Okay, my measuring tape and I got busy (it would have been fun if I could have figured out how to use my laser but no such luck).
Consider I have fingers crossed to start from scratch (well not quite scratch I guess as I am keeping rug and lamps I have) but have to decide by Tues. Night whether I sell my new sofa or not.
There is:
- a blank plan
- a plan with rug veritcal
- a plan with rug horizontal
- with my size sofa it but with chaise and the table I like, note TV on long wall but depending on how furniture goes I could also get one to fit in the bookcase
The doors on the left side of the plan are the french doors to my office.
I'll put a couple of pictures in next post.
Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to figure out what kind of furniture I should look at and how I might arrange it. I am open to all suggestions.
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Sorry DBD for making you give the long explanation...but I now GET IT...LOL. :D ...the new leather looks similar in color to the old...but maybe that's just my monitor..so this is why I was kinda confused.....I think trying to make it work is less costly by getting a complimentary paint...but I totally understand.....if your heart if saying you don't like it...then let it go.....this was my initial reaction to my new brown leather sofas...and no matter how much convincing....I would not be happy keeping them .....I like to walk into my room...especially a room I use daily and have it feel "right"....so although you may have hastily bought because of a sale....don't force yourself to keep it if you don't like it......we all make some decorating decisions that may not have been prudent.....maybe it could go in your bedroom or office....I am sure though you have already thought of that.....from all of your previous home pictures I have seen....you have a good eye for decorating .....so I think you should feel confident in your decision....good luck and show us pictures............
Well you are missing a piece or two of the story.
My beautiful wonderful sofa/chair/ottoman that I totally love is being sold at the consignment store because it just will not fit through the door here. it would also take up the entire livingroom if it could make it in. So it's been in the garage since I moved here. That one has a gorgeous mottled colour that is antique looking. I loved it. Everything about that set would work here if it was just smaller but such is not the case as it's a huge set.
I knew that was going to be an issue when I bought this house so before I moved there was a huge clearance sale and I bought another leather sofa that does fit. It was a 'see it, buy it, or lose it' type sale so I didn't have a lot of time to mull it over. Basically we walked in and within half an hour my SIL and I had both bought sofas. My big criteria at the time was my measuring tape.
Anyway this one looked like a warm reddish brown at the sale but in the house it looks more orange to me and I don't much care for orange. That's the only thing wrong with it. It's okay for comfort, is high quality, and it goes with most of my things, but the colour has been turning me off. So that's why I am considering buying a different one and selling this new one too. I'll attach a picture which sort of shows the colour. It does get very orange in daylight, more rusty at night. It's a funny colour that changes a lot.
Meanwhile, as I mentioned, since plugging in a new lamp, the colour doesn't look so bad to me so I am considering maybe keeping it now. It would sure save me some money if I did but I have to start liking this colour.
Today I painted up some sample boards with some paint I happen to have on hand just to see. I've tried a red from F&B and will take some pictures in daylight. I can't envision the Venetian red I had before with this orange at all (and besides no way I am going to be painting any RL reds anymore).
I still am coveting a burgundy leather, but if I can come to accept this brandy coloured one, my practical side may win out as long as I can get a wall colour I like that also works with my burgundy curtains (or maybe I have to adjust my attitude about them even though they are never used, 10 panels, and I'd hate to lose money on those too...on the other side of the coin I also have some dark green and gold curtains that cost me oodles that are in a box somewhere). The burgundy sofa is on sale for about a month so no rush now that I decided to keep this one in the house until whatever happens happens. The consignment place has already approved it for sale so it can go anytime I think.
I'm just tired of being in limbo land and feeling like I just moved in last week. Now that I am starting to see some progress around here I'd really like to get a livingroom that looks settled and I'm not sure I can do that until I settle the furniture and paint issue.
DBD...
I think I missed something......the beautiful leather couch you had in your old house and that you are now trying to sell...is it because it couldn't fit in your new living room or your are selling because you do not like the color?.......I think that leather would look great in your new house with that old feature wall fireplace and re-painting the walls with the color you had in the old house.....would work.....if it worked before it will work in your new house.......I did that in my new house here....I duplicated some of the paint colors and my furniture worked in most rooms........if it can't fit than that's another story.....otherwise IMO buying a new couch is such a risk these days and if your leather is comfortable....I would be staying with what you already trust and have....good luck.............
P.S My only experience with leather was my recent purchase and I found the brown too dark and heavy......your leather set is light in color..my girlfriend has a similar set and she said the color is an antique stain....maybe that will convince you that the color is good.......if I could get the leather in your color and in a sectional....i think I could have stuck with the leather.....
Oh well. It might not be for sale afterall.
Here I go again...I can't think of many things I've waffled over like this sofa. Maybe I need a magic 8 ball. :hairpull: last night I repaired the antique floor lamp the movers broke and when I put it beside the sofa and turned it on, the colour wasn't so bad and I started thinking that maybe if I had the right wall colour I could live with it.
