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laura_connolly33

Critique my living room!

Laura Connolly
3 anni fa

I feel like something is amiss with my living room. I don't know what it is. I know a gorgeous real fireplace would be ideal, but my finances don't allow for that unfortunately. I like rustic/country styles and cosiness. Does it all look rubbish or am I nearly there?? Any tips appreciated!


To the left of the picture are French doors to the garden, with curtains which match the cream/green cushions.

To the right is the doorway to the rest of the house.

Behind me is a small dining area.



Risposta in evidenza
  • sarh123
    3 anni fa

    It’s lovely but I think it needs a large rug going underneath the front legs of the sofas.

    Commenti (48)

    • CWD
      3 anni fa

      Agree you need a large rug - that includes all the colours in the room. You could do with another accent colour to give a bit more contrast too - something with a bit more of a dark colour (dark blue or dark green or a dark berry colour perhaps, not black). You also need side tables to anchor the sofas and make it more liveable - or a coffee table that services both sofas. Side or coffee table also provides space for styling with books, lamps, bowls, whatever to add some of your personality. At the moment the long sheepskin rug is acting like a barrier between the sofas and drawing the eye directly to the fireplace (which is nice and neutral, nothing offensive, but not what you perhaps want to be the focus of the room - you want your eye to be flitting around more, taking in all the details). Is there anywhere else the tall bookcase could go? It's making the room unbalanced from this viewpoint - perhaps add a tall plant in the TV corner to add some height there to help balance? I'd also place the art behind the TV and beside the side window a little lower so that the centre of them line up with each other and also with the middle of the two combined over the fireplace. And I'd pull the sofa away from the wall just a couple of inches to give it some breathing room and make the room look more generous. I think you have the basics in place though, just need to do finishing touches.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato CWD

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    • Juliet Docherty
      3 anni fa

      Can you post a picture of the curtains and window area?

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Juliet Docherty
    • Laura Connolly
      Autore originale
      3 anni fa

      Thank you so much for the advice. I've had a feeling about the rug for a while! I've been thinking of a large plain cream one to brighten the room, but perhaps I do need to get a bit braver with colour. I also like the idea of a tall plant behind the TV to balance out the book case.

      Pics of the dining and window area attached :)



    • Neasa
      3 anni fa

      I know you said you have green curtains, but the more I think about it the more I think it's the green that doesn't work. You have pink, cream, warm wood and earth tones. Imagine if the cushions were replaced with terracotta/burnt orange and pink, bringing in some luxurious texture s of velvet and shaggy wool. I think that would immediately add warmth and cosiness. I'd also restyle all your objects on surfaces, and I'd get a nice large framed piece of art for over the mantle. And some plants / faux flowers.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Neasa
    • Juliet Docherty
      3 anni fa

      It's a very pretty room. Sorry to be a pain but can you put a close up of the sofa colour on? On my screen it looks pinkish, is that correct?

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Juliet Docherty
    • Laura Connolly
      Autore originale
      3 anni fa
      Ultima modifica: 3 anni fa

      Thank you :)

      I think it's my lighting, even in this picture the colour looks much more pinky than it does in real life. It's called "biscuit" from SofaSofa (https://sofasofa.co.uk/products/monaco-2-seater-sofa-polo-biscuit

      - they don't make the jumbo cord version anymore as I think it's gone out of style, but that's the same colour)


    • Juliet Docherty
      3 anni fa

      The link is just a digital colourised sofa isn't it? I wish they would put images of real fabrics on websites, we had the same issue. Would you describe it as slightly pinkish brown or more beige?


    • Laura Connolly
      Autore originale
      3 anni fa

      Yes it's annoying isn't it, and difficult to convey colour properly through a screen. I definitely wouldn't describe it as pinkish though, very much beige with a more yellowy tone if anything.

    • Sarah
      3 anni fa

      Could you move the sofas to be at right angles to one another (L shape) with a side table and lamp in between. Could the bookcase be moved to the wall between the window and French doors. Above the fireplace, you could add a lovely mirror. And I agree with the large rug suggestion. I think these changes would pull it all together and make a really comfortable sofa/TV zone.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Sarah
    • CV Barny
      3 anni fa

      I agree with getting a large rug under sofa legs and bring left sofa away from back of wall. If you can’t reposition bookcase then how about painting it white to make it disappear a bit? I also think one bold artwork above fireplace to pull in with rug colour....for that the dark suggestions earlier are good. Nice room!

