Your furniture is all nice but you have a large space. So, I believe it would feel more comforting and homey with a nice sofa as your base. I would remove the tall candle holders from either side of the TV. they are too bookend-ish there, but I like them. I would try them next to each other one the floor instead.

I agree with LB Interiors....those pictures over the windows bother me....I like them by your door in a row going down....nothing else...no little table. You have a nice lot of furniture and you have it looking very nice.....don't add anything more.

Thank u everyone for your comments they are appreciated. I can see by your comments and seeing the room in photos that if they wrote a book about me it would be titled 50 shades of beige ... lol

I do have the matching sofa to the brown chairs but I took it out when I fell in love with my Paris chair and my old recliner is so comfortable to watch tv in

Throw the lambskin over the sofa... mess, mix things up a bit... it is pretty busy. Is there another room some stuff could graduate to?

Yes! I think those photos are perfect, with the other two pieces on the other side. That front door IS cool! It's funny when you find the right thing, your eye just relaxes.

I should have remembered one of my rules: Try to work WITH what you have. Camoflage as last resort. It often becomes like washing walls!

Would you be okay if you brought in the sofa and removed the two brown chairs? Just switch them out in the same place?

I agree with catherinek about the tall candleholders.

Ok. Have lived which this for a day and really don't like it. It feels too cozy...So I've been looking for ideas. I'll attach a pic I found which I like where I could use my 2 chairs and buy a sofa and yes get rid of the recliner... Another option would be to put the tv in the bay window and buy a modular lounge to go where the tv is..? Would love some input ? I think I also need a larger rug with more colour...?

How do I add a pic I found on here ...?

http://houzz.com/photos/5172896

I also like this

http://houzz.com/photos/623441

I think the second picture suits your style but not the color scheme. I would use browns and teal with orange as accent color in pillows, vases, flowers..etc...

I would put a little table with a drawer to store spare keys and other things ,like mail for example and if there is room beneath it add a small stool that could be used to sit on for tying shoes .

]

Hi Susan, I wasn't aware that you were wiling to buy some new things. Guess I was being too conservative and use what you had to design your room. Now that you may want to make some major purchases, there are tons of options available to create a brand new look :)

I wouldn't like the TV covering the bay windows. You might get background glare also. May have difficulty viewing. You will have to decide on a floor plan first. That will guide you in what sofas, chairs and tables you will need. You need to know where they are going in the room. Rug size is determined by the choices of furniture and where everything will be.

If you want a looser furniture arrangement and furniture spread out in the room, you will need a much larger coffee table to have a purpose to set drinks on it. Guests need the convenience. Coffee tables are not just for looks :) The scale of furniture and where everything is positioned in the room, is important, to feel and be comfortable. I suggest finding a floor plan that you will love. That is the beginning of your make over.

I love your bay windows and they are low to the floor. Is there another place for the buffet? Maybe in another room ? Two chairs and an end table with a table lamp would be nice in the bay window space.

Thanks applecandi that is my style ..!!!
..and thanks LB this furniture arranging is a lot harder than it looks. I take my hat off to u designers. I think I have a house plan somewhere so will start from scratch with a floor plan that works on paper first...

i agree. maybe just a small chest or table. you need something for a catch all when people come in they usually are looking for place to hang purse or keys

Please do a floor plan to scale. Map out the configuration of walls, windows and doors. It will help a lot. You can buy floor plan kits to help. There are some online I think, that may help.

I think you could put the sofa facing the TV with the coffee table in front of it. Leave your recliner where it is (to the left of sofa). Put the 2 leather chairs in the bay with a small lamp table between them and the foot stool. Try the Paris chair in the corner by the windows on the left. If it doesn't work, I would put the Paris chair in your bedroom. Alternatively, you could create a nice reading nook in the bay with your Paris chair, foot stool, floor lamp and a plant stand or your candle holders. You could replace the recliner with the two leather chairs if you need the seating, but if you don't, then keep your comfy recliner for watching TV and put the leather chairs somewhere else.
I love the look of all chairs in a living room too. But, your chairs are to varied to work together that way, I think. Absolutely, if you want to do that you need a round or square coffee table. The rectangle coffee table needs a sofa or love seat!
Also, the coffee table and TV stand are so much alike that they don't work being so close together. ( too matchy, matchy). I think you need to change the color, or replace one of these.

less is more

If you bring your sofa back and have it facing the TV, then I wonder if your buffet would work behind it with drawers facing your entryway. That would make sense to me. Then you could put your candle holders on it or a lamp.

Thanks Catherine. U have some good ideas. I would like a reading nook in the bay window and I love my Paris chair. I also agree the coffee table has to go. The current buffet in the bay window is 44cm deep so similar to the depth of a console table..? I would need to find a couch higher than this ? Would appreciate your input LB ?

A console/sofa table should not be any higher than the back of the sofa. Your buffet would be too high and it is too high also because of the visual aspect that it would be floating in the room and too high upon entry to the room. You would want the eye to continue sight to the TV wall and not be stopped by anything too tall.

If you want your Paris chair and would like to have a reading area at the bay window, Maybe you can find another chair very close in style in a solid color fabric that is the same color.... or purchase another Paris chair just like it. Place both of them at the bay window.

I've been thinking about a colour. As so many have said I am monotone... How about the purple/blue of the hydrangea ?

That color for paint or a chair? If you want two chairs at the bay window, they should be the same. But two different chairs in the other areas of the room will work but not at the bay window.

