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corky519

Decor Idea Suggestions

3 years ago

I would love some decor suggestions on what to add (or even take away) from my living room. Thank you!

Comments (27)

  • 3 years ago

    Thank you so much! Yes, I also agree I need color.

  • 3 years ago

    You've made some very tasteful choices in your furnishings and it all works together. What you might want to add, carefully, is the human touch.


    --Is there a TV across from sofa? I can't quite see from your photo if sofa is facing TV. Please provide another photo that shows the wall across from sofa where ladder is.


    --If that's your front door, consider a landing spot behind the sofa where you can inject a welcoming note as someone enters your space.

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    Also note below, the big abstract art work the sofa faces. Think about replacing that fill-the-space ladder with a large art work you love. There are a lot of affordable art prints at society6.com where artists offer their original designs, which are then reprinted. It can be a start for choosing art you like right now.

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    --Once you provide a better photo of the wall the sofa faces, I have a feeling you might want to bring one of those two chairs off on the gallery wall to form a conversational grouping as shown in preceding photo. Guests often want their own chair to sit in to face a sofa.


    The gallery wall looks good, but it's hard to imagine two people sitting there. If you move one of those great chairs tilted to face the sofa, then make that gallery wall a "reading corner" by the glass door with a reading light, a long, low bookshelf below the gallery wall--or an antique desk--, and perhaps an ottoman in front of the chair.

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  • 3 years ago

    Large art work to replace ladder would introduce color and something beautiful to look at. These suggestions are for palette only--soft blues, grays, etc.





  • 3 years ago

    Thanks housegal! I provided more pictures. My concern is that I have a frame tv, so would I be able to put another piece of artwork right next to artwork? I see what your saying about a table behind the sofa, however, with the new pictures i added, i have a table a few feet away. Would that be too many tables?

  • 3 years ago

    Would i be able to put small artwork next to the bar? And have the ladder break it up?

  • 3 years ago

    The ladder is too small, looks lost….as does the liquor cabinet in the corner. I agree with what others have said re art, color, less pillows on the sectional, console table behind the sofa (if you have room for one), and I’d add that your sofa table seems too high. (Do you have a second living/family room? If not, consider something you can put your feet on while watching telly.) If you are set on keeping the liquor cab, align it with the dining table. Once you find some art for your walls that speaks to you, select a few throw pillows for the sectional that are congruent with your colors and get rid of the many neutral ones. Good luck!

  • 3 years ago

    Thanks for the extra photos. Now that we see that wall, a large art work, not over the bar but to replace ladder would make a transition between living area and dining. So further thoughts:

    --art work in cream and blues

    --move bar to line up with chandelier

    --consider a rug underneath dining table, large enough so chairs can be pushed back entirely on the rug.

    --move floor lamp to gallery wall corner. Since you have an armchair as part of a conversational group, then keep your gallery wall as is but with a reading lamp so that it provides some function.

    --Now that I see you have a bit of a landing spot by front door, then a really great, modern bench behind couch as previously shown could be used for people to leave handbags, change shoes, etc. These side by side Nelson benches are probably originals, but you can find many decently made knockoffs Or check Etsy for a dark wood bench or two to match dining table finish that would serve the purpose. What's attractive here are both personal touches, but utility as well--change shoes, put down a bag, etc.


    Three suggestions even though you did great on your own--everything neutral, peaceful, and harmonious.

    1. Anything you add to your space should be both attractive and serve a purpose. That's why floor lamp should be connected to one of the chairs on the gallery wall. If you need light in the corner near the windows at nighttime, then get a beautiful paper floor lamp for soft illumination. You have that random ladder and a random ottoman any old place. Rehome the ladder to a bathroom or bedroom for hanging towels, clothes=attractive and useful. Move the ottoman in front of a chair or rehome it.

    2. The too-many-sofa pillows situation someone mentioned. If you have guests, how are they supposed to sit down? Get rid of half of them. Then replace a couple of the others with pillows that pick up color from art you will get--this type of idea:

    This has ivory of your sofa but echoes blue of an art work.


    Dining rug palette if you decide to get a rug has some blues and ivory so it will echo living area rug, possible new art and pillows and neutral sofa. That way everything in the room connects.



    2. When posting on Houzz, always include all four walls of a space. Everyone needed to see that TV wall.


    Even if you don't do anything suggested, the room looks a million times better than most Design Dilemma spaces. It's serene. Small useful and beautiful touches--not too many--will make it more personal and interesting.






