Would anyone like to help me decorate my living room?

[ireallyhavenoidea]

Hi

We have recently taken on a renovation job and, although I appear able to make decisions (whether they are right long term who knows!) on radiators and internal doors, I am paralysed with indecision on paint colours.

I have lived in rented all magnolia or all white houses for the past 12 years. Initially I thought we would just paint the house (4 bedroom) white and live there a while but as this work is ongoing I can see we won't want to do anything for a good few years so want to get it right now. I think I can just about manage most of the rooms but I am still unsure of what colours to do the hall/stairs and living room.

I think white and magnolia are too safe... but I don't like strong colours. We cannot afford to change major furniture (sofas) at the moment and my mil says I need to think about how I want the room to look when we can afford new furniture which sounds good advice BUT I still have no idea!

I have spent evenings on Pinterest and other sites and it's all country cottage or scandi design with white sofas and floor boards. I have a old black leather suite, a messy 3 year old ds, my dh is adament he wants carpet in the living room and we have no storage (coming from a small house to a larger room) so it doesn't help me. The storage - whatever it may be - we can buy now. The sofas, or sofas and co-ordinating chairs pref., will have to come later.

I will put a plan of the room in my pictures (if I can work out how to do that) and would be grateful if any budding interior designers can help me! Please?

Thanks in advance for any help/ideas ...

[lalalonglegs]

I'll have a go but can't get into your profile and probably need a bit more to go on: colours you like, furniture you want to keep etc.

[ireallyhavenoidea]

Thanks lala. Hmmm, will go in again and see if I can work out why you can't access my profile.

I have a plan of the room and photos of a sofa like ours (except ours is black with black legs). We have a large TV (which is currently on the wall but I think we might get a stand and put it at an angle to make it less of a feature ... but who knows. We definately need storage (kids toys, but not too much as I am hoping most of it will go into ds's room). I want something sophisticated please (cough ...)

OK, off to look now.

And, thanks for the offer :)

[ireallyhavenoidea]

Can you see the plan / photos?

[lalalonglegs]

God, I just did a really long post and it got lost.

So: I'd divide the room into two areas by creating an L of sofas around the chimney breast, one facing the chimney breast and one facing the door from the hall. I'd place the TV in the area near that door so it doesn't dominate the room.

At the other end of the room on the unbroken wall I would put floor to ceiling shelves with maybe some cabinet storage at the bottom for toys, DVDs and other ugly gubbins. I'd also put some armchairs and a desk/side table and floor lamps down this end to create a cosy reading/play area.

In terms of colours, it is hard to advise without knowing age of building/your taste/how much light it gets so I would suggest a neutral stone colour and then dressing it up with a lot of bright stuff in terms of soft furnishings, fabrics for the chairs and sofa covers. I'd put lots of pictures on the walls, framed in similar style to give some unity but lots of different types and sizes.

I hate carpet so would just say keep it as unobtrusive as possible.

[ireallyhavenoidea]

Thanks lala!

We did think about dividing the area and love the idea of a little table for a reading area (my wish was to have a room where I can read and not be confronted by the tv!)

I think we are going for a neutral all over carpet so beigey / grey I guess.

I have been looking at made.com and like a few things on there. My main concern is that I like so many different styles and am not confident they will go together!

I guess we should move in with what we have and then decide on furniture style and, as you say, go for a neutral wall colour (that looks OK with the carpet we haven't picked yet...) Can you recommend any neutral stone colours, so I have an idea?

I really appreciate your advice :)

[lalalonglegs]

Put some links up of what you like and I will give you the final decision my opinion.

[ireallyhavenoidea]

OK, will have a look tomorrow ... Thanks again

[SunnyUpNorth]

I am not hugely decisive either and am always scared to go too bold in case I regret it,but don't want to regret being boring so get stuck in a loop!

However advice I have heard that I think makes sense is to live in a house for a year a so to get an idea on what suits the house, how the lighting works etc. basically don't rush in.

So I think I would say that as you're decorating anyway due to refurbishment go for something fairly neutral for now thy can easily be painted over in a year or so. Also don't get a paint that is too pricey so you would feel wasteful painting over it later.

I really like dulux greige shades like Egyptian cotton, and just walnut. The former is a tad darker and is quite cosy in evening lamp light but quite pale and unobtrusive in daylight. Just walnut is paler and a bit cooler. We have just painted our kitchen diner in Just walnut and it's very fresh and clean, without being a plain white or grey.

Good luck!

[ireallyhavenoidea]

Thanks sunny. I have about 10 testers on the wall ... All pretty much different shades of off white (with the exception of Laura Ashley duck egg blue which i do love, but not necessarily for that room) and am now thinking a slightly darker colour than off white, as you say a walnut colour. The lighting in the room is rubbish so it's hard to see what it's like in the evening.

Just been told I need to concentrate on bathrooms now ... Too many decisions!!!!

[quirrelquarrel]

What about a warm burnt orange and the rest very pale blue? You could go all sunny morroccan.

Or cherry colour and sky blue.

[lalalonglegs]

Get a large cardboard box. Paint the inside with a colour you like. Third will give you an idea of its intensity as it reflects back on itself.

I really love bright colours but I'd avoid anything inspired by Morocco, the Med, India etc because UK light is so different. Those colours won't glow over here.

[GrendelsMum]

Lala is the expert, but I've found Kevin McCloud's 'Colours' book very useful. Basically he tells you more interesting paint colours to choose, and then you choose them.

Here it is

My DH is great on choosing colour - much admired in our house is F&B Theresa's Green, F&B Oxford Stone and something similar to F&B Dix Blue.
We also have various cupboards and toilets painted in funky colours such as F&B Pelt.

[lalalonglegs]

modestly.

I was going to suggest a Kevin McCord colour but they no longer seem to make it(which is a bit worrying as half my house is decorated in it...). I fine F&B Elephant's Breath very versatile - neutral but not bland.

[FishfingersAreOK]

And when it comes to bathrooms - choose your floor first. Some of these are lufferly www.harveymaria.co.uk/