Help me with my living room again 😩

[Youagain2025]

Sorry it's me again. So after thinking about doing something with my sofa that's gone out of the window.

But I do want to completely change the living living room. So basically change the walls and the floors, curtains.

My no 's are no dark walls. It has to be light although I will consider a medium sort of colour. Do I just paint or do wallpaper as well? Or maybe some sort of panelling

Floor wise I want to rip the floor up and put something better down. I'm open to the colour and type. I'm also now happy to put a rug down but short pile type.

I'm very against cushions and floor lamp/low light type. As I don't like a room that's dimmed . I like it bright light wise.

I have taken a few pics of the living room so there's a better idea.

I'm hoping to make a start this week.

I think shuttees would be expensive because of the size. Also i need ti open the doors alot.

I did think about carpet but it won't work. I have 2 dogs plus kids . On a wet day dirt will just get trod through.

And yes

I don't understand?

Yes I used the wrong word by cosy sorry
I mean if you wanted to move the sofas
You could face them to look more sociable
Perhaps some( black and white?) framed photos on to wall?
Black doesn't have to look dark
Monochrome is classic.
Maybe get a black/ white patterned throw for the sofa? Asda have nice throws
Just some ideas for you to think about

Hey I recognise you

Nice to see you with a more positive name still and still working on that house

Hope you ok ,

I've got no style at all so can't help but just want to say you've got this

👍🏼💐

You are right that shutters are expensive, but if affordable, you can get them as full length doors which open as normal. Or, floor length curtains in a thin fabric would look nice.

I can definitely play about with the unit . I'm not sure what you mean by the back panels? Do u mean behidec the tv? Or the painting the back panel on the actual unit ?

OP, don't do anything to the floor until you've had a serious think about the rest of the room. If you've just made two big purchases that you're still paying off, neither of which you really like in the room, I wouldn't spend another penny without a lot more thought. The wall colour is key. I think gold could be a good option, if you're opposed to darker colours, but open to this.

Are you planning for any kind of coffee table in front of the sofa? The thing I'm finding hard to visualise is just how much space there is between the sofa and the TV unit. Also, is the room also a corridor between the house and the garden? Or is there another way of accessing the garden from another room? Whether there will be children trampling in and out through that window will make a difference to what floor covering would work.

But while we're on the garden, I absolutely agree with a pp in saying that you can make this room feel more comfortable and pleasant to be in by making the view more lush and green. Buy some inexpensive climbing plants, and paint your fences on both sides before planting them -- you could also train the climbers to grow over the side of the shed facing the room. If you choose a mix of things (depending on aspect and hours of sunlight), say winter-flowering jasmine, lonicera henryi, a clematis etc, you should always have something green and beautiful to look out at, without encroaching on the children's play space.

www.archeworks.org/inspiration/top-black-and-gold-living-room-ideas/

I had a quick google for black and gold and there are some ideas here which may help you.
I would go for gold paint on the Walls and two big pictures on the walls behind sofa and maybe a mirror on the other wall.

Paint behind your tv as well to tie it in.

Do you have a home sense or TK Maxx near you for gold accessories in the two taller spaces in your wall unit

amzn.eu/d/hQPFTEX

What about a map of the world or do you like flowers, abstract?

You can also get family black and white canvases done cheaply can look effective. Google mixtiles to see the effect of mixing different shapes.

I like the idea of painting the walls gold, enhancing the view of the garden with climbers and a painted fence, and softening the sofa with throws. I'd go for a range of textures mainly in cream but perhaps with one in a brighter colour that toned with the gold.Personally I wouldn't bother with cushions if you're worried about the mess. Throws are easy to fold, and have the added bonus of being cosy to cuddle up under. Edited to say that by brighter I don't mean bright bright, but just brighter than cream. I'm envisaging a blush pink or a pale sage green. Something that goes with the gold and the cream, but adds a bit of warmth and personality to the room.

Ah thank you so much. Things are good thank you. Yes still working on the house . But its more msking it a home now. Its taking a long time 🤣

Hope your well to .

If the unit is quite modular take down the top row of cupboards. Get some cushions and throws for the sofa and a rug.

If you are in a changeable frame of mind don’t do anything at the moment. I would ask if you are ok because changing stuff around often can be a symptom of something else.

