Christi's Living Room
Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 11:44PM wi
Hi Christine:
Need your expertise.
Living Room is 19 x 21
Want it to be comfortable but have a WOW! factor is it's right of the foyer and my largest room for entertaining.
Questions:
1. Let me know what you think of current arrangement
2. Do you have recommendations on how to make it a bit more comfortable. Should I change out sofa's/seating?
3. How can I make the room look complete? Draperies? Rug? Suggestions? I can not wed to blue theme shown in pillows
4. Any way to create multiple conversation areas?
- Christi
Christi- Let me start by saying that you have a beautiful home. I love the lightness in the room.
Let's discuss 4 things:
1. Furniture arrangement. Move your coffee table to be square- not set on a diagonal. It is possible that the table is too small for the area. You have a very large room- consider more of an oversized, or set of two coffee tables. In the meantime, set it straight and center it with your fireplace. Your fireplace is your focal point. Frame it as you would a painting, with your furnishings. Your sofa and backless sofa are great- except- switch locations. Having the backless sofa closer to the view optimizes the view. Your windows are beautiful. They are a secondary focal point. Have the sofa with a back facing them. Have the two pieces of furniture equidistant from the center of the fireplace. Be more symmetrical in your arrangement. I would do this by widening the furniture arrangement. Put two chairs opposite the fireplace, where you currently have one. You could use larger chairs in this space. I still like your smaller chairs in the corners, where you have them.
2. Wall decor. I have been staring at your mantle. I like the topiaries. I like the two candles. I don't like the line-up using all of them. Pick your favorite of the two- and find a new home for the others. I would also add a piece of wall decor above the fireplace. Make it even more of a focal point. The metal trees below are from Uttermost, and are 32 x 53- I am just guessing your dimensions- but this is probably a good proportion for your space. 
Don't worry about having a bit of overlap with your upper moldings. Also- overlap the decor on your mantle (the topiaries or candles) with your wall decor, i.e. don't keep those candles way out there on the end. If you keep them, bring them in to overlap a bit.
Your set of four botanicals are hung too high. Bring the center of them to about 5'5" from the floor. I love your other piece of art and it is hung at a great height.
3. Your room needs a rug to feel more grounded and finished. You don't seem to be terribly committed to your blue. Perhaps you want to maintain the neutral nature of the room, allowing you to change it up with the season. Keep that neutrality in your rug. The rug below is from Room and Board. A sisal rug would also work very well. Get a nice large rug- like a 10 x 13 for your size of room. It is always tempting to go smaller, for a smaller price- but it shrinks the room, and is a bad idea.
4. Drapery panels will help to finish off the space. If you want some sun protection, or privacy, layer them with some roller or Roman shades. I would look for unique textures, but keep the softness of the low contrast in the room, selecting a light neutral color like the drapes below. This also keeps the eye on the prize- the view. The drapes add texture and such a great finishing touch.
Thanks for writing in, Christi, you are off to a great start. In addition to what I mentioned above- add more greenery - some nice large floor plants with uplights.
Reader Comments (4)
This is a terrific post. The advice is so easy to visualize.
These pics are really making it hard for me to get on board with my husband's plan to move us from Akron to Tucson. Tucson doesn't have great moldings like that, or gorgeous windows like that, or beautiful snow like that, or great fireplaces like that, or hardwood floors like that.
Stupid Tucson.
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