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Living room wall ideas?

6 years ago

Hi Houzz pros! I'm trying to decide what to put on the wall over these two leather chairs in our living room. I was thinking about either a large rectangular picture or mirror, maybe something like this one from Crate & Barrel which is 47"x29"

Ideas/suggestions please!!

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JudyG Designs

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Before I purchased anything, I would rearrange that area. Remove the plant and the table and lamp.

Put the tall piece in the middle of that wall, repositioning a chair on either side.

Take off all the smalls on top of the chest.

Now purchase two floor lamps with trays…one for each chair.

That should fill up that end of the room perfectly and you will need nothing else, except for putting matching red pillows from the couch on each of the chairs.

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Comments (39)

Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you, I'll try that to see how it works!
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Mona you have seen exactly the dilemmas I'm facing with this room so I really appreciate your comments. I was focusing on no1, but really 2 and 3 are on my mind too. In terms of getting some continuity between the rooms I was planning on recovering the dining chairs in a fabric to tone with cushions/throws on the white couch, ottomans in a matching tone, and pulling this colour scheme through into cushions in the formal lounge. I love the spring colours at the moment (greens, blues etc) which you can see i'm playing with at the moment but you might be able to see the painting in the formal room which is orange, red and yellow with a blue/purple base. So I'm very keen on colour and so tired of the brown carpet and neutral walls. I was also going to restain the dining table and chairs to a dark mahogany colour, and change the bar stools to something more modern. re: rug closer to sofa, I've done this and it looks off-balance with nothing else in the space. It seems to work better in the middle of the carpet area at the moment. Perhaps thats because I haven't ordered the ottomans yet. I don't want to add a coffee table to this room as prefer Ottoman to put feet up on. I've attached a pic of a rug, do you think something like this would work better? re the wall: yes this is the major for me at the moment. It is a TV room so tv and speakers stay and I wont be adding any custom cabinetry. The idea was to increase the space in this room by removing all of the cabinets and they are now in the adjoining room. The speaker covers have not been painted as I needed to work out what wall covering to apply, and colour etc. so once they are painted the wall colour they will blend in better. The idea of shelving has merit, I'll have to have a think more about that... Any other thoughts you have are appreciated.
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btydrvn
6 years ago
I might consider painting that wall an accent color...your room is heavy on neutrals...a colored wall can add personality and warmth....

Also....Unless the tall cabinet is absolutely necessary..removing it will give you a roomier ...more homey feel
btydrvn
6 years ago
As to the mirror..consider the view that will be reflected in the mirror...if it doesn't reflect something pretty ...choose an art piece...

Also....As the walls in your pic seem bare ...maybe adding some soft draperies on each side of the big window would add to the already comfy looking room
PRO
Design Directives, LLC
6 years ago
Try artwork, not a mirror. If you want something on that wall.
1960 Ranch Home · More Info
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks everyone, I took Judy G's suggestion and tried just some rearranging as a first step. The tall cabinet is our bar (so therefore essential!) and we like the piece. You can see it both open and closed below. Any further suggestions?
Kim
6 years ago
May I ask the dimensions of your room? Our living room is similar, and I've often wondered how a sectional would feel in there.
groveraxle
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Put the tall piece back in the corner. It totally breaks up the room in the middle of the wall like that.

And did you start a fire in the corner, or do you have a 2000w bulb in that lamp?
groveraxle
6 years ago
I would flip the bar and the tree so you'll have better access to the bar, send the giraffes someplace less crowded to live, center the chairs and the table on the wall, and get a floor lamp for behind the chair on the right. Then I'd hang a great big framed Klee on the wall.
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks groveraxle, I do like the way that Ann Klee looks (and the dog!) though access to the bar is actually much easier with it in the new position. Don't think a lamp would fit there to the right side in front of the bar the way you've shown it.
Maybe we just need some art to right of bar and left of window now? And drapes?

