pimp my sitting room!

[PimpMySittingRoom]

Hello everyone

My sitting room is in desperate need of a revamp. The sofa suite is over 20 years old so will be getting something new. Also will be getting new dining table and chairs. Possibly throwing out the unit the TV stands on.

Problem is its an L shaped room which means where I arrange the furniture is limited.

Where the dining table is at the moment is really a tight squeeze, which means we hardly use it as it's just a pain in the arse.

The large sofa will probably have to stay where it is, I can't imagine where else it could go?

Would it be an idea to get rid of the TV cabinet and put the TV on the wall, where the mirror is at the moment? Then possibly get a round dining table and put it where the TV cabinet is now?

That would free up the space where the table is now, I was thinking it could be made into a play area for my 3 year old, somewhere to store his toys etc?

Does anyone have any ideas? Would really like to bandy around some ideas as I'm totally sick of the layout as it is now.

Also don't know what type of sofa to get. Definitely want a sofa bed, and would like leather. But I have cats so not sure that's a good idea. Also is a round table best? And is it a good or bad idea to have the TV on the wall?

Sorry for the length of this post and hope the pictures make sense of the room shape.

Bump!

In case the photos are too confusing. The room is an L shape.. With the white dining table in the smaller part of the L shape.

I must need sleep because I read that as 'pimp sitting in my room'.

That wall with the windows and door is amazing!

How many people live in your house /regularly use the dining table?

I'd get a smaller tv stand and keep it where it is, I'd put lots of art work on the wall where the mirror is to introduce some colour. I'd get a round table and have it further out of that corner.

Betty. I'd definitely be posting in the wrong topic!

Thanks ASAS.

Alison, I live here with my mum and my little 3 year old. But I regularly have my friends for dinner, and my sisters family are over quite a lot, there are 5 of them.

Can I ask what the "sticking out" bit is under the mirror that the lamp is on?

Thanks Scottish. I do think that large cabinet needs to go. However a lot of my ds toys are stored in there. If we got rid of it, and didn't have that L shaped corner accessible for my boy, I'm on sure where all the toys would go?

Would a corner sofa work? Maybe with a separate small armchair too.

Could you swap the ends of the room around ?
eg. have a corner sofa where the dining table and chairs are, TV roughly where it is now, an armchair in the middle to sort of divide the room and then have a dining table and toy storage at the other end of the room where the big armchair is? (it's difficult to see if this is do-able from the photos as I can't really tell the dimensions or where doors into the room are)

That could be an idea, NorBert although I don't think my mum is keen on corner sofas. The door is next to the large armchair, I'm taking the photo from the door in the third photo

I'm also thinking about whether the TV could be put on the wall opposite where the mirror is (currently where the big sofa is) and have the new large sofa under the mirror area?

If you only use the table mostly for three of you, get a smaller extendable table, and put it in current TV corner by window. This will free up space for your play area where table is now.
Get one of those IKEA cube shelves for toy area, as tall as possible (screw to wall for safety)
When you have more people eating, tidy toys away as much as possible and extend table towards play area.

I wouldn't put sofa against wall under mirror. The shelfy thing could be used for TV if sofa stays put. Otherwise sofa will sit out further into room.
A bit of colour on the blinds would be nice. Make a feature of those windows

Alison I think you're spot on. Have just discussed it with my mum and that's what we're going for. We already have a large ikea kalax storage unit in another room that we can put in the corner where the table is.

It's just trying to decide where to start! Perhaps getting a new TV and securing it to the wall should be first. Then sell the cabinet (how much would you pay for something like that?). Sell the table and chairs, buy a new one. Then sofas. I think.

Does anyone know how I would work out if that wall is a cavity wall? Have done a Google search and the ways in which to tell, don't apply to this wall. This is because the wall was made about 20 years ago (not when the house was built originally) and I don't think the type of brickwork on the outside of the building will matter. This wall is where an electric fire used to be I think, and this is why it sticks out like a mantel piece. If it's a cavity wall we won't be able to put the TV up, and our plans will be scuppered!

...do you mean a stud wall? Usually tapping it and if it sounds hollow means it tends to be a stud wall. Keep tapping along and you find it less hollow where the framework is

Tv - if wall mounted is not an option, would a slim one stand on the mantle shelf thingy instead? (And look to secure it for safety - less stress on the wall than having the full weight suspended)

Have you thought about a couple of two seaters? Some are more like a three seater but not that physically big - you could then possibly put one against the back wall and another facing it (tv watching may be awkward though!)

Ah yes if the wall can't take the weight of the TV, it can sit on the 'mantlepiece'. Good call. The other thing is the sky box, which is too big to rest on the mantlepiece. What to do with that? It's so ugly.

Agree with you Hannahouse it is a bit anaemic looking. My mum likes it with those colours though, and won't really be told otherwise! My only hope of injecting a bit of colour is through the new sofa. The walls and blinds will stay the same as we can't afford to paint / buy new blinds or curtains.

What colour sofa would you suggest? And what fabric? Bearing in mind the 3 year old.

I'm not sure we'd be up for putting a sofa under the windows at the back, as that's where the radiator is and we needing exposed during the winter months. Basement flats get cold quickly!

Also, I did a tidy up before I took the photos. Usually there is no question that a 3 year old lives here!! This is why I would like to have a special section for him, so that he has a larger space to play.

Seating and play area should make the most of lovely windows and French doors. Put table where radiator and uneven wall are as can't put storage or sofas up against the wall there. Corner sofa would be good as zones the room but you don't like them so use sofa as a partition and some moveable chairs. Use rugs to zone the areas.

Quick- wow you got the shape of the room spot on. Thanks for taking the time to do that.

That's an idea I'll have to run by my mum. It's a good idea (I especially like the idea that the dining area is separate from the TV area is separate from the play area) but if I know my mum it will be a little too unconventional for her. If I know my mum, she'll not like walking into the sitting room and facing the back of a sofa.

But you never know. She might just go for it! Will let you know her thoughts.

Would not replace dining tables and chairs as that'll be expensive and they look nice and chair coverings look colourful. Would get a small brightly coloured sofa to add colour to an otherwise white room. You say can't afford paint and new blinds. You have a winged chair which looks grey so you need to add some bright colours to the room along the lines of this (but not as expensive).

Hide the back of the sofa (depending how long the room is and if there is space) with something like this

We have spent years furnishing our house and still haven't finished. Buy bits as you go, so replace sofa first then save for rugs, other bits. It doesn't all have to be done at once.

Thanks Quick. Will discuss all with my mum. She can take some convincing at times but I'll share all the ideas and see what she says!