A few updates! We moved the sideboard into the living room, replacing the previous media stand. Below are some photos. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts/feedback!

I have one thought so far that I wanted to put out there. The sideboard makes the love seat in front of the windows feel a bit cramped. However, I'm thinking I could move the love seat opposite of where it is now, and add two chairs and a small table in front of the windows to help make this area feel less cramped while also adding some much needed extra seating. As always, any feedback and/or suggestions for the seating arrangements would be greatly appreciated!

I think chairs in front of the window would look good. It would open up the view.

Wow......the sideboard looks gorgeous there (phew)! Do you like it? I really like the way it looks with the colour of the couches (I have the same couch). I also thought the layout might need to be changed and agree with moving the love seat to the opposite side (it looks odd where it is anyways). This way you can center the couch more with the tv (I think?). Here's another suggestion.....can you move the sideboard to where the couch is with the couch in front of the windows and the loveseat with its back to the dining room? Not sure you can have the tv on that wall (outlet) and not sure if this layout can be properly centered. Just a thought!

Definitely love the sideboard there instead of the media stand. It looks amazing!

Thanks, JenniferKate. We like it too!

Lydia-We love the sideboard in the living room! It actually doesn't feel awkward in any way, even though it is much taller than the previous media stand. Awesome suggestion, it's absolutely perfect!

The tv is against a partial wall so we cant do much to center the couch around it. We did center the couch in the middle of the wall per a Houzzer recommendation and it seems to work well. Do you think we need to move it?

Now on to chairs..coffee table, rug..the list seems endless!

Lydia- Just finished reading your comment, I was eager to respond and missed your suggestion to flip the couch/sideboard :) I'll have to envision this shift, it would be a big change! Ill also check cable compatibility but you may be on to something..!

I'm so happy you like the sideboard in the living room! If you keep the couch on that wall it doesn't need to be centered on the wall but rather all the furniture needs to be balanced so if you can center it with the sideboard instead. It would be much more appropriate and better for watching tv! Once you figure out the best layout you can move on to the fun stuff! And I'd be happy to help you in the process. :)

Thanks, Lydia! So great to have your guidance, this room has felt like an uphill battle but you're making it much easier already!

One more update! We moved the table from behind the love seat back to the dining room, and pushed the love back to the windows which opened up the seating area. I think we like this set-up the best (photos below).

We had the couch centered around the TV for a long time, but the only issue with that arrangement is that we were left with an awkward gap between the end of the couch and the doorway to the dining room. We're open to trying this again though!

Very nice room and love the changes you just made. That table looks great in the dining room and the extra floor space is valuable.

Thanks so much abbyjean. We're a long way from finished so we greatly appreciate all feedback!

Your home has charm written all over it. Enjoy! You have a great beginning!!!

I didn't even notice the table behind the loveseat!?!? It's so much better in the dining room and more practical. Glad you're happy with the layout. The accent table has great lines but it's hidden between the couches so it can hardly be seen. There's alot going on (in a good way) with the great windows and curtains so it kind of gets lost. I'm thinking it would look better on the opposite side of the couch to show it off. It would also fill the empty space you mentioned. You could try the floor lamp between the couches instead or stack some more magazines and use them as a table with a lamp on top. Once you remove the accent table you'll be able to push the couches closer together. I really think the couch should be centered with the tv. ;)))
Sorry......just another suggestion......it's difficult seeing proper proportions and dimensions on a monitor. At least this time the items aren't heavy. :))

I miss the lamp behind the loveseat. How about a floor lamp in the left corner?

Lydia- I know that table behind the love seat was easy to miss! I agree it serves a better purpose in the dining room.

Ok, I moved the couch to be centered with the TV, and moved the end table to the other side. We removed the painting also. How is this looking?

Decoenthusiaste- I'm SO glad to see you again!! I know, the light behind the love seat will be missed. But I do love the added space we have from moving the table back to the dining. I tried the lamp to the left of the love seat and in the corner between couch/love. Would love to get your thoughts!

What a striking floor lamp! Can't wait to see which side you decide on.

I like this layout! The room is much more defined. I'm thinking I like the lamp between the couches......how about you? That side table is really nice and now we can see it! Just a tweek..... center the table with the side of the couch and also center the lamp on the table. Once you add artwork, change the rug, add curtains and more chairs the space will come together. The first thing you needed to do was to find the best layout to show case everything you have and whatever you'll be adding. Do you like the way it is now?