And this is the sort of thing I mean about textured throws. www.debenhams.com/product/ohs-cable-knit-blanket-sherpa-fleece-sofa-plush-supersoft-warm-throw-over-bed-chair_p-fb826054-def6-4a88-95c4-ce40f0558165?colour=Cream&size=One+Size&istCompanyId=76f7277d-6e78-4dc2-aaff-1eb77fae16b0&istFeedId=258a4886-8f3c-47ef-9369-d1eda8d84501&istItemId=mapwappii&istBid=t&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAtsa9BhAKEiwAUZAszfjR35rbSDl126QDjOeqffT7HL6nDMC2hfVgtlka33NXrFV_BNI_VxoCaHIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

www.coxandcox.co.uk/ettiene-throw/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAtsa9BhAKEiwAUZAszVMskCsfQ_la7UZ_X7KmQ-XTT7kNblXpQTnGYy2dVoh4Lj1gNptJthoCMYoQAvD_BwE

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It needs life, art, plants, soft blankets and a rug. Basically it needs softening

The furniture you have might be difficult to style but it is also extremely practical for family life and at the end of the day, that's the purpose of your home.

I'd probably start by painting the walls white and picking out some monochrome posters/artwork that you like. You might find something with a bit of colour in it you like and can go with that or may want to stick to the theme.

You probably need to be a bit brave and put more of them together than you might normally. I tend to put up one little lost print and then wonder why it lacks (so feel free to ignore me 🤣).

Having looked at lots of images with black leather sofas the most successful seem to be those that have lots of fun images but embrace the slightly stark look. The softening could come with a round mirror or wooden coffee or side table to add texture.

It's not the kind of sofa that suits throws unless you like constantly picking them up.

I'm not sure you'll get show home but you can improve it a lot. And I don't think most of us really live in Uber stylish homes, especially with kids. It's hard to decorate round Lego.

Oh definitely not doing anything with the floor yet . That will be thr very last if i decide to even do it. I might just end up with a rug.

And yes definitely the walls first. I found a dulux app that allows you to experiment with colour on the wall in my living room . But I can't get it to work.

No coffee table. I have baby gs here alot and he's at the age of falling hitting his head etc . Plus it gives me space to dump crap.

There no other was into the garden. We have kids and dogs

Between the sofa and the unit /tv is 13ft.5

Garden wise . I'm not painting the fence . I risk the colour going on to next door . I don't want to risk that . I don't mind adding plants etc. But that's for later.

It would be madness to sell a new sofa which she is still paying for, and buy a cheap secondhand one. Why would she do that? She needs a big sofa, and this is a big sofa. It needs to be practical too.

So keep it the way it is OP, and change other things if you really want to.

What is monochrome? I tried to Google but it shows black and white pictures as in grey?

I like bright colours. I done my kids bedrooms bright and loads of people told me it would give them a head ache 🤣

Hello @Youagain2025 😃
I think Dulux Mellow Mocha would suit the two walls behind the black sofa, and I would leave the windows/door wall and TV/Unit wall as it is.
Mellow Mocha has a slight dusky pinkness to it which will help soften, and add warmth to the black leather.

I would also add some high narrow shelves up on the current wallpapered wall (once painted), approx 2ft from the ceiling.
A few trailing plants and a couple framed photos/images up there will help balance out the TV unit on the opposite wall.

I don’t think you should go darker when you come to changing your flooring. It wouldn’t suit the space.
I know you said No to soft furnishings, but I think you should try a few largish cushions, maybe one in each “corner” of your sofa, just to break up all that black leather. Three cushions isn’t too messy and tedious to pick up and tidy, and your kids will enjoy lounging on them.

Whatever you decide to do, I’ll look forward to seeing the update 🙂

I don’t think you should change the flooring. It is fine. And it goes well with the doors to the garden space, any darker and it wouldn’t flow as well with the doors open.

What I would change is the wallpaper behind the sofa, to have it all the same colour.

Maybe one of those big outdoor rugs would be a compromise, as they are so easy to clean/vacuum? We had one from Ikea when we had a dog, and it was honestly the best rug we’ve had! I think it was the Morum one..

Edit; it was Morum. We had a greay one but there are other colours which would all match your walls. It was honestly such an easy rug to keep clean. And is warm to walk on.

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/morum-rug-flatwoven-in-outdoor-light-blue-20487571/

That looks very similar to the colour I have now .

I probably couldn't do trailing plants at the moment. The cat would attack it 😅. But i could later.

I get why people keep mentioning throws crushions . But they will be on the floor within minutes. Probably covered in hair from my German shepherd. It won't look how lt should because it won't stay

I can't remember if I had one or imagined it 🤔 are they not sort of plasticy? If I fo get a rug I want it to feel like carpet

It isn’t plasticy at all. I would absolutely hate that with all my heart. It is soft and warm to walk on. We had a dog and a cat, and it worked well.

Actually I agree with the throw on a leather sofa( and cushions actually)
I had a leather sofa which I've got rid of due to refurb.
Throws were a practical because I have a dog, but they didn't stay on. The same with cushions
Don't rush to finish it all it will evolve as you add things you like
Rugs with gs would be a trip hazard too
I don't have anything on floor as I'm disabled