Kim, I will get those dimensions for you,
teamaltese
6 years ago
If you find 4 pieces of same sized, themed art, and hang them two on each side of the cabinet, it should balance the cabinet and make it look like it belongs on that wall. And art can be anything, from "found" objects, vintage pieces like tools, or even plants, like plank mounted staghorn ferns.
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks teamaltese. Would you hang those staggered in some way?
teamaltese
6 years ago
I would keep the art symmetrical, same heights, same distance from the cabinet. I wouldn't worry about the art being hidden by the doors, the cabinet would be closed mostly.
groveraxle
6 years ago
Daisy's good with leaving the bar there; Daisy's good with anything that makes her humans happy. If you're leaving the tree there, though, you'll have to play with the sizes and placements of what you put on that wall to balance because you won't get symmetry.
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks again Daisy! The verdict is still out on long term future of the tree....I need to do some shopping now for art and lamps and perhaps drapes too. Here are some better pictures of the rearrangement without the "fire" in the corner from the flash:
groveraxle
6 years ago
Looks better without fire, but can the chairs come forward at all? That right chair is almost behind the couch. Unless you were planning on making it the time-out chair...
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Yes I think I can pull the chairs forward a bit. Fortunately we're past the time out stage of life (unless my hubby needs it!)
Would you put anything on top of or above the bar cabinet?
Melissa Gallagher
6 years ago
I would get rid of the fake tree and get a real one.
I like the bar in the middle but I wouldn't angle the chairs. That's a really cool piece!
As someone else said, maybe try some drapes.
I love your leather ottoman but it seems rather heavy. Maybe a glass table would be lighter and I see other smaller stools there too so it looks like you're using the large round one for your table....
It's a nice room....
jbtanyderi
6 years ago
Fixed ceiling height drapery panels on each side of the window would give an additional dimension and added colour. Lamps need to be more substantial. They give flattering light. End tables make more sense than the huge ottoman.
PRO
The New and Reclaimed Flooring Company
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Wall Cladding is always a good alternative.

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These are some of our latest projects:
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Hmm, drapes could be an issue due to size of the couch - there wouldn't be room on both sides for them to hang to the floor. Maybe a valance to add some color?
The ottoman is combination table and place to put our feet on while we watch television....
I will definitely add two new lamps in each corner behind the leather chairs!
Melissa Gallagher
6 years ago
I'd say no to the valance and skip the drapes since you probably can't pull out the sofa from the wall...

While that cladding can be cool in some places I think it would be too much in this room and just make it seem smaller
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
I agree on the wall cladding. Why do you think no on the valance?
Melissa Gallagher
6 years ago
Because they are dated. Just my opinion...
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Got it, thanks!
Laura A.
6 years ago
Really like the ideas and the fantastic bar in the middle of the chairs. You could also do architectural shelf/sconces on each side of the bar with small topiaries or large candles. What seems to be missing most is lamps, which will give the room some more height and can really add color and pizzaz. Fun lamps, your choice.
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks! Do you think you could do an arced lamp to provide light for reading in those chairs?
acm
6 years ago
Yes, back at the table-in-the-middle stage, i was going to suggest an arced lamp. Or you could put an end table between the couch and the chair on the right, with a table lamp, and then put an arced floor lamp behind the chair on the left. If the plant is headed out. (Or the plant could then go on the right.)
groveraxle
6 years ago
For comfort and ease of conversation, I'd like to see the chairs closer together and more related to the sofa.
Melissa Gallagher
6 years ago
My bf has these chairs and floor lamps from crate and barrel. We didn't get the CB shades, just the lamps and got the smaller shades at Target. The CB lamps come in three finishes...

I like arc lamps but without being in your room....they may be too big for your space.
btydrvn
6 years ago
I think the draperies at the edge of the windows are pretty essential to the sort of bare wall feel of the room...even if you have to move the sofa out a little to get them to fit...

Moving the sofa out a little will also lend a feeling of spaciousness to the room ..

The large ottoman is also out of scale a little..it appears to be dysfunctional as well...too heavy to move around as needed..a couple smaller tables may also make the room feel "roomier"...
Beth Mallon
6 years ago
I love all the feedback your getting on this room. I am going to have a similar dilemma with my new living room (bare wall behind sofa so im finding this thread helpful) one suggestion - what if you were to keep the pair of chairs together and put in left side and them shift bar cabinet a few feet to the right corner. it could keep your chairs together as a pair and give some breathing room between the chairs, bar and chaise.
Beth Mallon
6 years ago
just realized there may be a tv on that wall so you might like having that chair face the tv - like you have it now!
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
This is great feedback! I can't move the chairs too much further forward due to entrance to dining room on the left. They actually work pretty well where they are now in terms of watching TV (located on left side of room opposite windows) - for the chair on right side of room though not so much for chair on left, and the new arrangement does give much better access to bar cabinet than before.

As far as drapes go - can you have a full length drape on a window that only goes down to about the sofa level? Will that be weird or not matter since the sofa is in front of the window?
Judy R
Original Author
6 years ago
Melissa, those are very nice lamps from C&B. If i try an arc lamp it will need a very narrow profile to fit here, for sure.
Michael Street
6 years ago
Happy
Michael Street
6 years ago
T
Nelle Corcoran
6 years ago
Very nice comfy room. The big issues have been resolved. This is nit picky, but could you try the rectangular tray on the ottoman? Round on round looks odd.
btydrvn
6 years ago
Curtains to floor is fine...more luxurious..appropriate for living room

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