Money is no object and you have to decorate your sitting room from scratch - how do you do it?

[Livingly]

I lied - money is very definitely an object but let's pretend! My sitting room (Edwardian house) has a fireplace and over mantle, french doors, a wooden floor and nothing else!

I have no idea what colour scheme to go for on walls, window dressings, furniture etc. I know it's often advised to chose one item like a picture for inspiration, but I don't have any (pictures or inspiration!).

I'm open to, and will be very grateful for, any suggestions, and images too if you'd like to share.

Thank you :)

Has to start with an antique mirror for the overmantle.

You don't need massively expensive curtain fabric but it does have to be interlined and pleated - the windows will be huge so there will be a lot of it. Cream or gold, possibly silver/sage - although the latter is not an Edwardian colour.

Sofas from Darlings with Berlin wòolwork tapestry cushions. Antique armchairs for the alcove.

Beautiful chandelier - uplighters in alcoves

Simple cream walls (could go softest primrose)

Neutral carpet, possibly a nice Persian rug over.

Good classic lamps with cream silk lampshades.

Couple of occasional tables.

Something like this, but loose the chandelier. Light colours, a couple of sheep skins. I'm Scandi, so don't expect you to agree .

We need photos!

Roses thank you for your comprehensive answer!

I'm the wrong side of some vodka which has grass growing in it and apple juice right now, but I will return more coherently tomorrow :).

Oh giant so sorry, I missed your post completely (that'll be the vodka again!). I actually love that picture.

Cheers 🍸😁

Get trades in to do it. Replaster walls and ceiling. Sort out the dodgy plasterboard. New carpets, in fact new everything... But if money no object I'd move somewhere else

It's not really no object fag, I lied in a sad attempt to get more replies :(. I'm very sorry. I'm not averse to getting tradesmen in though, I've decided that my next dh will be a practical type after suffering years of a very clever dh who could barely switch a light on.

Hmm, perhaps decorating my sitting room could serve a dual purpose - lovely looking room plus handy new man ... :)

@Livingly Zubrowka? My absolute favourite.

I would go for plain walls, a neutral colour, soft yellow, white with a hint of something? Then you can add in whatever, really.

I have bonkers stuff, 8 foot mirror, old canoe turned into shelves etc. Point being, you can put anything you fancy in once you’ve painted the walls.

I recently redid my lounge and, although budget was most definitely an issue, I wouldn't change much, maybe just getting professionals in. I've decorated in teal (or French Turquoise according to Craig & Rose) and a v dark grey, both in a chalk finish. The floor is painted a mid grey and I have a large rug from IKEA which looks like an old worn Persian rug in green and cream. The woodwork is all cream, I did toy with going full goth and painting it black but delays on the paint, and my friend being reluctant has actually turned out for the best.

I love this:

Hardwood floors. Exposed brick. Three or more huge leather sofas. Big log burning stove. Mini (original model) mounted on the wall, with cool 🇬🇧 paint job. Enormous TV & home cinéma system capable of waking the dead.

BBCONEANDTWO that's very 90's

Buy a really nice statement sofa, something lovely and luxurious and build around that.

Just go onto Houzz and search using relevant filters. You'll find tonnes of inspiration.

Also depends on how light the room is. For example our living room (Edwardian house, huge box bay, fireplace, cornicing etc) has the sun streaming in practically all day, so we've actually painted it dark (f&b vardo). Plus off white curtains and plainer wool sofas. But if it's a darker room I'd recommend going light with your colours.

I’d go light but with textures - velvet sofa, thick curtains with a puddle train, thin Roman blinds, dulled silver/pewter. I love all the navy rooms around at the moment but wonder how liveable they are. I would start with the sofa then build around that.

Yes to buying curtains and sofa first and then build around that.

You describe the room as a sitting room rather than lounge. That gives it a different vibe. More warm and cosy - artisan.

We're redecorating our living room at the moment. It's a LONG work in progress. This week we had parquet hardwood floors installed, which I'm thrilled with. We're having a marble fire surround installed later this month to replace the wooden one (open fire staying). Think we're going to paint F&B Parma Gray, but I'm also toying with possibly wallpapering one wall with F&B lotus wallpaper (the one with the Parma Gray background), I just can't get my head around which wall would be best. I need (lots of) new curtains. The current (previous owners') curtains were clearly bespoke, expensive, and are ok, but past their best and don't tie into the new colour scheme.

Furniture isn't changing for now - light brown sofa, leather armchair, lots of medium and dark wood furniture. Lighting a mixture of dimmable spotlights (existing) plus 2 statement pendants (ours from precious home, can't wait to get them back up when ceiling has been decorated). Blue and beige abstract rug from Ikea should tie the Parma Gray and soar colours together nicely. Various blue accessories dotted around the room, lots of photos and art that needs to go on walls.

So many different things you can do I know the first picture is all the rage currently, but I hate it too sterile.
Number three is what my DP would like, but I hate leather and feel it's cold.
Number two would be my choice alone.
In the end we are taking inspiration from an Arab rug DP has ( bought in Jordan) which is primarily reds and blues, Sofa is a herring bone blue with contrast probably red/yellow cushions. Neutral flooring with carpet on top.

You need to get yourself on Pinterest and Instagram OP, there's lots of home pages on there. On Instagram (which I prefer to Pinterest) you can just search for different hashtags like 'home' 'lounge' 'edwardian' etc and you'll see people's makeovers and renovations.

It sounds like a beautiful room. Good luck!

I'm going to throw this out. Emma J Shipley - she creates magical animal centered wallpapers in beautiful colours. We are just deciding which to use for our living room next to our verdigris (f&b) green walls and thinking the pink lynx one.

Linky:
emmajshipley.com/collections/wallpaper

Also LOVE @Lonecatwithkitten above with the blue Room, pink Stripe on the door. Going to steal that one!

I love colour so I'd quite like a blush pink and emerald green palette with a bit of gold.

I also love the navy scheme that others have shared but I've got aubergine now so I'd go light next time.

@Treacletoots I love bold wallpaper like that!

All the walls are exposed brick so I’d leave that, radiators are also original finned tubes so I’d keep those. The windows are original (black) metal frames. So really it would just be furnishings, at the moment I have Ikea stuff as I majorly over spent on the bathroom.

I have my eye on a nice gray bench sofa that has a black metal frame, then a few armchairs in different styles. I have some natural cotton rugs so I would keep those. The media unit attached. I would look for sofa side table etc second hand to find something thats both nice and good quality. I have a nice cranes upright piano.

I do have some art on the walls, I would like to expand that but don’t want to break the bank.