Newlyweds new home-just not coming together....

11 år sedan

My husband and I bought our first home...only 4 months living here, but it seems that everything I buy to make our home feel comfy, romantic, and like home...just doesn't look good. Help please!! I feel like we have too many neutral colors that just aren't flowing together. This is our sitting room, we just got the furniture, but the odd spacing is making it look weird...maybe an area rug with some color, diff curtains, plants, something...and I don't think I love the painting above the fireplace. Thanks all!!

Hoping to be a classier homemaker.... :)
Megan

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feeny

11 år sedan

First, congratulations on your new marriage and your new home! I don't think you have too many neutrals. Neutrals are great for large pieces of furniture and carpeting, so I think you are doing great there. You can always brighten them up with accent pillows and other pops of color in the room. The issue I see is the big gap between your fireplace seating area and your two easy chairs. I'd pull the chairs forward, in the same angled positions, but as close to your coffee table as your sofa is. That way you have a great conversation area focused on your fireplace. I know you'll ask, then, what are you supposed to do with those corners where the chairs are now? Well, you can put any combination of things. One could have a small console or chest against the wall with a lamp on it. The other side could have a slender bookshelf or large plant or a small easy chair with lamp and side table--making a little reading corner. Or you could put a petite desk, etc. etc. You also might want to put an area rug in the center of the main seating area to anchor it. You've got a great start here. It just needs a little tweaking to bring the seating into a cozier formation.

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Kommentarer (40)

parrotheadchic
11 år sedan
*Photos - If you are a newlyweds, you must have photos. How about a couple of black and whites?
*Bring in some nature- A large basket next to the fireplace with knidling or pine cones.
*Books warm up a room- the club chairs scream reading nook. The areas on each side of the fire place would be great areas for built in shelves. The back of the built-in's would be a fun place to add color.
*A Throw- would add color and texture.

The room has great bones- Good luck!
Hillary Moers
11 år sedan
Try a new furniture arrangement. Sofa in front of fireplace with the chairs flanking each side of the sofa.
It's more of a focal point, and cohesive for talking and enjoying the fireplace. Don't be in a hurry, a home is built slowly and with love. you will get there I promise, it just takes time and a learning curve about what each of you is drawn to.
User
11 år sedan
or flank the fireplace with the chairs allowing them to face the sofa positioned in front of the fireplace. That way you can use your pretty floor lamps with the chairs. A patterned rug under the coffee table, a couple of pillows and some plants and it will look great. Congratulations on your wedding!
Karen Heffernan
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
First of all, it's a lovely room. I think the problem with the room is that it's not taking advantage of the lovely fireplace as a focal point. I suggest placing the sofa so that it faces the fireplace with the coffee table in front of it, and your arm chairs on either side of the coffee table. They can face the ends straight on, or be angled on either side of the fireplace facing the sofa. I agree with feeny that your neutrals are great, and you can make things pop with fun colors in your accessories.

Where your chairs are now, you could add a little table for 2 for morning coffee, a console table or writing desk. Be sure to update us on what you do!
Darzy
11 år sedan
Great start! I think just a little tweaking is in order. How about pulling the chairs forward and closer together. Then, put an interesting round side table between the chairs. (This will break up all the rectangles). I'd add a colorful bolster pillows (one for each chair) for the chairs to add texture and color. I agree the art above the FP is a bit generic. Get a really interesting, maybe shiny surface, or glass lamp for the little round table. Then, the floor lamps on either side of your loveseat. If you want an area rug for more color, I say go for it! Rug on a rug is way okay.
anitajoyce
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
You're right. Lovely room. You could use a warm tan color on the walls Remove the drapes because they look too dark and feel too heavy for the room. In their place use a lighter color of tan in a stripe or other pattern or go bold and use a drape in tan and rust/red . The sofa and chairs are too far apart for conversation. I would move th sofa to face the fireplace and add a small table to each end to ground the room.. Next place the two arm chairs on each side of the fireplace along with the two lamps (you could change the color of the lamp shade to rust or tan). Add a small dark brown table beside each arm chair . Add a pillow to each chair in red and tan stripes or a solid red or rust color. The room does need an area rug in tans ,reds or rust and maybe some green. The fireplace and the pillow have a rust or red color. Add a small plant to the table placed in front of the sofa. Change the fireplace picture to something more modern.. an abstract, a big flower in Red . If you need more seating, you can add two ottomans or one large one and place a snake plant in pretty pots in each corner by the window (they add interest and texture). Please show us pictures of the finished room. Good Luck! On top of the fireplace add a group of three candles in various heights to one end.
Darzy
11 år sedan
Everyone had such good suggestions. Since you have the chairs, instead of another loveseat, you have opened up so many arrangement possibilities. You can use a sofa table behind the loveseat, face the FP..make an "L"...But you're right. Color and texture is needed to cozy it up.
PRO
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID
11 år sedan
Feeny is absolutely right that you have the right ingredients for a beautiful home. I would place your sofa so that it faces the fireplace. Then the chairs would be on either side of it, looking straight across at each other.