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato CV Barny
    • Juliet Docherty
      3 anni fa
      Ultima modifica: 3 anni fa

      It feels really difficult to give advice sometimes on what may be perceived as looking a bit 'amiss' so please don't be offended. It's a lovely room but these are the things that I would try to address if it were mine:

      The bookcase is tall and seems to dominate the space. Could it be used elsewhere? A low wide bookcase right behind the sofa (back to the sofa) could act as a consul (see image below). This may or may not be practical, it's hard to see from the photos. Either way, I think the bookcase dominates and blocks light.

      I would consider clustering small pictures together to create more impact and make it seem less fussy. Maybe this could be done on the dining wall.

      I would buy a large pale wool or jute rug that zones the sofa area and creates a cozy feel.

      If the TV wall was a colour then the fireplace would be the focus rather than the bookcase. At the moment, the dark bookcase stands out as the focal point.

      If you love the curtains and the green is staying then I would add some deeper darker velvety forest green cushions to add some darkness and depth. At the moment, it looks a bit pale.

      Hope this helps.



      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Juliet Docherty
    • Laura Connolly
      Autore originale
      3 anni fa

      Not at all offended, that is some really useful advice so thank you (to everyone)! It seems a large rug is a must, so I will start browsing for those. And have a think about introducing a darker accent too. The bookcase could possibly go in another room, so I will have a play around in there and see what I can do.


      Hopefully I will be back with some after pics in a few weeks!

    • Sonia
      3 anni fa

      I love your curtains, rather William Morris, but not as heavy! The first thing that hit me was the large bookcase (says the woman with 2 huge bookcases in her living room!). Would you consider painting it? I painted my pine ones off white and they look so much better, not so heavy looking. Definitely needs a rug, as everyone is saying. Needs to be big enough and anchored by the front legs of the sofas to ground it. I think a mirror would look lovely over the fireplace too. I’ll share some photos in the next post as I’m running out of charge on my iPad.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Sonia
    • Sonia
      3 anni fa

      Here’s some ideas of rugs, mirrors and one of my painted bookcases (please excuse poor light but it’s evening).

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Sonia
    • Juliet Docherty
      3 anni fa

      @Sonia, do the sofas look a bit pink on your device?


    • Sonia
      3 anni fa

      Yes colourhappy it does but these devices are not true. A photo I’ve taken always look different. My sister has a similar sofa and it is a mink colour.

    • E D
      3 anni fa

      Still love your bookcase, Sonia. 😊

      I managed to decipher some of your books’ titles but sadly couldn’t work out the artists on the CDs... 🙁 😄

      btw, I used to play table tennis in and near Hitchin. 🏓

    • 123
      3 anni fa

      Could you swap the small unit by the door and the bookcase over? Then the small unit could have a lamp on it and be somewhere to put your coffee or a glass of wine when you are sitting down. It’s a lovely room and all the things you have already just need a few additions and perhaps some rearranging.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato 123
    • Sonia
      3 anni fa

      E D some of those books are my husbands. The more “intellectual” ones are his 😂 Fancy you coming to Hitchin! Small world 😊

    • Laura Connolly
      Autore originale
      3 anni fa

      Thank you all again for the suggestions, I will keep them all in mind as I play around with things. Unfortunately the bookcase and side unit can't be swapped, as the bookcase is a bit too wide and would interfere with the curtains.


      I'm just looking at rugs now - silly question but how far should it stick out from the sides of the sofas, if you know what I mean? I don't want it to look too odd as you come into the room. Christmassy pic for the view from the doorway.


      Also would a coffee table be too much / cluttered since the dining table is close by? I don't think side tables will work as they'll be in the way of the doors etc.


