What would do to this room?

[Kikibanana86]

This is our living room, it's very bare as I've declutterd in preparation for decorating. It has good storage and I keep all the kids toys in those big cupboards.

Downside is that there is a window on one wall, fireplace on another, boiler room door on another and the main door on the other.

I am up for painting and upcycling furniture, I would quite like to get s rug and a coffee table.

Im not keen on modern, matchy next catalogue style,I prefer a more eclectic look, but not sure how to go about it!

I'm a bit scared of colour, I just did our dining room in dulux timeless and I really like it. It might be a bit boring but thinking I could make it more interesting with cushions,rug, new curtains, lighting?

What would you do if this was your room?

I don't normally like TVs on walls but I'd be tempted to put the TV above the fire to get rid of the TV unit (it looks like it blocks the cupboard behind it).

I'd get some roman blinds made to replace the curtains in a lovely patterned fabric and have cushions made to match. I'd pick out a colour in the fabric to paint the walls and then I'd do all the woodwork, including the cupboards in white.

I'd get a big framed print to go on the wall behind the sofa.

I would paint the cupboards either side of the brick fire place and pop some new knobs on.
Maybe paint the brick fire place. Probably dark grey for the cupboards if it were me or wallpaper the chimney breast.
I love greys and blues atm

The photos are dark so it's quite difficult as I cannot tell what colour anything is, but a nice mirror above the fireplace and a couple of pictures would liven the room up no end.

Is there any way to block the boiler room door and access it elsewhere? As it feels a bit broken up otherwise. I agree that TV could go with being on wall. When you said you liked an eclectic look, I immediately thought the lounge would look good as a bohemian hostel kind of look. Bright rainbow colours around the fireplace would look fab (I know you are scared of colour) and lots of vintage pieces. I know - not very grown up. If you are going for something more adult, I would stick to a pale colour on the walls - am thinking a very pale blue and anchored with dark coloured furniture. I too am doing blues, greys and greens at the moment.

Oh and definitely change that lampshade. My grandmother had ones like it from a house done up in the 70s. I would only keep from a nostalgia POV.

Me again - is there any budget to update that fireplace? If not, would definitely paint the brick.

You need colourful rug and cushions.

What style or colours do you like

I'd be tempted to take the upper doors and hinges off the lovely cupboards that are on either side of the fireplace. Replace whatever is in the upper cupboards with bookshelves/display shelves. The items and books you put there can be coloured to co-ordinate with each other and well arranged, and you don't have to commit to a lot of other colour or pattern in the room.

I would repaint all the same -- a warm but light honey yellow would be nice (look up Behr 'pale honey' online). Or Behr Honey Mist. Or F&B tallow. I would paint the fireplace brickwork the same colour as the woodwork but maybe distress it a bit. I would suggest a very deep bottle green/navy or a dark grey for the woodwork (such as Railings, No 31 by F&B).

I would take down the heart shaped collage and put up some large prints; a unified pair would be nice again supplying colour without making you commit to an overwhelming scheme. I like the idea of roman shades instead of curtains. They could be in cream or white like the woodwork looks clean.

I'd put the longer sofa against the window and keep the shorter one where it is, but put a large print on the wall behind it. In the corner between the two sofas I wold put a large rubber plant or something similar -- as long as it's large.

I would put the chest on the other wall, opposite the window, between the door and the fireplace wall.

I would put the tv on the wall above the fireplace. Again, not too high, with the bottom at most six inches from the fireplace.

*Don't put wall art too high. The bottom of a frame should be about shoulder height on you if you're average height.

The house is rented but we've been given permission to do decorate as long as it's not anything permenant. So even though I think getting rid if the cupboards and having shelves is a great idea I don't think we would be allowed!

I hate TVs on walls but I agree it might be the only way. I'm sort of tempted to get rid of the TV! I just hate them I think they make any room look ugly, or is it just me?

Ive been having a look on Pinterest and apartment therapy, I quite like soft white walls with navy, grey and copper accessories. I'll try and find a pic.

If you're looking for inspiration & ideas, have a look at the Hilden Style Guide 2016 - www.hilden.co.uk/blog/the-hilden-style-guide-2016/

Got some pretty good ideas & trends to modernise your room

I also quite like the shabby chic look, not bunting and keep calm and carry in, but light colours, flowers,bit of chalk paint. I think that might suit the room better than anything too modern. I might just paint it in timeless like I did the dining room, and paint the woodwork too, and then just go from there.

You could take off the upper doors and hinges and store them somewhere. Put in shelves if the upper cupboards don't already have them. The doors cold easily be replaced when your lease is up.

Oh wow you've got me thinking now! Never thought of doing anything like that but it would look much better. Hmmm.

Will you keep open shelves looking tidy? Quite often they get messy, I have cupboards.

Yeah im pretty good when it comes to keeping things free of clutter. The only thing that concerns me is the cupboards are quite deep,I'm not sure if it will look wierd or not. I know a couple of people who are quite handy at this kind of thing might ask their opinion.

Hmm how about sofas facing each other, one under the window one on opposite side, TV on wall where the 2 seater is now?

I can't try it out as I'm on holiday but idrew a little plan and it might work. But might need to get new TV unit that's not as deep or put it on the wall.

Yes, to settees opposite each other.

That sounds good. You could put a chest for children's toys or some low bookshelves under the tv to make that wall look less stark and then you would have somewhere within easy reach of the children to put children's toys if you took them out of the upper cupboards.

Are you going to keep the curtains or replace them? A really good tip I was given is to choose curtains first. And perhaps rug or cushions too. A designer has chosen colours that work together for those and done the hard work for you. Then pick out different colours from those to use around the room and on the walls.

Definitely get new curtains, rug,cushions etc.the curtains and lampshade were here when I moved in and just thought it was better to have them than none!

Can't wait to get home and start it now!