We like it! The space at the end of the couch will take some getting used to...but I think it will feel better once we find some chairs. I always envisioned two chairs in front of the windows, but now that they will go in between the dining room and living area, I'm not sure what style to go with. What do you think about having one or two of these?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49877777/#/S29877778

The shape of the chairs from IKEA seem too small for your couches. Although I really like the first chairs I posted, having the sideboard in the living room changes the direction of the design (in a good way!). A chair with a higher back will add some height to the room to balance out the sideboard. These are all from World Market and are close to the same price as the IKEA chairs. If you choose a neutral rug you can have a print on the chairs. I like how the flower print slipper chair ties in with the colour (bluish grey) of the sideboard. You could even choose a fun colour like peacock blue. A regular height chair (as opposed to a slipper chair) could also be used at the end of the dining table if you need extra seating. These chairs are examples of different options - it really depends what mood you want the room to convey.

Budget-friendly wicker chairs from IKEA could also be an option. Adding some interesting cushions would change the whole look of the chair. Once again, these could be used for extra seating at the dining table.

I mentioned this in my original post, one of the first things to polish the design of the room would be to add drapery panels on all the windows. Doing this will add volume to the room to balance out the furniture. It would also frame out that wall for a much more finished look. The room would feel much cozier. :)
Also, consider changing the blinds for some roman shades.

I've been "lurking" in the background! I like the lamp on the left as a counter balance to the lamp on the opposite end of the room. If you put it on the right, it may reflect in the tv a bit. Start a serious hunt for a pair of chairs you can love. While you're looking for them, put the love on Craigs List and I think a lot of your arrangement problems will be solved. Loveseats are notorious for messing with furniture arranging. Your round table would be wonderful between new chairs. Here's a chart to help with making the right size selection regarding table and lamp heights, as well as chair arms and how they relate to the table. Since you have the table, take the measurement with you when you shop for the chairs so you don't bring home something that won't look good with the table. Then, the space at the end of the sofa, by the dining entry, will need attention. I'm thinking a tall bookcase might be a visual weight counterbalance to the heftier TV set up.

Lydia - Thank you for these amazing suggestions! Window panels are going to be next on the list, I completely agree that it will make the room feel more complete. It's funny but since you've made this suggestion, I can't help but realize how strange it looks to only have two panels! We're going to tackle this tomorrow morning. I'm thinking a light blue color might be nice? Or would that clash with the sideboard do you think?

I love the chair on the top left! I actually think it would work very well at the dining room table. We have a large area to fill now that the sideboard has moved and I think this chair would look fantastic at the head of the table. There is a World Market conveniently close to where I live so we will check it out tomorrow also.

Decoenthusiaste - I'm glad you've been lurking! I agree about the lamp balancing the side table lamp, however it actually reflected off of the TV more when it was on the left! This lamp is not my favorite...it has a huge bulky base that makes it difficult to position and there is such limited space on either side of the love seat. We placed it back on the right side for now, but I foresee that it will be relocated to a different room as we keep decorating.

I found the two most perfect chairs at an antique market this summer and I regret not purchasing them when I had the chance! I'm going to spend tomorrow looking for panels/chairs and will post any developments. About the love seat.. I can't tell you how many times I have thought about getting rid of it! It's strangely very bulky and it really only ever seats one person when we have guests over. Anyways, it serves a purpose for now but I'm not attached to it any way. Care to weigh in on color suggestions for the new window panels? I'm all ears!

You're very welcome! Here are some suggestions for curtains from World Market (pattern) and West Elm. You could choose a slate blue similar to the sideboard but I also included espresso brown curtains like in your throw pillows. Before choosing curtains it would be a good idea to decide what kind of rug you would like. A patterned rug would look better with solid curtains and vice versa. I do like mixing different patterns but in your case you don't want to take away from the beautiful ornate sideboard so one patterned element would be enough. One more thing.....choose curtains that have enough weight to anchor the room. Looking forward to seeing what you choose. Have fun shopping!

I really like that chair also! Did you notice the different buttons used for tufting? Only thing is it might be too low for the dining table but you'll get a better idea when you see it in person.

A few updates! We had a somewhat unsuccessful weekend at West Elm, Home Goods and World Market.

Lydia-World Market did not have the tufted light grey chair in stock, but they had a white linen chair that we thought would look nice in our dining room. The chairs were out of stock so we have to wait until they're back in stores before we can try them out. I'm not in love with them though since they seem a little plain. What do you think? Here is a picture:
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/linen-hayden-dining-chair.do?&from=fn

I found a gorgeous chair at West Elm but it was also mostly suited for dining. We loved this one (but not the price!):
http://www.westelm.com/products/willoughby-nailhead-dining-chair-g849/?pkey=ckitchen-dining-furniture&cm_src=kitchen-dining-furniture||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

I didn't find many that I loved for our living room though. We are going to an antique market this Saturday and I'm hoping we find some chairs there!

