "pencil in" what will : )

Jan…so true. It’s the difficult thing about being a teacher. Often I can see what’s not working (and sometimes there’s so many things 🤦‍♀️) in the students’ work but as an art teacher no point in fixing their things. Then it’s my work and not theirs.As an interior decorator you have that freedom… to suggest and fix. As an art teacher one is constantly looking for ways to help people learn how to “see”. It can be done but it’s a slow process. No question that some people are visually gifted and others are not.

But of course not everyone takes the suggestions of an interior decorator either! It must be very satisfying to have someone like Paris who is willing to stay the course. It’s a lot of work to transform a room, and a very special skill to be able to work in three dimensions.

So my hats off to you Paris, for following along in the transformation of your space.

While reading these latest comments, they ring so true for me. There are instant visions I get of a space before I often even know the details of what the clients want. Then the trick is understanding those wants and weaving them into an end state even better than the client imagined. It is a “educational” process for sure. There are many “right” answers too further complicating matters. I used sketches (as does Jan) and mock ups to put visions forward for those who can’t seem to visualize spaces. Paris, you are so fun to work with because you try things, even when they stretch your comfort zone. But you also can put boundaries around must haves! (Can you say clock on the wall? Praying that thing gets retired!). So beautiful room and more fun to come!

I saved a pic on my phone last week ..then deleted it. But it was a "quickie client"s hubby's expression upon entering after .........ohh hell, I'll call it what it was. One of those referrals from a great long term client that you KNOW has no resources and I call it "mercy visit"

I walked in,,,, and I pointed directly ahead and said "play room.." She said Yes! .........

Now it's one thing to gaze into a play incorporated family room....another to gaze into dog crate, beat up toy cabinet......UGH.

Long story?Two hours later she and I had hauled tonnage everywhere. I mean TONNAGE. She wa.s thrilled, wrote a check and I left . Took three Advil- given I had lifted four times my weight and then some betwee her living room and family spaces

Day was getting late, had just enough time to hit Home Sense for some pillows, large toy baskets.......etc . Went back and put the pants on it.

Two hourse later hubs arrives to a brand new first floor and his jaw remained ON the floor for a full forty minutes.

No............I'm not going back lol. Unless they fall into some real $$$$$: )

Bu that's the WHOOOOOOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!That Flo just described.

Hilarious, but not!

Actually Flo......it was rather hilarious. I said "hon....you're a FLORIST? What's with the nothing but black and white and gray all over thing?? Color overload at the shop? Not to mention it seems you have a relative with a HUUUUUUGE discount at Arhaus???????"

Do. You. Have Any Idea. What Those 2010 Sideboards from that store WEIGH? What a 120 inch long sofa weighs? A 12 x 15 rug and it's pad?

I admit I love the gym, lift a lot of weight there............but in hindsight? We were insane. Bath rugs for moving pads pads as did I have my easy movers in the car? Of course not! .......But when you see it and you know you can fix it in a couple of hours...........you risk your body as if your brain was on speed. Nuts, really. Anyone who thinks this is a high heel job complete with a tote for the poodle? I need a page from her book, just not the heels. Not the dog, either now that I think of it. NOT..........

uhhhhhhhhhhhh yes.................and yes.now and then in the good boots

Paris My first thought is remove the pillows they take away from the lovely modern clean line sofas…add layers onto the coffee table..stacked books…candle…I would do a low bowl of white flowers. I am kinda over orchids seems that is the easy route..try something different…love what you have done with the room! The console,art and lamps is just beautiful! I am a very neutral girl so I love the layers of neutrals, gray and looks like some soft blue in the art. If still feel the need to add pillows I would add one lumber on each sofa…in a soft off white that’s all you need! So pretty!

Some beautiful rooms..maybe as inspiration?

That orchids are easy? Well yes. And cheap and with a little care last for a long time. : ) Nice with those turquoise lamps too. We can't take everything away.

Personally I thik its past time to move on to kicking gray in the fanny and HALF out the door. Talk about OVER IT. Make it newer......: ) and keep a anye out for those wonderful greens not seen everywhere USA in AGES.

Paris2004, your room is looking beautiful! You've had some wonderful help from the generous Houzz pros. I was especially drawn to your rug because I have a charcoal gray sofa and was trying to find something similar to what you have for my own living room, but with no luck. Would you be willing to share the name and source of your rug?

https://rugs.com/pebble-gray-8x10-soft-touch-shag-area-rug-6302090

Great story Jan…thanks! I totally get the “I could fix this in a hurry“ energy. Bravo… I hope your body recovers from the heavy lifting.