Have you decided on a floor plan?

I think your Paris chair needs a separate spot of it's own if you don't get another light colored wing chair. Depends on the floor plan :)

LB do think Susan would definitely have to have 2 chairs in the bay? don't you think a slightly larger, round, slightly taller than an end table with a good size lamp would balance the area? Or, what about a wooden chair with a rush seat and ladder back? I will try to find some photos that show what I mean. I know that I recently saw an article on house about balance. I will try to locate it.

'catherinek' no, it's not necessary to have two chairs at the bay window. Originally I was trying to balance her existing furniture. Then when she was open to new things, my priority and hers was to incorporate the Paris chair. The Paris chair needs a mate, same style and color, if they are to work as a pair near each other. A separate location for the Paris chair can work at the left of the fireplace or right of the fireplace. Maybe in other areas depending on the floor plan and other furniture choices wanted.

I like the idea of a taller foyer table standing alone in the bay window. Rectangle possibly. A very large sculpture or vase on top. Depends on the floor plan and how much seating is wanted elsewhere. or ...... an open console table with legs (not wanting to block the bay long windows) and two lamps on top. The console table may have to be used behind a floating sofa in the room as an option. I wouldn't want to repeat two console tables in the room. It all depends on the floor plan first.

It seems to me that the Bay Area is the nicest feature in this room and right now it is blocked off by the chest. I would try moving that piece somewhere else. Here are some examples of what I am thinking.

In keeping with the Paris theme, how about a bistro set in the bay for checking email, having a cup of coffee, etc.?

Susan, I think you have enough feedback to move forward with your design. Update your room when you get your sofa and we may help with the finishing touches.

catherinek, I like the idea of the bistro. So fitting.

Some great ideas thank you... I have found a plan of the house so you can get an idea of the lounge space. I don't use the dining area for dining as I live in the tropics and have my dining table on my patio. I use the lounge for mainly TV. But it's the first area u see when u walk in the front door. I like the idea of exposing the bay window as I have hidden it with the buffet and decreased the width of the room.
Would appreciate some furniture placement ideas. The only thing I want to keep is my Paris chair and tv of course. Thanks

I have been researching built in cupboards that will fit in the tv plus all the other stuff I have in both sideboards. This would increase my floor space and leave my bay window free.
If i did this and got rid of the recliner could I put my Paris chair in the bay and have a small sectional facing the tv with the chaise section away from the bay..?

Sounds nice to me!

Thanks Catherine. I'm also trying to find another chair like LB suggested to make a pair in the bay. We don't have a good local designer so I'm really appreciating the ideas the ladies here have been giving me. Are there designers u can employ that work over the internet ?

Hi Susan, I am a designer that offers E-Decorating online. Send me an email. I would be happy to discuss anything that you would need help with.

To answer your question Susan, there are scads of designers who will give online consultations. But, it is reasonable to ask to see samples of their work, and the cost of an online consultation before you agree to hire one. I know one who does phone consultations too after you send her pictures. Maria Kilam I believe is her name. she is a color expert. Even many furniture stores give in home consultations. If you have a particular store you want to buy from, ask if they do design consultation. It is often free.
Personally, I think the bay would look better if you did not have 2 of the same chairs. That is kind of an old fashioned, traditional and predictable look.
I imagine you have an eclectic style with a bit of a romantic edge. I would try to get a sense of the style you are looking for and then start looking at the living room pictures in that style on this site. Find your inspiration rooms. Then when and if you decide to go with a designer, you will know by their work if they are a good match for you. And, it will give the designer a starting point.
Have fun!

There are many designers who have not posted all of their work on their website. There are many designers who are capable of many designs styles and types of clients. As in many professions, when it comes to the arts, the professional can get caught in a design style due to word of mouth that fits that style. It takes a lot of time to work on a website. I feel that any website should not be viewed as the only options available by that designer.

Thanks Catherine your are very kind...
I've spent hours on this site looking for ideas and my saved collection is very impressive..lol and you are right I can see my style emerging so at the end of this I will be able to show someone all of this and say this is my style.
Where I have trouble is trying to visualise how it will look and don't want to purchase furniture items that don't work and really to have another person to say ...what do u think of that. So once I have my pics and notes and floor plan I will have a chat with a professional to assist me so I don't make a silly mistake.
Once I finally have it sorted I will post it on here so u can have a look. Thanks

I feel that consultations in any showroom are focused to selling products in the showroom. Very understandable. A designer has knowledge of thousands of product choices to recommend adding personal creativity to offer to a client.

Comment that was here ... Sorry, wrong post :)

If you don't change a thing or buy new furniture, I like your original design better. When it's a grouping of 4 chairs, it's more attractive for them to all point at an angle towards the center of the room. If the 2 brown matching chairs must face the TV, the remaining chairs should go closer to the TV wall pointing to the center to form the conversation group. But then this would mean your most comfortable lounging chair would land up pointing away from the TV which defeats the purpose.

I also like your candle stands next to your TV. The shine on the stands picks up the shine on your TV.

Also agree with a tallish narrow cabinet under the picture to form the landing strip.

You are trying to work around a rectangle coffee table, it will never work. Just remove.

Sorry didn't read all old post. Saw yr insp pics. Nice. Great you are willing and able to buy new. Just follow your pic above, it will be fine. Yore room is small think scale. Don't over do.