Living room design help needed!

12 years ago

My husband and I just moved into a house 3x the size of any we've ever lived in before. We've never had a house with a formal living room. In our new house, the formal LR is the first thing you see when you walk in. Right now it's empty. I want to make it a warm, inviting, good first impression type of space. The only pieces of furniture/decor that we have for it are a leather couch and a stretched canvas tram scroll (pics attached). I have an aboriginal art bowl that I love and would like to use as inspiration for the room (pic also included). I would love any color palette/furniture/rug/other decor advice as I've never attempted such a project. Thanks!

Featured Answer

libradesigneye

12 years ago

Key off the coral in the bowl as your accent color - frame it and hang it on the wall or put it standing on the mantel with a complimentary piece of art in earthy neutrals that is simple comparatively - maybe horse art? I think you could add adler brass elements and use the brass with this sort of approach -

keep ivory to mocha to chocolate - warm neutrals for most of the room - think texture and visual weight - with leather upholstery, you need a thick rug, heavy weight (lined linen is okay but not sheer) drapery, a pair of comfortable and pretty armchairs -

You need an inspiration fabric - something that marries the chocolate to the coral - i saw some traditional ones that didn't do it for me color wise but i hear you saying - welcoming so go a bit more modern with the prints - be fresh - as a concept
to show you the idea - not your fabric - this is a great color palette, with the blues and coral as pillows with brown sensuede backing so they don't slide off? http://www.calicocorners.com/product/designer+fabrics+for+the+home/shop+fabrics+by+color/coral+and+peach/chip+cameo.do
maybe wing chairs in coral? http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=48&productID=9256&pStart=0&recNum=138

Some real art with pink and coral across the room. Unify your metallics - work with classic pieces and add them slowly so you don't commpromise. . can you see . . . a Neutral cream to mocha area rug in a native print. Mocha - coffee with cream drapery to stand out against the wall . . .

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Comments (15)

Courtney W
Original Author
12 years ago
Better pic of the couch:
tressa150
12 years ago
Could you post more pictures of the room so that we can see the wall space you have to work with?

My initial reaction is that I really like the couch and accessories, but that the room seems very formal with the window and moldings and I wonder if the two are going to jive well together?

Assuming you want to stay with a more casual vibe, I'd start my search for either a rug or two matching chairs because those will probably be the most expensive pieces you add and unless you want to cover the chairs in custom fabric, it's easier to find a chair you like and let that dictate your color palette.

For this room, i could see a large sisal rug, maybe layered with a hide on top of it (if you're in to hides--some aren't

Love the couch by the way!
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Courtney W
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks so much for responding! Here are some additional room pics (clearly we haven't found a permanent place for the gold framed mirror!)
Courtney W
Original Author
12 years ago
A few more (which were taken when we were trying to decide the type of leather for our couch) and one of the outside entry:
Courtney W
Original Author
12 years ago
Oh and you are correct about the casual-formalness I am going for. We are in Texas so when I say "formal" it probably means "rustic formal" from most perspectives. Eventually I'm going to replace all the early nineties brass light fixtures and wooden stair spindles with wrought-iron steel. Not for everyone but definitely my taste :). Thanks again for the assistance and for the couch compliment. I designed it myself and it's taken 3 months to be made!
Courtney W
Original Author
12 years ago
Great suggestions (and thanks for the links). I saw this piece of artwork that I thought would tie in nicely and also attached is a rough sketch of what I was thinking might work well for the furniture layout. Would love to hear more thoughts!
bgfuqua
12 years ago
I agree with posting above. feel your tram scroll belongs in another location - family room? what an adventure-good looking spaces-good looking couch-have fun!
PRO
ALPA CORP
12 years ago
Hi,
you can place this eco friendly reclaimed wood sideboard beside wall
or
a sidetable or a bookshelf.

if you find something interesting or need more options write to us.

Thank you,
tressa150
12 years ago
That's a truly beautiful room! I just love it. If you have room for two couches, I like the layout you've proposed. The only thing I'm not crazy about is having two couches in two fabrics plus more fabric chairs....it can get a little too mismatched for my taste. And I don't really like the idea of two leather sofas, which leaves me a bit stuck with your proposal unfortunately. Bear in mind, if you're a "pillow person," it can be hard to get pillows to look great on a leather sofa (don't ask me why, I just see it as a recurring problem here).

What I'm thinking is that you could create two seating areas if room permits. You could put some really substantial arm chairs like those I've posted here opposite your long brown couch, and angle them towards one another. In between them (or slightly in front of them) could go a table. This would be one "seating area."

Then, you could flank your brown couch with two more chairs, perhaps with a simple pattern. I'd shoot for a round, cloth-covered ottoman as your coffee table in front of that second seating area.

I'll try to find some better pictures....
tressa150
12 years ago
So these pictures are completely the wrong style...but they show what I was trying to explain in terms of using 4 chairs plus a sofa to create 2 areas that are balanced
tressa150
12 years ago
If you do want to stick with your proposed layout, maybe you could find a funky settee like the one pictured here? I think that would go better than trying to get a traditional love seat in there.
User
12 years ago
How about some large-bright artwork? check out more artwork by Stewart Stephenson at:
http://stewartstephenson.carbonmade.com/
PRO
Warner Decor
12 years ago
So, first off, I love that your cat is in one of your pictures! Haha, I LOVE the bowl and I would use it for inspiration for a rug. Here are a few ideas off the top of my head:

http://deciture.com/shop/rugs/world-market/teak-circles-tufted-rug/

http://deciture.com/shop/rugs/wayfair/jill-rosenwald-rugs-fallon-dove-gray-rug/

http://deciture.com/shop/rugs/world-market/yellow-arabesque-indoor-outdoor-rug-8ftx8ft/

Hope this helps!
libradesigneye
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
I too vote for more chairs instead of a loveseat. It is more flexible as you can change around your layout and more people really sit down. Unless you already own a sofa loveseat it is really hard to organize a room more than one way. Two matching sofas - yes. Two matching loveseats, yes. One sofa and loveseat - nope. Warner - I love seeing what other people imagine for rugs - fun links. Inspired me - here are my sale picks from overstock -
something sort of tribal to carry the bowl theme http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Hand-knotted-Loft-Cream-Brown-New-Zealand-Wool-Area-Rug-9-x-12/8386239/product.html?refccid=VB3SMCZA4YPJILSIK6WW3SUB4I&searchidx=328#
neutral and transitional http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Hand-knotted-Montgomery-Wool-Rug-9-x-12/6036612/product.html?refccid=VB3SMCZA4YPJILSIK6WW3SUB4I&searchidx=333
Why not use an antique to signal your color accent - a dark coral is easy on the floor http://www.overstock.com/Worldstock-Fair-Trade/Antique-1960s-Persian-Hand-knotted-Mahal-Red-Ivory-Wool-Rug-99-x-13/8362082/product.html?refccid=RE3SM23EDDIYT6CA3HCIKQNEEE&searchidx=167
safe - lovely tone / thick and transitional tone on tone http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Hand-knotted-Tibetan-Ivory-Wool-Silk-Rug-9-x-12/8292060/product.html?refccid=D2MIVPKJRUB3FQ2NVQO77CJM6Q&searchidx=116
finally, the one that is possibly my favorite - ivory band means it provides contrast but practical as it brings some black in to help ground the room - also for the coral accents and overall style with leather - http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Handwoven-Multicolored-Portage-New-Zealand-Wool-Area-Rug-9-x-13/6777636/product.html?refccid=VB3SMCZA4YPJILSIK6WW3SUB4I&searchidx=344