STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

NCshopper · Hermes

Help me decorate my living room *pics included*

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

I like the rug you chose. What about reuplostering the chair in a chocolate brown or a tone a little darker than a baby blue?

As for an entertainment center, what about an entertainment center in a dark wood that is about chest/shoulder high and has doors to cover the TV and such when company is over. I'd love to see a few plants in the room too. Maybe a potted palm in a corner, and a bromelaid or orchid on the entertainment center.

-gd

cat · Marc Jacobs

How about reuplostering the chair in a coffee,cream or cinnamon organge type color.

As for the entertainment center I like GD's suggestion,or what about one something like this.

Electronic Entertainment Console

Maybe you could paint this wall behind the couch in a accent color,like red,orange,salmon pink,or a shade of brown.

FashionPrincess · Hermes

I agree, the wall behind the sofa needs to be painted an accent color, love the idea of chocolate brown. It also needs art or maybe a mirror (which would be great against the dark color). I'd also center the sofa on that wall, it'll look better for the latterns to be centered with it. And then upholster the chair in a fabric that incorporates the accent wall color, and angle the chair a little towards the rest of the seating arrangement that way it's a reading chair by the fireplace but also part of the room. Also, I'd suggest storage for the cds/dvds that has a door on it, it'll help it look less cluttered. Another thing I'd suggest is moving the picture grouping from upbove the fireplace onto a different wall and put a more substantial piece or pairing up there. I'd do an armoire for an entertainment center, that way you can close up the doors if you want to hide the tv, etc.

Oh, and I like that rug. Happy decorating You have to post pics when you finish.

NCshopper · Hermes

Oooh, I like those ideas a lot. The built-in bookcase is a chocolate brown and I could probably use that same color to paint the accent wall. I like the idea of it being dark because I think it would make the wall recede and look like the room was bigger.

A few questions. If I did a brown wall, do you think the black coffee table would look weird? I'd like the entertainment center to be black too to tie it in with the cofee table. (I think I'm stuck on the black/brown thing.)

Another question: Is there any software out there where I could mock up what it would look like? I'm trying to use Paint and it's not really working for me.

FashionPrincess · Hermes

NCshopper wrote:

A few questions. If I did a brown wall, do you think the black coffee table would look weird? I'd like the entertainment center to be black too to tie it in with the cofee table. (I think I'm stuck on the black/brown thing.)

I was at that same place when I was doing my family room, but I ended up mixing brown/black and I think it turned out good. Here's a pic, the frames are black and the floor lamp said it is deep chocolate but it sure looks black to me:

So, I think you'd be fine with the coffee table and a black entertainment center.

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

I agree that the brown and black are okay, as long as your brown isn't sooo dark that people will wonder "is it black or is it brown?"

-gd

Suasoria · Chanel

FashionPrincess wrote:

Also, I'd suggest storage for the cds/dvds that has a door on it, it'll help it look less cluttered.

I was going to say the exact same thing.

The red sofas with the ivory and brown rug and black furniture would be very bold. If that's what you're going for, I would keep everything very clean and contemporary. An armoire for the TV with doors to hold back the chaos would be great, just keep it simple -

Maybe all the CDs and DVDs can fit inside it instead of needing a separate cabinet.

Regarding the chair, try reupholstering, and remove the skirt when you do. If what's under there isn't worth looking at, replace the feet with something in a dark wood. You'll be infinitely happier, and DH gets his comfy chair. With a red/brown/black/white scheme, what about doing the chair in mustardy gold, and throwing that color on the wall behind the sofa? Then lose the beige in the surrounding areas, and try ivory or a warm white so that the white trim can still pop.

No offense, but the paper lanterns are very "college" to me. I would dump them.

brazilian · Dooney & Bourke

I like the idea of re-upholstering the chair in a complementing color...but you need to find out how much it costs. I remember my mom wanting to do that and it was about the same price as getting a new chair.

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

I would like to see a chair in a rich fabric, maybe with a pattern, even if it is subtle.

-gd

NCshopper · Hermes

Suasoria wrote:

No offense, but the paper lanterns are very "college" to me. I would dump them.

None taken! I didn't like them all that much--I've already taken them down actually and replaced them with a floor lamp (which I also hate, but it's a step in the right direction.)

I stopped off at Target yesterday to get a mirror and got a nice looking one that DH and I are going to put up this weekend. I think it's going to take some convincing for him to get on board with painting that wall, but I can do it.

GD--I'd also like the chair to be patterned if I can find the right pattern. I think with the zebra print rug it could look really cool. I'm off to scour old domino magazines for ideas.

ETA: Keep the ideas coming! You all have been a big help already.

-- Edited by NCshopper at 08:31, 2006-12-22