I'd put a sofa table behind the sofa, with one or two lamps on it, if you have an electrical connection in the floor. Do you?

I see that you have 2 reading lamps so those could be brought in to serve each chair if the chairs move to flank the sofa. I'd also give each chair a small round table. Or if you keep the chairs where they are now, give them one larger round table between them, and pull the chairs about 8" away from the corners they now occupy. People tend to shove furniture into a corner. It's better to give it some "breathing" room.

An off white or colored area rug would be a great addition. If you move the chairs away from the window, I'd place a bookcase on either side of the window, giving the room a library feel. I really like the Ikea Billy bookcase series and recommend them with the extra height addition on top.
michigammemom
11 år sedan
Neutral furnishings are a wise investment because they are so versatile. I think part of your dissatisfaction lies in the fact that your upholstered pieces don't have any contrast against your similarly toned carpet. That can easily be remedied with a great area rug. I love this one from Crate and Barrel because it contains the warm russet colors found in your fireplace surround and throw pillows. You've got a great start. Happy decorating! http://www.crateandbarrel.com/gianni-rug/f6414
lionnessone
11 år sedan
Can you add some photos of the fireplace wall and its adjacent room? I would like to see more of that wall and your rooms.
lefty47
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
HI -- Well you sure are starting out with better things than we had starting our marriage. Anyway , I'm sorry, but I don't like the drapes or the fireplace . If you got some nice off white drapes and have them full height and wall to wall to fill that end wall , that will would look more finished .Now the fireplace mantel is the wrong color and doesn't do the room any favors. It would look much better if you stone vaneered the face of it and have some full height wood shelves in the alcove that has glass shelves and a light from the top.Replace the tile around the fire box and hearth base with a black granite or tiles. Then hang a big round mirror with a large wood frame in silver leaf on the fireplace.If you want a mantel ,then just a simple beam board or shelf in wood or granite or glass. Place the sofa backed to the front windows ( out a little more in the room ), you could have thin console table behind and have the chairs on the other side- straight -with a small accent table between. You could keep the floor lamps where they are now or have them on each side of the fireplace. You might want to get a bigger more square coffee table( glass top ?) - should be about the width of the fireplace. You could have an accent rug or a light color cow hide under the coffee table.Then have some color in your accents and pillows etc. There you go , I hope this helps !
Natalie
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
Bring the chairs in closer and see how that looks. If there is enough clearance to walk behind the sofa, then position it opposite the fireplace. Otherwise, leave it where it is, put a sofa table behind it. Do add a rug, it will add some pattern and ground the space. The colors are nice and neutral and work well together, so you did really good there. What's missing is personality and coziness. Pull the furniture closer and add a rug---then be you'll off and running with more ideas... Good Luck![houzz=
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AMN
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
I know you had to light the room up in order to take a picture at night, but the bright, cold lighting is doing nothing for the room. I hope that when you're in there on, say, a Tuesday evening, you turn down the ceiling lights (if dim-able) and use the floor lamps.

Aside from that, I agree with what many others have already written. Those chairs need to come out of the corners.