Rugs: We looked at Home Goods and West Elm, and didn't find anything that caught our eye. The color options were limited and there seemed to be several options in blue tones, which we didn't like. We are struggling to figure out which color to use.
We decided that we wanted to try light grey window panels and pre-ordered four new window panels in a light grey color (solid, no pattern), which changes things for the rug. I'm posting photos as soon as they get here!

Was this version in stock? Great one to flex between LR and DR.

We didn't see that one in the store, but saw that one online too and thought it was great. We are making a stop by World Market on our way home from work this evening. Will keep my eye out for this one!

That chair is quite nice (not to mention it has a very nice name......lol) for the dining room but I personally don't like dining chairs in the living room. I like your idea of finding vintage chairs. You could also have them reupholstered to make for a more personalized design.

It's been awhile since my last post but I have been making progress! After a series of unsuccessful visits to local furniture and home good stores, we were feeling extremely frustrated-and tired. Then, we found a living room rug that we loved and it reinvigorated us to continue with our home decor. We also installed floating shelves from CB2 above our couch. My husband loves them and I'm warming up to them...

Below are some photos. Unfortunately the christmas tree has been put up so the furniture set-up is modified slightly. Also, the drapes I purchased previously were a plain grey, but those had to go back after we purchased the rug. So now we need to find some new ones!

Would love to hear feedback on these changes, and/or suggestions for throw pillows, blinds and a new coffee table!

Love the rug!

This rug one reminds me of yours.


Drapes showing in the left corner of your picture look nice

Sorry but I am not liking shelves .

Thanks sondrartina! The shelves are a harsh contrast to the other decor in the room. I'm not loving them either, but I think we're stuck with them. :(

*sondramartina

If possible try to get the front legs of the couch and love seat onto the rug (since you have slip covers instead of bare legs, you can cheat a little and just get them close) but it will really unify the space to have them all on the rug. I'm going to agree with your husband on the shelves, I like them, though the lone taper candle looks a little out of place being the only object to break the edges of the shelves; I'd either add another 2 tapers (or other tall object) throughout the display, or remove that one.

I'm sorry but the shelves are awful - too skinny, too high, too industrial and too busy! I thought you were going for a large rug, but this one appears to be a hall runner. The pattern is too large and stark for your space. Sorry! Would like to be enthusiastic about the choices but that's what I'm seeing.

It's been awhile since I posted here but agreed with Decoenthusiaste that the shelves are terrible. I've made a compromise with my husband (since he likes the shelves) to move them into our bedroom, and out of sight from the living room. We are working on this once we return from out of town.

We were excited about the rug and actually hadn't noticed that it was too narrow for the space. We can try it out in the dining room instead, and go back to the drawing board for a living room rug.

More to come once we get home!

Hello! Anyone still out there? I've been absent from this thread for quite some time but wanted to revisit this conversation. I'm hoping the great and talented designers who helped me work towards my dream living room are still lurking around!

Since my last post – a few things have changed:
1- We removed the horrible black floating boxes, and recently hung some new floating shelves. I think we should paint them but not sure if it’s better to let them fade into the white background..I also need to work on finding items to put on the shelves!
2- I purchased additional panels for the window (this was a great recommendation by Lydia!)
The remaining items for this room are:
1 – New carpet. We despise this rug – it sheds everywhere and it’s too small. No idea what color or design will work with our current colors though. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
2 – Chair. I love the first chair suggestion from Lydia above, but I have difficulty envisioning it in my living room. Would love additional suggestions for ways to pick-up more seating in this room!
3 – Coffee Table. We’re not in love with our coffee table – it was a hand-me-down and each day I feel more and more like I am outgrowing it.

As always, I appreciate all feedback and suggestions – and I hope some of my talented contributors are still on Houzz!

Kathryn

GET RID OF THE TRIM FOR SURE

Wow huge improvement!! The extra panels make all the difference it looks amazing!

Also I kind of like the coffee table that you already have

Raise the window panels up passed the window about 6/8" use a small round coffee table take that big dresser out of the room slant the love seat off the wall. use all different size black frames n a cloge mirror's always open a small room, maybe put the larger sofa in front of the windows.

Thanks JenniferKate! I love the extra panels too-Can't believe we ever had only two. Coffee table is nice, but I dislike that it brings a different wood tone into the room...

Floortoceiling--thanks for these suggestions!! Unfortunately I can't get rid of the trim since it is a rental (however we can paint the walls). I moved the sideboard into this space on the suggestion of a fellow Houzzer and I have to say it just works in this room! Plus I think it adds a little character. Love your suggestion for black frames-Initially that is what I had envisioned but then I worried it would contrast with the softer tones in the room. I wish I had gone with my guy on that one! The love seat idea is intriguing; are you suggesting angling it in front of the left window?