  • 3 years ago

    I am going to be radical here. The rooms are beautiful but could function better. Flip the dining area and living area using current furnishings. There is so much wasted walking space. The pretty window wall with a single chair, 2 chairs with no relation to anything, no views for any function, the living area squished. The dining in the front of the house would then align with and be closer to the kitchen. Gains a beautiful view as well as creating a pretty space.. Then you will have the much larger remaining rear space for living, additional seating, and enjoying the view out the sliders. It would mean an electrician to move the chandelier or to add a chandelier over the table. But, need to figure out how new living area would work with tv placement, either on a wall or low table under the high windows. Plan out on graph paper before doing anything. Not want to create new problems. The bar can be between living area and dining area or the current picture wall as functional for both.

  • 3 years ago

    I think you could use a longer TV console. It would balance the TV, and if you mount the TV over one side, you’d have room for art or shelves.

  • 3 years ago

    I love your taste, I think you have brought together a lovely space. I think the reason you know it needs more is that it is mostly one horizontal line (think a flat-line EKG). You need more energy, more ups and downs to draw the eye. That's why your entry looks so nice. If you study the inspiration photos, see who there are vertical lines fully balancing the horizontal lines. There are pieces at eye level as well as waist level. Art is a great way to get there.

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    I'd place the liquor cabinet on the wall where the gallery art is located. Place the dining table under the chandelier


  • 3 years ago

    Add some pops of color (a few sofa pillows, rug, vase, etc), including real plants.

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    It looks like your space might benefit from some color, texture, and some plants. Here are a few ideas for you from various designs of ours.

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  • PRO
    3 years ago

    I would open up the space by turning the sectional so it runs along front window but pulled away a bit with a long slender sofa table.

  • 2 years ago

    Ok so before I do anything stupid, yay or neigh? I am going to add two pieces of artwork as suggested. Are the frames too big or small? Any suggestions are welcome!

  • 2 years ago

    Artwork is too small IMO.

    Have you considered going crazy and building out one of those electric fireplace/mantel/television pieces?

  • 2 years ago

    I’d love to, but we just put a second story addition on our home and we don’t have the funds for that now.

  • 2 years ago

    Your dining table isn’t centered under the chandelier; it needs to be. Move the bar cabinet to the left of the TV and get a taller/larger console for underneath the TV. I would also move the ladder to a cozier corner (or another room) because it just seems to be floating on the long wall. Hang some large art on the wall where the bar cabinet was (I say was because you moved it, right?). As others have suggested, remove most of the pillows on the sofa. Replace a few with pillows that pull colors from your lovely rug. You’re well on your way to a beautiful, calm, inviting space!

  • 2 years ago

    Thank you @lkloes. I took away pillows and added a nice blue pillows from crate and barrell.
    So if i center the bar cabinet and get rid of the ladder, can someone give me an example of where the artwork should be? How large? U can even draw it with your finger. I’m so lost

  • 2 years ago

    The large wall I’m struggling with.

  • 2 years ago

    I would move the bar cabinet out of the dining room completely. You don’t have room to center you dining room table under the chandelier otherwise.

  • 2 years ago

    Lovely flooring, nice furniture. I would remove at least half of the loose pillows from the sofa and select a color or two for accent colors. Use those accent colors sparingly: a vase, a runner rug behind the sofa, two or three small pillows, some art. Move the bar cart to where the two lightweight chairs are located. Center the dining table under the chandelier. Put soft stick-on felt pads on the bottom of the dining chair legs to protect the floor.

  • 2 years ago

    How about 2 bookcases or shelves flanking either side of the TV console. It would give you height and fill those empty places. You could fill them with lovely sculptures, ceramics, antiques and art, books too if you wish

  • 2 years ago

    Have you considered adding an end table off the side of the couch (front door side of couch)? Maybe put a pale bluish gray lamp on the end table?

  • 2 years ago

    Here’s a few inspiration photos placing art with a TV. I pasted this first one onto your wall.







  • 2 years ago

    Hi all. I slowly updated and listened to your suggestions. I added blue to the room and less pillows. I moved the bar cabinet to the middle. I also added two family pics on either side of the tv. The console has been replaced for a larger and taller one. I hope everyone likes that because it was a small fortune lol.
    Now i need to spruce up the bar area. Helpppppp. I have no idea what to add. Any help will be appreciated!!!