In addition to moving furniture, adding a rug and some decorative pillows, a plant or two can add some life to the room.
User
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
I would get a custom roman shade made for the window that has a fabulous print or stripe to it and buy extra fabric for coordinating pillows to bring the look more together. A lot of private fabric stores have names of people who can do custom window treatments. If you like your drapes, pick a print or stripe that has the drape color in it so it will coordinate. If you cannot afford that, look at the ones on JC Penneys website, or at Lowes to special order. If you do not like your picture above the mantel, you could replace it. Etsy.com has little shops owned by people all over the US, Canada and other places in the world. You can use their search engine to find what you like and narrow it down too. For instance, if you want photography of Paris, Venice, agricultural scene, hot air balloons or whatever just put it in the search engine. They also have paintings, mirrors, decorative pillows and lots of other items. Perhaps you would like a decorative mirror over your mantel - you can look at dept stores and furniture stores for them - or use Mr. Google.. Then you could put some smaller art on the wall near the chair. You may even want 3 small ones with similar frames with the same frame. If you would like check out my Etsy shop, nancyhehmann. The other suggestion I would make would to use end tables. At least one beside your couch. You may even want to have a decorative vase for your mantel or end table. Check out Blenko glass website. They may be the last US manufacturer of hand blown glass. They have several colors and it could be an heirloom.

I think you have a great start! You just need to fall in love with some items to add to your new home. One of the first things I bought that I fell in love with years ago was an antique Brass Cash register believe it or not. You do not have to have a whole lot of one thing; sometimes just one striking thing. I really think the Roman shade would be a big help.
abdulRehman Khan
11 år sedan
OK I think your furniture is fine it's only lacking the right order. I agree with many of the above comments that you need to make the fireplace the focal point of the room. You could make the two-seater face the fireplace with the table in between and definitely a rug of some sort to enhance the colours of the room. Make the small sofas face each other with a small table in between for breakfasts (if the view outside the window supports the idea). How about putting some picture frames of your wedding on the mantle to make it look less empty.

Right now I think you need to remove those lamps from where they are because they look really awkward. Fill in the walls with pictures and for the left side of the fireplace, perhaps, a small bookshelf of some light texture and for the right side its really up to you. oh and congratulations on your wedding and for the new house as well may you make many love-filled memories in this house :)

P.S. I think you should never buy sofas of the same colour as the carpet because the carpet just dissolves all the colour of the sofas then. (Just my opinion)
jojo132
11 år sedan
Congratulations! Remember that a home evolves over time so don't feel frustrated that your living room hasn't come together as yet. Like most of the earlier comments I would put the sofa facing the fireplace with the armchairs either side to create a more welcoming feel. A couple of side tables with lamps and candles would warm up the space as would the addition of cushions and throws. You've made a great start with your neutrals, look forward to seeing more photos.
cyn222
11 år sedan
I'm a big fan of moving furniture away from the walls or corners. Center you seating out the fireplace to make it a focal point in the room. Picture over FP alittle large. I would also raise it up and put some items on the mantle to display. How about moving the chairs to face the fireplace and create an L shape seating arrangement.
yvonnecmartin
11 år sedan
I agree with the comments about furniture placement--couch facing the fireplace and chairs on either side.

