I would LOVE your opinions on redecorating my living room... and

[bluetortoise]

Well, that is it really, we haven't done anything to our living room since we moved in (7 years ago) and we are getting a 'newish' sofa. I would absolutely LOVE your opinions on redecorating it because I haven't got a clue where to start (and am also on a budget). So we are thinking about getting a new carpet and curtains (well, fabric to make them) and paint the walls. We have the cover of one of the cushions which I would like to take a picture to put on my profile in case someone would like to have a look at it but don't know how I can do that . Anyway, if you are still reading my long essay, the colour of the sofa is dark pinkish/wineish with a pattern that has greenish/yellowish/greyish pattern. Not sure the colours I should use on the carpet, walls or curtains, PLEASE helpe me...

[Bonsoir]

It sounds as if your sofa is quite a "statement" and that you probably need to make it the visual focus of your room. Is there a colour that isn't the main colour of your sofa, but one of the colours in the pattern, that you could use in plain-dyed fabric for your curtains?

Is the room large? Which way does it face? How about painting it quite a pale colour, if your sofa and curtains are going to be quite vibrant?

I would choose your floor covering last.

[aquavit]

Hate to add confusion, but I think if you paint the room pale, then your striking sofa will REALLY stand out. You may want that; but an alternative would be to pick up on one of the darker colours in the sofa and use that (or rather, something in its tonal range) for the curtains and walls. I think that dark pink and wine colours look fabulous on walls (make sure that the paint is matt, though), and it's quite a classic look, and more subtle than it sounds - though would probably only look warm and old-fashioned in a period room.

Dark walls do need good lighting if they are not to be gloomy, so consider the aspect and the lighting.

You need to think hard about the type of room it is (period? modern? large? light? etc) and then look for some inspiration! Start with the Farrow and Ball catalogue online perhaps, and the house and garden type magazine websites...LOADS of stuff there

[bluetortoise]

thank you so much for your suggestions! The room is 3.60x5.10m (142x201) and is a victorian house, so high ceilings, and cornices type thing. It gets the afternoon sun. We have a cream carpet at the minute and with a 3yo we are looking for something darkish for the floor. Another thing that I didn't mention is that our furniture is dark wood (mahogany) and we have to keep that, so maybe a light colour would probably suit better. But what tones do you think? oh dear, so many things to think about...

[ShoppingDays]

I'd go for light walls and pick up the wine/pink colours in the curtains, and probably a chocolate or carpet.

[ShoppingDays]

:o

A chocolate carpet

[bluetortoise]

which colour of walls would look good with chocolate?

[TragicallyHip]

Where do I get myself a chocolate carpet??

[TragicallyHip]

Light colour walls would go with a chocolate carpet, not sure how long the carpet would last tho!

On a serious note you wouldn't want dark walls too as it would make the room look too dim. Maybe a pale pink to match the colour in the sofa pattern?

[ShoppingDays]

Wall colours to look nice with chocolate carpet... maybe a very pale yellow, or cream, or pale green? Or maybe a light duck-egg blue, although I'm not sure that would go so well with the sofa.

As you've already chosen the sofa, perhaps pick out one of the colours in the sofa such as the green and use a light version, to avoid having too many different colours in the room.

[bluetortoise]

I quite like the idea of green, but husband wasn't too keen... I showed a tone of quite pale green from the Ideal Homes website and he wasn't opposed to the idea (hurraaaayy). Now, a big question: if it is pale green what colour would the curtains be??? Thank you so much for helping me with this, so excited that I can finally do something to change a bit the living room

[PlumBumMum]

Oh my lounge is dusted damson on chimney and rest of the room malted chocolate,
I have aubergine/plum curtains

dusted damson is pale might go well, hard to tell when haven't seen sofa pattern

[bluetortoise]

Is it possible to put pictures on profile? If so, how could that be done?

[bluetortoise]

I guess not then... I quite like the malted chocolate colour Plum, it is lovely... I have to say husband read my message describing the sofa and he said it doesn't sound exactly how it is, the colour is about right but it hasn't got pattern on it as such but it is more like designs made on the fabric using different colours of threads, iyswim. Would take make it any easier to decorate? Anyway my search for more inspiration continues

[PlumBumMum]

Yeap you can take a photo and upload, but you will then need to make your profile public

[bluetortoise]

I guess I will probably leave it then, I am not very technical and I would probably spend a loooooooooong time to try to work out how to do it. Haven't made any decisions yet on anything, oh dear, this might be a long redecoration process