    • CWD
      3 anni fa

      I'd have a rug that sticks out about the same as the sheepskin does at the moment (maybe a little less, but at least 6" from sofa ends). And big enough that the sofas are both on it with front legs and at least 6" - preferably more though, like half the depth of each sofa. Coffee table - get one that's at least 2/3 the length of the sofas - I'd look for an oval one so that it takes up a little less space and allows you to walk past it easier (and to introduce some curves to balance all the angles). For the rug, I'd have something patterned which includes the wall colour, the sofa colour, some greens and a small amount of a darker contrast. Then it'll tie everything together, zone the space more and allow you to have a wooden coffee table (as it'll be separated from the wooden floor by the rug) or a non-wooden table (you have a lot of wooden furniture already so I'd be tempted to look at a non-wooden one - or painted wood).


      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato CWD
    • Sonia
      3 anni fa

      Crikey those sofas look bright pink now! 🤔

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 anni fa

      @Sonia maybe we see life through rose tinted glasses?

    • Sonia
      3 anni fa

      Of course colourhappy! 😏

    • Carolina
      3 anni fa

      Hi, I've mocked something up for you, to help you visualise :-) Painted your bookcase, gave you a rug and coffee table.



      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Carolina
    • Laura Connolly
      Autore originale
      3 anni fa

      Carolina thank you so much, that's amazing! I really have trouble visualising so that's tremendously helpful :)

    • Carolina
      3 anni fa

      Glad it helped :-)

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Carolina
    • sksj1
      3 anni fa

      Hi Laura. It’s a very warm and cosy looking room already And I think you have all the elements needed, but should just reshuffle them! I agree with the other comments that the book shelf dominates and a large textured rug would look better. For a simple fix I would group all your existing pictures above the dining table into a gallery style wall which will look more designerie as they all have similar looking frames and colours which will give cohesion. How about a large mirror above the fireplace, and paint the fire surround a darker tone such as F&B mouses back?

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato sksj1
    • Sue Dudley
      3 anni fa

      Hi Laura, only one comment - I would add one or 2 free standing plants, to give the room a bit of life and fluidity.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Sue Dudley
    • PRO
      CONSIDERED LIVING DESIGN
      3 anni fa

      wash your sheepskin rugs and throw them over the sofas



      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato CONSIDERED LIVING DESIGN
    • minnie101
      3 anni fa
      Ultima modifica: 3 anni fa

      It’s a lovely room. I agree re rug and painting the bookcase to match the wall unless it can be moved to where the playpen (?) is. I used the sofa colour in the link as agree it’s very pink on my screen too! I assume the patterned cushion colour is also out so could go behind the dark velvet one?

      i don’t know if the olive is too dark for you (just on the tv wall)? I also used an olive footstool as I can’t photoshop anything light 😂 and I thought if you had child/REN it would be better than hard edges. If you went lighter for a stool I’d add a darker throw etc to break up the light tones. I also tried two mirrors as wasn’t sure if the gold one was too bling for you! if you have room for a side table I think a lamp would add to the cosy feeling





      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato minnie101
    • Phillipa Craddock
      3 anni fa

      I would paint both the bookcase and and tv stand in a pale colour, possibly white to give the space a more cohesive feel and to make them less dominant. And add that large rug everybody else has mentioned.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Phillipa Craddock
    • glendevon
      3 anni fa

      I would - dispense with the sheepskin and add a rug. In between the sofas I would have one of those large upholstered/buttoned stools (that also act as a coffee table if you put a tray on them). I woul paint the bookcase in a paler colour. I would add a couple of attractive lights/lamps and possibly some rather artfully designed and simple flower displays (like dried alliums) and I would improve the artwork you have on the walls, which is very small and unremarkable. You want something big and bold that stands out, tbh the pics youve got up look very old fashioned - sorry, hope they are not valuable heirlooms!


    • Yvonne Mills
      3 anni fa

      It's a lovely neutral background and feels very calm and welcoming, so I think that just a couple of accessories with a pop of colour, is probably all it needs. I agree about the rug, but if you wanted to just do something very quickly and without spending too much I would add either a feature mirror or large, bold piece of artwork above the fireplace and add a few more cushions in a bolder design, but picking up the green that's already there. I've attached a few ideas. I have to say those sofas look gloriously comfortable and cosy.







