help with this colour scheme

[Toraleistripe]

Our front room is too brown. We moved and decorated recently. Walls are timeless, carpet neutral but our 2 sofas are brown and our fireplace is a brown tiled one. This plus the wooden cabinet we have is just far too brown.

How can I alter the room. Some things I can't change but we need a new sofa so could have a colourful one to contrast with the brown one? Or I could introduce colour via the curtains? Which colour though? I don't want it too sensibly toned. Trying to avoid next directory!

[Iateallthemincepies]

I feel your pain. I've got a brown sitting room too, I was aiming for 'restful neutral ' and ended up with beige hell.
I've been looking at Pinterest and Houzz uk and the suggestion seems to be to add colour with curtains, rugs, cushions and lamps.
I'm thinking turquoise, duck egg or possibly purpley shades.

[ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba]

Go for bold, sunny colours to spice it up!
Consider red, pink, orange, yellow or a combo of some of these.
I always think of brown as the colour of the earth & tree bark - what colour plants or flowers "don't go" with the soil or trees they grew from?

Depending on whether the items & walls have "clean" or "muddy/greyish" hues and pastel or bold shades you are bound to find some suitable shades of practically any colour to go with brown as it is a mix of the 3 primary colours.
(You get brown when you mix any pairs of complimentary colours, so red+green, orange+blue or yellow+purple)

Could you post some photos?

[Toraleistripe]

Thanks. I have some yellow cushions which have brightened it up.

If I buy a new sofa, what colour should I get? Do I need to get another brown one or could I get a completely different colour do you think?

[ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba]

Oh definitely a different colour! Be brave, consider patterns you used to think "i could never pull that off"

Apart from brown what is your favourite colour?
I think a multi coloured one look good too or maybe something stripey?

As I said I like big, bold colours, I need the visual stimulation. So I'm biased with rainbow colours.

I have a feeling you'd be happy with a combo of sky blue/baby blue, lilac and a splash of orange. I'll see if I can post paint chips to show you what I mean

[ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba]

Here are a few images from Pinterest:
These shades of lilac, the blue trousers, mint green mini phone booth

[ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba]

Then this beautiful orange rose and the mix of colours on the last photo.
What do you think?

[Titsywoo]

Wallpaper - I find living rooms without wallpaper very dull looking unless they have high ceilings and lots of natural light so can cope with vibrant wall colours.

I am papering my lounge at the moment in this www.lauraashley.com/uk/wallpaper/lille-linen-stripe-wallpaper/invt/3422520

But I want something simple and classic - I am doing all the walls not a feature one although I am using paint on the chimney breast and the alcoves either side. These alcoves also have shelving in them which will be filled with my books - only mentioning this as personally I think books bring colour and warmth to a room too. Only if you actually read a lot though or else you probably don't have enough to do this (or if you use a kindle!).

I still have brown carpet (sort of a dark mink colour) and coffee coloured sofas and it is going to look great (in my humble opinion!)

Lamps and warm lighting make the difference too. I have a main light, wall lights and lamps.

[Rupster]

How about this?

[Toraleistripe]

Oooh thanks for all of your ideas. Thinking maybe a checked sofa to contrast.....love the colours you have all shown.