However, it looks to me as if this room is just inside the entrance. Hence, I would suggest a large plant or umbrella stand just inside the door and a table behind the couch to further define the foyer. It looks as if the carpet is curved out at this point, so you need to think about where exactly you will put the couch--all on carpet or part on/part off?
rachelsmac
11 år sedan
all the comments here seem to be on the same page, and I agree. I'd like to make a couple other suggestions: get rid of the coffee table and use side tables and/or a much smaller (possibly round?) coffee table. Then you can pull the seating just a skoosh closer together, see more of your new gorgeous soon-to-be-purchased rug, and have a couple poufs or even a big flokati/furry cushion in front of the fire for newlywed romance. The alcoves flanking the fireplace confuse me. I suggest you put shelves in there and fill them up with books and art and mementos of your new life together. A mirror over the mantle will act as a faux window on that big dark wall, bringing more light into the space, and also give you a view of the entry when you are sitting on the sofa, which helps us feel more psychologically secure. Also, something I always notice in design mag pictures when I see a room and think, "wow, it actually looks like someone LIVES there" is houseplants. Don't go crazy, but little plant life, even a bouquet of flowers really brings a lot of life into a space. And, something my very first architecture professor told me: "We humans love symmetry, but if you design it that way, the space is dead." If you need two lamps, make them different lamps. If you get throws or cushions for the chairs, make them unique. We find symmetry soothing, but we also crave the stimulation of asymmetry.
Khalonga Bettix
11 år sedan
Congratulations ...
I could remove the painting above the fireplace and replace with some colourful vases.,then the colour on the walls too plain..paint one wall in something that would give it a blast ..oranges ..green..,change the light fittings for living room ..maybe a chandelier ..move those lamps to the entry or bedroom for reading .Play around with the furniture in the room ..A rug to match your new wall colour would do ..and some cushions, sit back and enjoy your space .
inkwitch
11 år sedan
I didn't read all the comments (got to go to work, so I'm rushing to post a comment), so I don't know if someone commented on spatial relationships a la furniture.

Don't be afraid of empty spaces. They're what make a room look larger. Chairs/sofas should be arranged within conversational distance to each other, almost arm's length, so as not to shout across the room. There's nothing wrong with empty space. Just because you have all that space doesn't mean you have to fill it up with stuff.

Never, never jam furniture into the corners or against a wall. It was my mother's main complaint when she was a decorator during the 50s, so it's a long-standing habit.

Have you tried putting the sofa with the window to its back (flanking the FP) and the chairs where the loveseat is? If this is your house (not rented), paint the walls (sand? sage? apricot? what do you love?). THe curtains might work better if the walls were a color.

Matching end tables/lamps/any accessory is usually not done except in really formal design. Mis-matched is more interesting and less boring.

Search houzz for small living rooms, neutral rooms, and look at how things are arranged, accessorized. Flip through a lot of decorating magazines (most of them are on line now) for a look you love. There are no rules to break (except furniture in the corners!) so you can't do anything wrong. If you love it, it will work for you.

Congrats on the marriage AND your own house!
lindav
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
Congrats on your marriage and new home,
You've got lots of great suggestions to date especially moving furniture closer together and these will help, but it's not your main problem and you've already got a hunch about it.... yes it's all those neutral colours trying to work together - as you suspect they don't. Most people think that working with a bunch of neutrals is the easiest way to go for beginners, (I certainly did), but they can be very tricky until you discover they have sneaky little things called undertones hiding in them. That's why you are dissatisfied with the way the room looks and the things you buy don't help (been down this road too).

Overall your decor isn't wrong it's the combination of neutrals that makes it not flow together as you want. What you have is several different undertones present in the one room. Your two armchairs and coffee table have a pinky beige undertone and so does your carpet. All your curtains and couch appear (bit hard to tell) to be olive green , lampshades are cool white, your wall colour maybe has a yellow undertone and doesn't relate to anything else in the room.

If you mix neutrals that have different undertones it rarely gives a good result, Your nice neutrals all end up looking slightly dirty/muddy next to each another ...a bit like when the whites end up with the darks in the wash! It's not a good idea to mix earthy colours with clean colours either when you are starting out. All is not lost though....go to Maria Killam's blog Colour Me Happy, she has some great posts on recognizing undertones and also on her Pinterest board Understanding Undertones. Hopefully this will help you to recognize what your best options are.

If you want to learn more about successfully combining colours the best thing you can do is play. Collect colour swatches especially neutrals lay them out on a plain white piece of paper and compare them. You'll notice whites are not just white - some have a yellow undertone, some pink, some greeny/yellow, some blue etc. Same goes for neutrals. Also look at rooms you like on Houzz and see how colours have been combined. Trust your eye.

