I have a large open living space - kitchen, lounge and dining all in one. We are still using hand-me down dining set and tv storage as I have never found the 'right piece'. My style is casual and rustic. I would love to bring in a little more colour with accessories and other furniture to make it feel more cosy, homey and unique. If anyone has some advice on how to layout the living area, furniture ideas and how to incorporate the dining area, I would appreciate it. This is the hub of our home, yet feels kinda empty. Paint is Greenbrier beige by Benjamin Moore and the hallway and entrance has a lighter beige/cream on some feature walls. thanks.
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Thanks for all the input. I have made some of the suggestions and am now at the point of changing sofas. Out with the dark reclining sofas and in with a lighter, brighter fabric. My question is .... because of the off-balance layout (TV and fireplace) do you have any thoughts of placement. I was thinking of a sectional/sofa with left-sided chaise facing the fireplace with 2 sidechairs on the open-side (opposite window). the chaise would be in front of the tv for comfy watching. any tips, advice, recommendations would be great. My hubby has warned me to 'get it right' this time with the sofas! lol. I will have trouble if I want to change my mind again :-) I haven't found a rug to suit yet, but am still looking. The sofas did not work opposite each other. Seems strange right in front of the tv like that and really closes in the space. I really think I need to keep the window side 'lighter'. I even thought of an L sectional facing the fireplace and against the open side and then 2 side chairs against the window. I even think that will be too much....too cluttered. ????
I would love some help purchasing my new seating! Thanks
it's a great idea..
Hello Franki,
Your quandry reminds me very strongly of a viewer question Cameron MacNeil tackled for Online TV. Check out the episode and see if it helps: http://www.houseandhome.com/tv/segment/condo-update
He also makes some great suggestions for creating stylish, functional dining rooms in these two episodes:
http://www.houseandhome.com/tv/segment/dining-room-furniture
http://www.houseandhome.com/tv/segment/dining-room-redux
Hope this helps!
Jennifer
Web promotions editor
Franki: I was thinking more fabric than wood if possible. Any exposed wood should be dark like the kitchen chairs and match what ever table you get. How about a glass and chrome table maybe with greyish green fabric? Just a thought.
Thank you for your help. I have thought about moving the sofas opposite each other but worried because the television threw off the centre/focus of the room. I will definitely try it though. A question, the parson chairs for the dining table. Would you recommend dark brown/black, same as the kitchen stools? I also wondered about these chairs but thought they would be too 'heavy' with all the others.
Thanks again and I will be busy trying this out this weekend.
Franki: The pictures are smaller (almost too small now) and dark but I will try and help. I love the wall colours and your kitchen area. The dining room looks okay knowing you are going to change the table and chairs. Parson type chairs would look good with a dark table. I think the chandelier should be lower and make sure you center the table underneath it (or move the juction box or swag it over if it is too close to the kitchen). An area rug such as sisal would work underneath the table if you are not afraid of spill/crumbs and this would help define the space.
For your living room, have you tried the two love seats opposite each other? Leave one facing the window and the other one backed up to the window (leave a bit of a gap for curtains, etc.) facing the other love seat. You need a larger more colourful area rug here too. I think you have a small white/cream colour one now but one with more greens, yellow, rust colours and larger so the front legs of the loveseats sit on the rug. You can then bring in those same colours in pillow and display items. Then, facing the fireplace you could put two smaller type chairs with a small table between them. You also need a coffee table of some sort. I can also see a desk or sofa table backed up to the railing with an armless chair there which can be turned around to the living room for more seating. If this arrangement does not work, what about the desk/sofa table (skinnier than a desk) against the window with a nice chair that can be swung around for more seating and leave the two loveseats where they are. I love the picture above the mantel but not sure if that is the spot for it. It needs more there but not sure what. I would suggest something with more height but your mantel is not that big and anything taller/larger might not work with the picture. Consider a smaller picture or better yet a mirror - either square/rectangle or round. Leaning the mirror would work with some tall and short things grouped in front and to the one side.
Hope this helps some.
hope this works.
Franki: can you resize your pictures and then repost them. Right now they are way too big and can not view the whole room at once. This will be a setting on your camera that you will have to change. I even tried saving them to my computer and then resizing them for you but no can do. A smaller picture would be a great help.