That reminds me...must paint sample boards with what I have left of my brinjal and dark brown. I should go do that while there is still some daylight to see them by.
Ran the idea of a leather couch past DH. No sell - no leather - no way. I still love the colour and someone is going to get a great couch.
Oh nuts...you are quite right about that stupid arch. I wonder if it could stay the colour of the ceiling... Maybe I could disguise it with mirror so it just reflected ceiling? Probably costs and not good chi to worry about mirror falling on heads eh?
I can't find my F&B samples. The blue looks a little light on the website but then the brinjal does too. I know from using that one that it reads much darker on the walls than the website would indicate.
Boy Jeep, if you want my sofa that could be arranged. I would bet shipping would cost less than the percentage the consignment shop charges so it would be all the same to me. If you want to research it, it's made by Ferretti, called the Brandon, and the leather is Brandy (apparently it's their top of the line grade). It is a very good sofa and not a thing wrong with it other than the colour not suiting me. Since I'm hooked up with paypal you could even use credit card.
I envy how you've decided to let go of things that don't work for you anymore - the DR set, couches that don't fit or don't make you happy. BTW, I love your red-orange couch. Too bad I can't get to the consignment store in Calgary. :laugh:
For your new couch, if the burgundy is what you love then I think you should get it. The chocolate is probably more practical but nothing says you have to be practical all the time. I looked at my F&B chart and I just can't see Brinjal with either set. The room seems relatively dark and I know you shouldn't always follow rules but imo this colour would make the room feel small rather than warm. The other problem I perceive with dark walls is that the arch will be more prominent, acentuating the room division. It'll be even harder to make the two spaces work as one. What about F&B Light Blue #22. Burgundy couch and drapes. Have the couch along your longest wall going slightly into the DR area. Put a tall (5') ficus at the DR for something strong that will pull your eye away from the fact the couch is overlapping two spaces.
check this for more info.
[url]http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/CA514132.html[/url]
As a bit of an update, my SIL came and looked at my place and the plans. She has very good taste and a sense of style. She liked the idea of having the LR where the DR is too and then we talked about it a bit and figured me (as in my nature) having a table first thing when I come in the door could lead to it becoming a catch all (I am very good at establishing such places when they are handy).
So the new concept to play around with is maybe no DR to speak of. Maybe finding a coffee table that raises up to dining height (they make them, I just am not sure where to find one at the moment) or use my folding table (it's about 1X4' when folded). So here I go again, trying to 'resee' the room and how things would be placed if I just basically ignored the archway in the middle of the room.
I also found a sofa I totally love. It's burgundy leather and about the same size as the one I have. It went on sale today, still costs more than the one I have cost but is not as high a quality as the one I have (since I got such a deal). I don't care, I just can't wrap myself around the colour of the one I have. (BTW it's still here I decided to keep it until a new one can arrive and then it will go to consignment. My other one is there now. I went to visit it yesterday. It looked so good.).
BTW anyone know anything about Palliser furniture?
So, before I get a burgundy sofa that happens to be the exact same burgundy as 10 velvet curtain panels I have that I want to use, I'm trying to think of what colour the walls might end up. If you can imagine, all the reddy brown wood on trim and floor, the stained glass panels, the multicoloured rug which goes with pretty much anything, and burgundy leather sofa and curtains, with my very large (3 X 5') ornate antiqued gold mirror on the wall....and here's hold onto your hats time...how do you think Brinjal (F&B) would look? It's a very deep eggplant.
Any other thoughts about paint in that scenario (but not beige or tans because i really can't do beige or tans or the like)?
Or...I could order the sofa in my second choice colour which is a very dark mottled brown. There again, wall colour?
I agree...I think reversing the rooms and having the dining room in the fireplace area makes sense...the only thing is that it is farther away from the kitchen for serving the food.....but if you don't dine on that table on a regular basis than this would not be a daily inconvenience.......good luck DBD...keep us posted with pictures please............BTW....I love the fireplace wall....it has a lot of character................ :D
Thanks, Zulu, for converting my plan to more readable version. I was offline for a little while.
I just wanted to point one more thing on my plan - console table (that is in black) behind the sofa may serve dual purpose - to keep some stuff for dining table and provide a nice background (with floral arrangement /nice table lamps/tall candle holders etc.) in LV and DR.
The length I think should be the length of sofa. This will be gentle separation of two rooms.
also take the carpet into the LR, and may even have room in front of the window for a couple small chairs, I think I would be tempted to go with more of a slipper-chair or bergere-style, as I think they would take up less room, both visually and in reality; I like the third one, that was posted with the heavy leather antique chaise.
Also, a console table or sideboard-type thingy behind the couch would work well, too.
I could actually do that as the FP is brick.
To post a pic of the fireplace candles I was referring to:
The more I look at Mrs Fancy's plan the more I like it.
I think it would work and is the best idea that I have seen so far. It seems to take care of all the problems. I like the TV there, and a couch with attached chaise as shown on page one of this post.
It looks cozy for watching TV, rather than being in middle of room. You can also watch something on TV from DR.