If you find it daunting knowing where to start with all the colour choices out there, begin with your fixed elements - what must you keep and what can you change. Then the fun begins - say you decide you want to keep the pinky beige armchairs and carpet - a mid earthy blue (see blue in coleman rust rug Natalie) on your walls will compliment these. If you opt for blue your olive colours will have to go. Before I even hit the shops to buy, I'll often have a play at home with colours, using anything and everything to experiment - pull out towels, sheets, clothing, teatowels, book covers etc. Put colours side by side and compare, compare, compare. Playing around with colourful things you already own means you can avoid buying heaps of paint sample pots. Ok I've nearly written an essay here, hope it helps. Sending you much good luck with your new home and decorating...there's lots to learn, take your time and have fun.
Kim D
11 år sedan
Congratulations on home and marriage! I think you answered all your own questions and the comments really summed up my feelings. I say pull the chairs forward toward coffee table, get new print curtains something fun that you are attracted to, pull a color from the curtain for a smart looking accent pillow that can go in each chair. The lamps can stay near the window or move with the chairs depends on outlets and cording. I also think a low profile bench under the window would be lovely with a few toss pillows. Also two big ferns on either side of the fireplace in nice raised pots would be nice. You are well on your way, I like the space just needs small adjustments.
Barb
11 år sedan
Megan, you've found houzz! Isn't it fun? Wow, you've got lots of great advice here! Don't be too hard on yourself! Try moving everything around different ways like the others have suggested! First glance, I thought simply pulling the chairs away from the windows a bit and together more with a table in between them would really help the arrangement. Do you have another place for your lovely art over the mantel? Maybe the wall to the right of the fireplace? Is that a dining area behind the loveseat? Post pics as you go along and I'm sure the talented designers on this thread will help you!!
mt1021
Författare
11 år sedan
Wow, I am very impressed by the help and this site. Thank you all SOO much! What fantastic ideas, I literally can see things coming together with just some of the ideas I like. A nice area rug should make a big diff for sure. The area behind the loveseat is a small dining area that goes into the kitchen where I have a dining table-so I don't know what to do with that space yet. Accent decor/plant shopping this weekend to start - and finding the right rug. I will send pics as things change - I LOVE this site...wonderful advice. I can send other pics as requested too. I will do a few runs of personal photo vs mirror vs art above the fireplace...so excited now! Thank you all for the wonderful wishes too! :)
jananiadis
11 år sedan
I agree with most comments. I think you should start with a bold area carpet! The artwork, plants, etc. will follow naturally. Place the carpet in front of the fireplace and position the couch and chairs so their front legs are on the carpet, either in the formation you have now, or with the sofa facing the fireplace and the chairs on either side. You can play with it. The beauty of the carpet is that it is completely movable... being newly married, you most certainly will have many changes to come in your long lives together, and the carpet can later be used in a dining room or den or whatever. So, invest in a good one that you love!
Gina Leitz
11 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 11 år sedan
I think the room is lacking warmth due to furniture placement. To cozy it up move those two chairs out of the corner of the room closer to the area where the sofa is and get a large rug to define the space. There is certainly nothing wrong with neutral colored chairs and sofa's because you can go crazy on the accent pieces. I would nix the painting above the fireplace and put a large clock in it's place. I love clocks and think it would look lovely there. Add pictures of you and your husband on the mantel...groupings of maybe 3. Then add a few accent pieces in a dramatic color. I'd also paint that mantel and wood fireplace surround black or stain it a dark mahogany. The curtains are nice but not for that window. Your furniture appears somewhat traditional so I'd do pinch pleated curtains on a rod that hangs past the window on both sides. You can keep the fabric in a neutral color if you wish, but it needs a more formal look than casual as the curtains you have up. It would be nice if you could do some custom built in bookcases on either side of the fireplace. It would give you room to put personal collections that you will acquire over the years, more photos and of course books. I'd do the bookcases in white. A long rectangular table in front of the window would look nice and allow placement for a floral arrangement as well as a few more objects you'd like to display. You could add a chair next to it in the corner and keep one of the lamps there. Take the candlesticks off your coffee table and put them on one side of the fireplace. A large shallow bowl would look better on the coffee table. The room has great bones and you are not that far off from having the dream room you'd like.
