I need some inspiration - would anyone like to show me their living room?

[Echo2]

I’m sitting here staring at my boring magnolia walls wondering what I can do to jazz things up a bit. I’m on a tight budget so no point flicking through the glossy magazines, I’m interested in ordinary people & ordinary homes.
TIA.

GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat
We have laminate flooring and plain magnolia walks, we do have a nice bay window with lots of natural light coming through & a fireplace. Two sofas against each main wall and a few shelves.
The room is about 14’ by 12’ so not huge, no art work apart from 1 picture over the TV.

Hold on I’ll just take a quick photo.

It just lacks warmth I think?

Here.

OP that’s a lovely room.

Oops, didn’t think 1st photo worked!

It’s very black and white. I think changing the curtains would help?

New curtains and a rich colour on the fireplace?

We’ve not long moved in so this is it decorated but not furnished!

I think your room looks pretty good really. Mine looks, er, lived in and due for a complete re-dec.

That clock’s in an odd place though.

Yes, that’s what I’m thinking, I need to inject some colour & warmth.

Haha, very true, not sure why I put the clock there!
sexnotgender that is one amazing room.

welshcake77

Yours is gorgeous

Thanks itchytights!

I’m so jealous of everyone’s fireplaces! We live in Germany and while we now have an original German-style wood fire/oven (which is basically closed and tiled) I really miss typical British open fires and mantles!

OP that room has loads of potential! I’d definitely go for a striking colour on the chimney breast and thicker, floor length curtains as a start. And yes to moving the clock

Thanks echo, I do love my house it was once upon a time 2 rooms which is why it’s ridiculously big.

Here's mine :) newly decorated east facing room

BlairWaldorfsHeadband. Thank you.

Orangreen

It’s very small. So small I can’t see it. Extension maybe?

We started with the rug and went from there. I saw a picture on here of someone's alcove shelving with dark paint inside and loved it, so we did it too.

Very jealous of your bookcases Orange, DH has relegated mine to the a couple of thin bookcases and one of the spare bedroom (which I think of as my library)

😍

Sorry that was meant for something else entirely!

You’re here now Mookatron you have to show us your living room

Why can’t I see Orangreen’s picture? I want to see the shelves!

Echo you have picture rail, painting a rich colour below and saving the ceiling and above the rail white will make the room look bigger (particularly if you have lots of natural light).
Use the picture rail, hang the mirror, painting and clock from it on chains.
Very envious of your beautiful high ceilings.

Oh I really like it Echo2! I like your ceiling light too, do you know where it's from?

What colour are your sofas? Depending on your answer I might add a few more blue accents throughout. I'd maybe change the mirror and mount on the chimneybreast - something round/geometric or starburst. Or a proper curved overmantel mirror with a gold or silver wood frame.

eBay locally can be a good source. I don't know if budget stretches but John Lewis has some awesome mirrors. Dunelm too.

Like pp I might be inclined to change the curtains. I quite like the blue-ish/grey tone but they look quite thin (sorry if I'm wrong and it's the light!) I'd go for something lined or attach new blackout/thermal linings to the existing ones to make them a bit more luxurious (Dunelm sell these). Tiebacks would work too to frame your fab window.

Finally I might change the rug to something brighter and/or a round one for an instant update. I don't mind the grey one but it's an easy trick to update a room