Since your fireplace is not working, a nice collection of about 15 larger pillar type candles in that space would make a nice deisplay during dinner.
thanks Zulu. I was getting very curious about it and I see it is very different.
I can't wait until the consignment people get a lot of the stuff out of here tomorrow. I'm going to leave my new sofa until I find a good replacement but at least with the other things gone, there will be some room to move the rug and sofa around and see how things might look.
Here is Mrs. Fancy's floor plan....
i have no idea on floor plans, i have to be in the room and see everything and have someone slide it around...........but i thought i needed to post anyway because you are always helping me. Good luck! :)
smiles
janetc
I'm liking the idea of reversing the LR & DR. That arch is one for your biggest assets and also a big part of your problem as it defines the space of both rooms. Do you think you could move the rug so it overlaps the two areas and makes it appear like they should work together.
I also like having a couch on an angle. Mine is. I used to have a narrow table behind it instead of a coffee table. I had a reading light on it, could put magazines, coffee cups, etc and it took less space. I'd never put my feet on a coffee table so that was no loss for me. Maybe you could put your drop leaf table behind it.
Is there any chance you could save that floorplan you did as a PDF or JPg or GIF and post it? I have a Mac that doesn't have Word on it and the program I use shows me only the original floorplan I posted when I open your file. I'm not sure why that is since it normally opens .doc's but doesn't seem to want to in this case.
I really like this plan Mrs. Fancy. Dustbunny...if you don't use your dining table that often you can use your table (as in this plan) as a "library table" with a large vase of flowers, coffee table books, etc. which IMO would look very welcoming to your guests as they enter your home....
another view:
thanks for the ideas. The scale is a little off but I get the idea. I hadn't thought about angling
I have added a sofa table that could maybe be a small sideboard on the DR side, and a small table between two chairs. I think it should be to scale, roughly . . .
Generally, in any of my houses, I haven't used the dining room much at all (well except the table as a surface to throw things on). I do like having the table (and there isn't another, not even in the kitchen here) though when people come over. I have a folding table (circa 1930) and a pedistal table hanging around here (well out in the garage, the old one buried by the movers, the pedistal in need of repair from the movers).
The bedrooms are both about 10.5' square and the one I am using for storage is basially acting like a closet. There's two large wardrobes, some trunks, shelves, etc. because there is very little closet space here. My bedroom bedroom basically has room for my bed and a side table and that's it. They definitly had single and double beds in mind in the 30's and people didn't have many clothes to hang.
My office is pretty much full. One wall of bookcases, the other my desk and quite a few heaps of stuff in between. The basement is also full of boxes right now. I have to get a few more shelving units or something to organize all that stuff. Last time I had a house like this, all the clothes were in the basement. Sort of a closet, laundry, dressing area. The wardrobes I have now are too tall for the basement and I don't think I'm up for the running up and down like I used to anyway.
So, yes the house is full. I don't want to rent a unit as much as either get organized or get rid of the extra stuff. I really have to get more unpacked and get rid of more stuff. Wed they'll be picking up a few pieces to take to consignment so that will help. When I can unearth the rest, that will go too I guess.
Today I was convinced to hang onto my sofa for a while. Turns out most new furniture takes at least 8 - 12 weeks so that's too long to sit on the floor and I don't want to feel pressured to take what I can find in stock because I already did that and now I don't like the sofa, so lesson learned.
I'm trying to think of other ways you could reconfigure your house. Do you use your DR very much? Is there much furniture and is it very large? Is your second bedroom just used for storage or do you have a guest bed there too? Only two bedrooms right? Is there any way to bring the storage unit into your office or into the present dining area or maybe you can find an older style cabinet that would hold whatever you are storing. You could then put your DR set in the 2nd bedroom. What size is your 2nd bedroom.
Have you considered renting a storage unit. While waiting to move into this house we rented a small storage unit but the amount that it could hold was incredible. It was designed to be secure - metal studs, etc between units, so no one would cut through the interior wall. We paid extra for the heated floor because we had things that could not freeze and they didn't from Dec to March. Cost was around $85 a month and it truly did hold several truck loads. If I were ever going to get one for long tern storage I would buy Gorilla Shelves from Costco and just organize it really well.
Oreo, if you mean the cordoroy chair I got the price yesterday. it's $641
I am happy with it! It seems the couch is taking a beating for my dh's *%@ seems to be physically attached to it!!! I felt it was reasonably priced and I really like the set. So far so good! I have cleaned food of it just with a cleaner and brush so far.
Kindernut how have you found the stuff from Ashleys? Is it holding up, easy to clean, any issues?
Hi, I smiled when I saw the post by dustbunny because I have the yellowy chair with the black wood arms etc. I got it for Christmas from my mil becuase it goes with my set and was on sale. Sorry not sure of the price probably around the $300. It is comfy soft but I don't sit in it much. The other pieces I have only have the black legs. Anyways, I am happy with it :)
I posted a few of my pics just cause. :)