Do you have any more of the fabric you have chosen for the pillows? If not, choose a coordinate for your chair or chairs and make sure the chair shows a little leg....as the sofa styles go all the way down to the floor...this will help the room stay on the lighter side. then for the cocktail table I would try to find a different shape an oval or something that is not square or rectangular to bring more interest to the room. Then of course wall decor with a repeat of some of the color you decide upon. Good Luck!

Kathryn can you paint the trim the same color as the walls? the dark is what my eye go right to makes the room look box like. love seat at a angle on opp side of the window and the larger sofa in front of the window not sure you have room for that is not in the photo

Was wondering if you had considered one more drape panel on left side of right window and one more on right side of left window? It would cover the wood trim that is so obvious and fill in the small strip of wall space. Just looks like incomplete amount of panels.

SMALL consideration.....since the rug does not fit under the front feet of the couch and there is floor showing, I feel like the floor needs to show in front of the love seat, too. I almost wonder if the rug should just be centered with that whole area in front of the tv instead of with the love seat? Sometimes it looks....odd.....when the rug just extends from a piece of furniture that way...almost like a runway.....but that could be just my eyes, too. Easy enough to try???

more panels I would say also two on each area and raise.

what if you paint the shelves to match the grey dresser? or even.... the coffee table too? it would unify the color scheme, maybe pull the coffee table into the ensemble better until you find a replacement you like.

too bad about the rug. what about something like this?
http://www.westelm.com/products/linking-loops-wool-rug-ivory-t1168/?pkey=cpattern-rugs-flooring&cm_src=pattern-rugs-flooring||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-
http://www.westelm.com/products/kite-wool-kilim-rug-flax-t1298/?pkey=cpattern-rugs-flooring&cm_src=pattern-rugs-flooring||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-
http://www.westelm.com/products/sketch-round-wool-rug-t1304/?pkey=cpattern-rugs-flooring&cm_src=pattern-rugs-flooring||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/60/65/dd/6065dd70c3a038c434f2a4923e41f073.jpg




https://www.houzz.com/photos/60-crescent-place-traditional-bedroom-new-york-phvw-vp~4301219

Vickie - Thanks for you comments! I don’t have the fabric from the pillows; both covers were purchased from West Elm. We will keep the chair legs in mind after we find our chair(s)!

Floor to Ceiling - Thanks for the ideas! We emailed our landlord this evening to ask about painting the trim. My guess is he will not let us do this.

tlparks - Thanks for the suggestion! I hadn’t thought about adding an additional set of panels, but I can see what you mean now. My only concern is that the pattern might be overbearing if we had 6 panels in such a small space, but you could be onto something…I don’t know, I’ll have to think about that for a bit!

abbyjean- Good to hear from you again! This rug is horrible; it was a cheap purchase from CB2 and the size is very awkward, plus it sheds constantly. We are hoping to get rid of it entirely, hopefully very soon. Any suggestions are most welcomed!

acm - Thank you for your excellent suggestions! I like the idea of matching the shelves to the sideboard, although I should point out that the color is actually blue. Not sure how that color would look against the white walls. Thank you thank you thank you for the rug examples - I struggle with this the most out of any design element. I’m constantly distracted by all of the different options - colors, textures, shapes. We love the Historic Southern Home rug and the Adriana Living Room-both would tie in nicely with our existing colors in the living room. We’ll look into prices for the size we would need for the space- thank you so much!

You have made some great changes with your living room - from the photos that you have posted.

1. I would add an extra panel to each existing panel. It will provide a fuller, richer look to each window, cover up some of the trim.

2.Coffee table - pottery barn has a great round glass coffee table that has two levels, you can display coffee table books etc in the bottom level and a plant or candles on top. The table is an online order only around $400-500. I have used it in a small condo living room.

What I love about the table is it off sets a square setting group (I used it with a sectional - see attached picture) it's glass so visually it lightens up the space and you can see the rug under.

3. Rug - your room is fairly neutral, with the exception of the drapes and pillow pattern. Your current rug pattern competes with the pattern in your drapes. Depending on your style - which appears to be eclectic with modern design elements like your drape pattern - a sea grass rug with an interesting binding couple provide a nice neutral base or a subtle tone on tone stripe for a more modem look.

4. Chairs - opposite the love seat, something with a exposed leg in a floral pattern. Years ago I was told to always mix a pattern (solid/stripe/plaid) a floral and a solid for an even balance in a room. Repeat the floral fabric in a pillow on the sofa to carry the look around the room. Add a small table between the chairs. Also having the chairs with their backs to the dining room will still create an open appearance to the living room, with out seeming to crowded.

5. Those shelves - in a small room, you need a statement piece on the wall above the larger sofas and something to balance out the large flat screen TV. Those shelves just look lost on the wall. I know you didn't like the original large art work you had, but it balanced the TV. You could do a cluster of photos in similar styled frames to create a larger scaled art installation.