How should I bring some life and spunk in this room?

11 years ago

I live in an apartment in Mumbai, Infia. Here, like New York City-real estate is very expensive; Hence space crunches always there!! I have recently upholstered my sofa's and bought new blinds for the windows! Still the room looks dull!! Is it the placement of furniture ? Do I need more colour? Lamp? Mirror?? Please advice

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groveraxle

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Part of it is furniture placement. You've got the seating all lined up along the walls like a waiting room. Try bringing the chairs in closer to the sofa into a conversation group, leaving enough space to walk behind. And move the coffee table away from the sofa 18" so someone could actually sit there.

An area rug would certainly help warm up the space. Then for a little pop, throw in a red or orange pillow.

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Comments (32)

brandibothe
11 years ago
You could bring some more color into the room and add a bold pattern with a rug like this:
Contemporary Living Room · More Info

Perhaps painting the ceiling a light tint of your accent color.

You could also use more Radiant Orchid - Pantone's Color of the Year - which pairs very nicely with a mustard yellow or green. For Radiant Orchid inspiration: http://www.pinterest.com/millardlumber1/2014-color-of-the-year/
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Love the armless sofa-bench! Try using it in the center as a "cross-linking" piece between the sofa and chairs. That way people can sit on both sides of it, conversing with the sofa people and the chair people. Put the chairs where it is and use the side table from the left of the pic, or the one with flowers, between them. You'll need one huge rug to anchor the space or two smaller, and very similar ones, to put on either side of the blue sofa-bench. The other two side tables are too tall and too short for your seating pieces, so ditch them. Use your coffee table between the sofa and armless sofa (18" away from each of them.) Here's a chart for judging table and lamp heights as you'll need to work on that for balance. Please try this arrangement, and post by commenting and using the Attach Images button to add pix of the update. We'll tweak it on out from there.
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Hi Kiran, Before you place any furniture here, you should rethink the existing layout. I would eliminate the 3 internal walls around the puja room, and convert the areas of the living, puja, dining and kitchen, into a singular larger space. This is simply for better air circulation and overall aesthetics of the flat - to make it feel larger. You will now have an open kitchen - which can be shut by either a glass sliding folding partition, or with a half wall with a breakfast bar. You can use furniture smartly to create privacy for individual areas. You can also change the locations of the doors to the bedrooms, by not having them from the dining space, but from the passage outside the bathrooms; so that a larger table right in the centre with a dining credenza by one of the walls, thereby making the dining space a bit enclosed and not accessible from 3 sides. To answer your main question, you can have the television on the common wall between the living and bathroom (5'x8'); an L-shaped sofa can be placed along the same wall as the entrance door. Hope this helps! G
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PRO
Neiman NY
11 years ago
I agree with some of the comments, Move one of the couches off the wall and put a rug on the floor.
groveraxle
11 years ago
Part of the problem is that everything is the same color. There is no contrast, and therefore, no interest or spark. I've upholstered the roll arm bench in a light sage green and brought it around to join the conversation group. I've added a medium green rug.

It's hard to see all that's going on in this room. I suspect that this arrangement might not work because it seems like there is a TV on the wall above where the chairs currently are. If you give us clear pictures of every wall, we could probably help you better.
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Attaching some more pics!!
decoenthusiaste
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Aside from having a abundance of furniture in this space and all up against the walls, you also have things hung too high on the wall and too many small pieces are hanging alone, rather than grouped as a visual unit. 5-5-75 is a good rule of thumb - art hanging alone should have its center point 5' above the floor, if over furniture the lower frame should be 5" above the furniture, and try to keep the footprint of art within 75% of the furniture's width it hangs above.. If you decide to keep the cabinet, paint it black and put your lavender wall paper inside the top, light it and trick it out as a bar.
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Groveraxle, am better able to visualise the space thanks to your photoshop!!
I can't have the chairs away from the wall-cos the space behind is too less for flow of traffic. I do have a cream colour carpet-shall send a pic of that! I have just upholstered my sofas-so changing the fabric is not an option for me!!
I need something for displaying my curios and a media center-what kind would u suggest...
PRO
UpStaging Interiors
11 years ago
There is a lot of things you can do to warm up this space. Rearrange the chairs so whoever sits on them can watch TV too. There is too much furniture and stuff. the roll arm bench may not be needed all the time so you can put it elsewhere. Change the wall paper. Bring in a larger unit for TV. Warmer wall color will also be helpful.
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi decoenthusiaste, I agree with your suggestion but I don't know how to group the pictures together! Which wall to put it on! They are placed like this cos I am clueless!!
Also what is the 5 5 75 rule?
PRO
Cabinets & Designs
11 years ago
Hello,

A few simple pops of color should do the trick!

-Cabinets and Designs
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi upstagingfurniture - agree with your points but my problem is as follows-
1) this is the only place in my apartment for this furniture!! So I need to rearrange it
2) what kind of TV unit would you suggest?
3) what kind of wall paper and should I put it on any other wall also?
User
11 years ago
If you are looking for some life and spunk to add to your room, send me a round trip ticket and I will be glad to come sit for awhile lol....
groveraxle
11 years ago
Everything on the walls is too high, including the TV. The rule for everything you hang on the wall is that it should be eye level, or it should relate to any furniture that is under it. But let's deal with that later.

First, I want you to think about how you use the room. I'm guessing you watch TV and visit with friends in this space, so let's create that area, and then we'll work on the rest of the space to accommodate other activities.

Try this: move the sofa down so it's directly in front of the TV. Then place the chairs, one on either end of the sofa, facing each other. Put the coffee table in the center of this arrangement. Now you have a nice conversation area and everyone in these seats can see the telly.

I realize this leaves the window end of the room a little bare. So the question is: what do you use this area for?

