How to improve my living room (with pic)

[Interiordesign]

What would you do to make this living room a bit more cosy/colourful and less ‘wood’? I feel like it needs a mirror but more wood or just glass would look a bit severe.

Please note I have small kids so big ornaments etc not practical! Would need to be things they can’t reach/destroy. Please ignore the mess, it’s been an indoor play kind of day. Bonus points for anyone who links to specific items as I have zero power of imagination when people describe things.

Thanks in advance!

Different cushion covers and a lighter coloured throws over the sofas ?

A wall of mirrors, different styles, shapes. Hanging plants like devils ivy, cheese plant,

Maybe this

Pictures, plants, rug, cushions

I love the abbreviation CRAP: curtains, rug, art, plants. Having all those and using them to introduce texture, colour and height variation will really help your space.

Get the nest of tables on FB Marketplace

The cushions need breaking up with a few larger ones to take the edge off such a large sofa. Donate the cream ones.

Turn the big light off. Ideally change the shade of you can

Get a nice size coffee table with a rug underneath.

Art. Plenty of wall space for either a large canvas or several small framed pieces.

O, lights too. Add standard or table lamps so you can have a cosy vibe rather than just the big light.

A cosy rug. IKEA have a flat speaker as wall art or I think Argos has one too. Art. Or a ‘stick’ heart as wall art. Large canvas photo or art. Cosy lamp.

A furry throw over your settee.

Plants, photos, pictures and a rug. The room is very impersonal.

Hi OP 👋

Would you maybe add some of the following:
Art work on the walls 🖼
Mirror 🪞
Pictures of the kids in frames 🥰
Throws for the sofa 🛋
Big rug for the floor 😌
Or even get a canvas and get your kids handprints /footprints on them with a nice phrase (like on pinterest) 🤔 see image attached

Colours that would suit this are:
Ochre, sage green, olive green, burnt orange or pale pink 😇
Hope this helps 💕
@Interiordesign

Books! Colourful cushions in different fabrics/textures/maybe embroidered. The brown on brown you have going on at the moment is not very uplifting.

Looks quite nice but I’d add a rug with some earthy tones in, some photos/artwork on the wall and a couple of large plants

This is what I got from ChatGPT

I got this from chatGPT it gave a different sofa but it might be worth a try yourself. It asks a few questions about colour scheme, do you have kids etc.

Nailed it!
It’s so featureless.
Big pictures, not silly little ones unless you group them.
Definitely a short pile rug heavy enough not to swivel around when the kids play on
it.

Plants and rugs

I'd put a large mirror one the wall across from the window (reflects light) something like this one would be nice and it adds a fold colour which goes with your woods/ browns? The other wall above the sofa I'd get family photos printed and put them into nice frames (the range is really reasonably priced and have a lot of choice!) I'd add a coloured rug (short pile and not a light colour because of kids!) maybe even add a couple of cushions on the sofa to match the rug?

Artwork or feature wallpaper/wall mural. A rug. Change the ceiling shade colour to match the lamp. And/or a coffee table.

Don’t know if your living room would allow a layout shuffle, but I would have the sofa against the window, swap the blinds for linen curtains, paint the TV bench and flip the TV to the right hand side.

And go with softer rounded shapes to offset the space - arched mirrors, round coffee tables, etc. Have different textures going on.

Also a practical patterned washable rug. And a big fake plant from IKEA / H&M etc. since your kiddo likes soil too much haha.

If you can paint the walls (not sure if you’re renting), then go for it! You could add panelling too and make it really cosy. Sage would be really nice.

You need a rug and a better lampshade on your pendant. Pictures would look nice too, but I don’t have any on my walls because my children jump all over the sofa, so it’s a few years off. Maybe for you too!

We have a washable rug from Benuta (similar to this - https://www.benuta.co.uk/washable-rug-nina-cream-60007797-62101.html) and it’s really easy to spot clean.

For the lampshade, maybe: https://www.made.com/style/su016590/n33630

I would also get rid of the standing lamp and add a table lamp, if you can trust the kids not to knock it over.

https://www.zarahome.com/gb/en/large-ceramic-table-lamp-c0p475406215.html?utm_campaign=productShare&utm_medium=mobile_sharing_iOS&utm_source=mobile_sharing

Pictures mirror rug.

You need curtains. It won't look finished without. Light voile, half across the window, half across the wall to extend it a little visually and not block light.

Big art on walls, big washable rug (dunelm or ruggable) big green plant (b-&q)

The big dramatic ceiling light is great here!! You do need to go larger than you think with elements like the rug, light shades and art.