trish nelson
11 år sedan
I like the comments, good job everyone. Quickly I like pulling the chairs forward, on an area rug, centered on the FP. Build in the alcoves with shevles- put an accent color or wall paper in the back, Take the cue for accent pieces. Maybe put a desk in front of the window with some warmth, again the desk chair could have the accent color maybe ficus in the corner. Congratulatons!
PRO
Quality Bath
11 år sedan
Congratulations! Your living rooms looking good it just needs some tweaks. I would start by moving the two chairs a lot closer to the coffee table and keeping just one of the floor lamps. A large rug under the coffee table, sofa and chairs is a great way to create a more defined seating are and to easily bring more color into the room. You definitely need some art and pictures on the walls and mantel. Try to incorporate more color with some personal/meaningful accessories which will help give the room a more lived in/cozy ambiance.
PRO
Barbara Margolis
11 år sedan
Good comments, all. just to re-iterate, the chairs are too far away.After 30 years as an interior designer, I have some experience, and the sofa would look great under the window I would flip the position of the chairs and the sofa, place a long sofa table behind the sofa in front of the window, and add a pair of bright colored gourd lamps. the same color (warm red tones would be great) could appear as accent pillows, and perhaps a mirror over the fireplace .Definitely remove the curtains. If the sofa were to face the fireplace you would essentially be shrinking your room by 2/3--cutting off the area under the window , and behind the other chair from any functional use,so don't do that.
modern11526
11 år sedan
Look up the designer Candice Olson, she does great rooms
PRO
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID
11 år sedan
Hey, so do we designers who add comments here, and we don't charge!
Lori Rea
11 år sedan
Pull the chairs forward and closer together. Put a small table between them and one of the floor lamps behind the table. Pillows for color.
crystal S
11 år sedan
First, Congrats to ya! ....Accessorize get some nice pillows for those two chairs. I would change the layout all together change the way the table is set remove the candles may be put them on the side of the fire place get a nice contemporary center piece .get a rug few pictures on the wall.If you can't paint the entire walls make a vocal point on one wall choose a color to go along with your accessories and ditch the tan curtains, for a more contemporary feel choose another color to blend in ..Also change the fire place mantel for a vocal point something to draw the eyes to may be white .and get a decorative piece by the fireplace like magazine rack etc.
mt1021
Författare
11 år sedan
I was once told to start with a rug first...then go for accessories, I found some rugs I like and can afford - any thoughts on these....I WILL for sure be purchasing some lighter drapes/curtains that will extend past the windows and up near the molding...I would think an ivory would be pretty? I have moved furniture a million times this weekend. I certainly see why the chairs tucked in the corners looked bad/off.
mt1021
Författare
11 år sedan
Or these...I think I am kinda in love with the first one, just not sure its a fit.
Gina Leitz
11 år sedan
I love the paisley rug in the top picture and the floral to its right. Just remember though that these rugs will limit the other colors you choose in the room.

I used to sew draperies for a living and I think ivory will look lovely, but you could also do a curtain where 2/3 is ivory and the bottom 1/3 would be another neutral color. Or you could do it 3/4 ivory and 1/4 other neutral color. It may add a visual height to the room.
elcieg
11 år sedan
Living Room · Mer info

Building on Barbara Margolis' suggestion of putting the loveseat in front of the window, i would add some "found" pieces to cozy it up. The blinds in this pix will warm up your room as well as pillows and a throw. All those things will nicely fill up the front of the living room. Put your two chars where the sofa is now with another more rustic piece. Paint your fireplace white and on either side of the fireplace put two tall vases in the color of your painting and fill with tall natural colored grasses.
pcmom1
11 år sedan
Right now you have to shout across the room to each other. Make a much tighter grouping. Try putting one of each chair on each side of fireplace and facing sofa towards fireplace. Group all around a wonderful area rug. Hang a wedding or engagement photo over fireplace.

On the window wall I see built in bookcases on each side with a window seat between.

And, be patient. It takes a lot of time to build your home. Just start those idea books! Maybe you and hubby can go thru Houzz site separately and build two books. Then you can each look at them together to determine your styles to mesh. Then shop, not just furniture stores: go to antique auctions, furniture consignment, etc.