Try rearranging the furniture and posting photos of it here. I'll be back later to help you with your TV console and your art.
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks Groveraxle , shall rearrange the furniture and post pics! I just thought I would tell u a little more about this room-at the end of the room near the window on both sides are doors to my bed room and baby's nursery! There is a fixed bench of marble which is just by the window- have put mattress on it to make the seating comfortable!!
This marble bench is used alot( it's my personal fav spot in my house- sit on it, look outside the window n sip tea)
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Picture of the seating by the window
groveraxle
11 years ago
Here is a start. I can't reorient your chairs, so I simply moved one into position. Move the coffee table 18" away from the sofa, then put one chair on each end of it.

I added some colorful kilim pillows in yellows and golds to the window bench and removed the valance. The valance doesn't add anything but clutter and better to have a few more inches of your beautiful view. The pillows are from a shop in Istanbul. They have great prices. The shop is here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GalenUnique?section_id=14024089
groveraxle
11 years ago
Choose a single accent color for the space. I would choose either gold or orange or green. Any of those will look great with the purple.

Please note in the rendering above, I lowered your art to its proper level. I would get rid of the candle sconces. Like the valance, they don't really add anything.

I noticed you have some figurines and art on the floor by the chairs. Those need to come out and be shown off.
groveraxle
11 years ago
I don't know what your chances are of finding an antique Hepplewhite sideboard, but something like this would add much needed color and function to your room. You could lower the TV to a better viewing height, hide the cords and components, and have some space on the end to display your carved figure.

I grouped your two framed pieces to the right of the TV and lowered them.
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Groveraxle , As per your suggestion I have rearranged the furniture! However, do u think the painting on the pink wall is now looking v displaced/off center?
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Please help me with the art and TV unit!! Please
groveraxle
11 years ago
The new arrangement is better. Pull the rug back about a foot so the front legs of the sofa sit on the rug. Put the chairs at the ends of the coffee table so they face each other.

From this angle, I can't see the placement of the art above the sofa except to tell that it's too high. However, don't worry about where the art is until you get the rest of the room arranged. All of your art is too high, the individual pieces need to be grouped into pleasing arrangements, but none of that can be done till the furniture arrangement is established.

For the TV unit, look for a cabinet that is at least 25% longer than the TV. And I would look for something that isn't brown, or a cabinet you could paint. You need some other colors in this room.
Housefish Key Tall Module - Walnut · More Info

Contemporary Style Rustic Reclaimed Wood Green TV Media Console Cabinet · More Info
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
What do I think of TV units like these ones? In the picture with the White TV unit - what colour other than wood do u think will look good?
groveraxle
11 years ago
Both those TV units are way too contemporary for your space. Look for something that has the character of the tall cabinet that now stands to the left of the TV. Another option would be something more ornate like your furniture, but that has been painted or antiqued, perhaps in that ivory color I spy in your rug.
groveraxle
11 years ago
Something more along these lines would work better:
ShangHai Antique Long Console Table Cabinet · More Info

Chinese Rustic Blue Lacquer Sideboard Buffet Table · More Info
drruchigs
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Groveraxle , I am a little fed up of the antique look in my living room - too much of carving!! If I mix the modern look with it- how will it look? Also, am sending pic of the wall behind my couch-want to make it into an art wall!! Do have cute out newspaper in the size if the paintings and displayed it! What do u think of the arrangement?
Am also attaching pictures that I intend putting up on the wall!! Let me know what u think if it!!
Thomas Zacharia
11 years ago
You would need to get rid of the antique looking furniture to get a modern look. I would say simple and plane furniture w/o carving would definitely change the face of ur room. If you like white color, try a whole white curtain on that window. May be a light grey or white paint looks better as well. Get rid of small wall hangings, and just put one center piece with a small light on the top of it. Also you would need to change ur fluorescent tube. A little dimmer covered Florescent lamp will do the trick.
Bryant Shaw
11 years ago
group the furniture in the middle of the room, away from the walls, and add a more modern area rug in a rich violet hue
PRO
Stamps Design Services
11 years ago
I would paint the closet and window seat an ivory or light cream, add an area rugin a dark eggplant color and bring the furniture together to create a conversation area, also you could use the wall the TV is on to display photos or art. I am posting some examples for you to look at and hopefully give you some ideas to make your own :-)
Carmen Mercado-Leyva
11 years ago
First of all, I don't think that furniture is comfortable enough to sit and watch TV, so the TV should be remove from that room, the purple wall paper and the purple furniture is too much, you should consider another color for that wall and the furniture against the wall it doesn't look good. What is that room at the end is kind of dark and I cannot appreciate exactly what is the purpose of that room. I'm a firm believer in skylights, we have skylights in the laundry room, kitchen, living room and office, they make a big difference. (if you cannot have skylights (or tube lights) can lights are a great option. There are a lot of great ideas from everyone. I can't wait to see the after photos.
someone
11 years ago
Move the bench away from the wall and into your sitting area on the rug.
Audrey Webb
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Try a bistro style!!
1) Place something like the table and 2 chairs pictured below on both the left and right walls with chairs facing each other, and both spaces with area rugs.
2) Paint the left and right walls a dove white with a soft gray baseboard .
3) Paint the wall with the window, the beam above the window, wall with the door and the beam on the left wall an accent color.
4) Get rid of the hutch thingy facing the door
5) Turn the sitting area underneath the window into a storage area.
6)Obviously change the wall decor and the chandelier to anything that would help brighten the room up.

I totally agree with @Brandibothe as far as the color scheme.
sallyann1102
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
if you can, get rid of the window seat and put the couch there at the end of the room. Also a large mirror on the side wall would make the room look larger.