      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Yvonne Mills
    • falan filan
      3 anni fa

      If I were, I would definitely buy Ashleys furniture. The reason is that it offers so many color options. Choosing a little more colorful things in your room will make it look more spacious.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato falan filan
    • peggysue67
      3 anni fa

      Lovely room. I like the bookcase but would balance it with a tall lamp in the TV corner. Agree larger rug and ottoman/coffee table. Big mirror over fireplace and it looks like a bin beside it? Move that! I would put a large plant there. Your sheepskin rug is great. Maybe try it lengthways towards the patio doors or if not move to the bedroom?

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato peggysue67
    • Wumi
      3 anni fa
      Ultima modifica: 3 anni fa

      This is a lovely room, soft and calm vibe. Others have already suggested a decent sized rug and adding some colour will will go a long way.

      I think the room TV unit and bookcase on either side of fireplace look unbalanced. Since you don’t have alcoves, I would suggest building ‘out’ from the wall some built-in storage. The images below have a TV as the focal point, but you could place the TV on a shelf on either side and make a focal point of a large piece of artwork or a statement mirror.


      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Wumi
    • jessica615
      3 anni fa

      I would move the bookshelf out altogether or paint it white /cream (same as the walls) and put it where the TV is now. I would put in a big rug reaching under the sofas and a glass coffee table so that it does not look cramped. In the first photo, the room looked long and narrow and my first thought was to put the sofas at right angles to each other to make the room look wider or even to get less bulky sofas (although they look deliciously comfy). Also I couldn't see how the people on the left hand sofa watch the TV which is almost behind them. In the second photo the room looks wider, so hard to tell. I would get rid of the wastepaper basket to the right of the fireplace and instead of having many small things on the walls, have one big thing over the fireplace. Whilst I really don't like TVs on show, maybe you could get one like a Samsung frame your TV over the fireplace which is a TV and a digital piece of art or photo when it is off. That would clear the corner for a side table. Hope that helps. Post photos of the final thing.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato jessica615
    • Jayk
      3 anni fa

      The problem is clear. A lack of balance on your fireplace wall. I think Wumi Donald’s ideas are taking you in the right direction. However, TV’s located high on a wall are not ideal. A TV should really be much closer to eye level. This could be achieved if you installed a new more contemporary “ribbon” fireplace (or sacrificed your fireplace altogether). Radical but perhaps worth considering? It probably depends on how much you watch TV versus how much you value a traditional fireplace.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Jayk
    • PRO
      Sara Slade Interiors
      3 anni fa

      I think most people have you covered here already. Big rug for sure and I'd suggest a darker colour on your wall - the Olive Green suggested above would work beautifully.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Sara Slade Interiors
    • Sputnik
      3 anni fa

      You could try larger more impactful artwork

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Sputnik
    • Utente-159771391
      3 anni fa

      To cosy it up I would add a couple of plants..one behind the tv and a smaller one on the bookshelf. A footstool, rather than a coffee table, could be used with a tray for drinks or just for putting your feet up. Everything else in your room looks great!

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Utente-159771391
    • viv holliday
      3 anni fa

      Replace the rug with a coffee table.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato viv holliday
    • Deborah Lee
      3 anni fa

      I think it looks lovely. All you need to do is group the small pictures together on the left wall by the window, put a larger print or mirror above the fireplace and put an even bigger fluffier rug or a large wooden coffee table between the sofas to ‘bring them together’. Rugs under feet 🦶

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Deborah Lee
    • car_odea
      3 anni fa

      Put a nice big round mirror or other feature over your fireplace in the style you like. And Have a chat with the book case to see if you can paint it brighter or put some bright contact paper at the back to line it. and where are your plants ? Fake, real whatever just bring in some thing with green in (peace Lilly are indestructible 👍🏽 Fab room tho, great work

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato car_odea
    • siobhanmcgee90
      3 anni fa

      Love your sofas and think the room has very good element. Would paint the bookshelf to fade into background, big rug under sofas to define the space and put a larger picture or mirror over the mantle and perhaps move paintings over the telly or elsewhere. Few cushions and bobs your uncle!

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato siobhanmcgee90
    • Sudhakar Patel
      3 anni fa

      I would say from the picture it looks a bit stark. Maybe a bit of colour or wallpaper, even just a feature wall amount. You could put it on the chimney breast around the fireplace.

      Laura Connolly ha ringraziato Sudhakar Patel
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