What can I do with grey sofa and carpet to make the room look warmer/cosier?

[hidinginthegarden]

Please help me wise ones!
Our living room has a grey carpet, grey sofa and grey walls with black wallpaper in the alcoves. We have a black wood burner stove.

While I liked all the items individually, when put together it just feels cold and bare. Last winter I tried orange cushions and lampshades but I don't love that.

It doesn't help that the top. Faces north (and actually is cold) but what can I do to make it feel cosier and warmer. I know lighting is an issue but I have tried high voltage bulbs, warm bulbs and nothing seems to help.

I'm ready to repaint the walls (but still like the feature alcoves) and get new lighting - but what colour, what lighting and what else can I do?
Your help would be very appreciated!

I like the cushion you can see on your sofa, pick out some colours from that for rugs, artwork etc.

If not then the plaster pink colour that a pp suggested is beautiful and I think the colour combo of those cushions in that image they posted would work well, then use those same colours for a rug. And yes lots of plants will look great.

Also, ditch the coffee table. It's very early 2000's.

I think if you change the wallpaper, add some plants and textured cream cushions and accent colour cushions/ rug it would make a huge difference.

Thank you some really helpful ideas so far. I do think we need sone artwork - that was always the plan but have never seen things we really like.
What about lighting?

I actually love that just as it is OP!

I also agree with earlier suggestion about artwork above the fireplace. That would bring in some cockpit and add some coloured cushions. Plants would also help. I’d try that before changing colours of everything else.

Possibly a purple based colour like marble v by paint and paper library. Will tone with grey but will really warm up the room and give it some life. A colourful flat weave rug and art and textiles to add colour. Will see if I can find some examples.

Teal is lovely with grey. I think you should get more colourful curtains, with a hint of grey to tone in. Then fill the spaces up with maybe a teal velvet footstool instead of the coffee table, cushions, nice tactile throws, pictures on your wall, lamps with teal shades. I love sculptures and I have them dotted around my house on mostly mirrored tables. Mirrors are great too - I have them everywhere!

Big rug on the middle of the floor, colours to match curtains.

I have teal and brown in my living room, though I recently bought a lighter coloured leather sofa, more a taupe. Light walls and flooring.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxKVbiHIizc/

And a huge mirror over that fireplace!

I have this one:

https://www.ezlivinginteriors.co.uk/adele-mirror?gclid=CjwKCAjwnOipBhBQEiwACyGLuvc-sVYSRfYwuX7QuVOtOZjy7-5M-qvX04XCXFpvojqhKiczQImfIxoCwN8QAvD_BwE

I also lust over this one -

https://www.my-furniture.com/cog-wall-mirror.html

Oooh love that!

As a inexpensive quick fix for a dull room I bought them , the throw is huge and warm ( and washs really well )
The lamp can be used as a room fragrancer but I don't. It changes colour by fading in and out of each shade. It's about 10 inches tall

You need a warm paint comiur. I’d go for a pale yellow.

Grey and black are always going to feel cold and I don't think "pops" of colour help tbh. They're overdone and largely, emphasise the misery of the grey. Red in particular doesn't work as you often end up looking like you're in an 80s office.

You need to add texture, interest and colour. I'd remove as much grey as possible by repainting, adding a v large rug and then some throws and cushions with colour and texture and shape/interest. Then get some artwork for the walls, plus a decent and sizeable mirror.

Your chimney breast would benefit from art or a large mirror but I'd also consider a mantel. We made one out of a reclaimed railway sleeper and it has candles on it, photos, a clock. It isn't just about warmth but about life as well. Homes contain people and their accoutrements. The thing I like most about people's houses are the evidence of them in their photos, books, art etc. I can't see anything which even hints at the personalities or interests of the people you call family.

I would go with a touch of light pink

I agree with @ShowOfHands that red isn't the colour to add. It conjures up the 1980s for me (we bought a house in 1992 that had very 80s decor including awful black/grey/red wallpaper) Plus as a student in the late 1980s I had a black and red basement kitchen that was so damp and spider-ridden I avoided using it - that colour scheme always reminds me of this!

Despite loving colour/maximalist decor, I actually quite like your wallpaper @hidinginthegarden but I'd have continued it onto the chimney breast. Failing that I'd add a large mirror or colourful artwork above the fire and I'd also want to add a mantel shelf of some kind if at all possible. That will give you somewhere to display your treasures.

You definitely need texture and pattern as opposed to blocks of plain colour imho. A large patterned rug, cushions in a mix of different scaled patterns/designs - so geometric with floral etc with a few plain in different fabrics for good measure - and textured/patterned curtains. I'd put a pale/dusky pink or a faded terracotta with those colours - nothing too bright/primary coloured or you risk heading into 1980s territory. Lots of plants/fresh flowers, books and artwork plus items you love - if the items mean something to you they'll work well together even if on paper they shouldn't.

I like what you’ve got so far. I can’t see much of the cushion, but they look like they have some nice warm colours in there that complement the rest of the room.

First off Id get a picture or mirror above the fireplace. More cushions (a mix and match of existing colours, and a rug with similar colours or a plain one picking out one of the colours in the cushions.

Any metal work, mirror frames, lamp stands may look better in gold/brass colour rather than silver.

Id add in some blankets in cream, but very textured over the arm/back of sofa or chair. At least three tables lamps, and last some plants.

Then Id stand back and see if the coffee table works or needs replacing or painting.

But I really like your alcoves. Oh and add some books. My dd is all about old books with the covers taken off.

Personally I would ditch the wallpaper (sorry) I don’t think the black is helping at all. I agree though that if you want to keep the wallpaper, you should put it on the chimney breast as well. At the moment the two alcoves are creating vertical shapes whereas you need horizontals to feel cosy and relaxed.

If you wanted to ditch the wallpaper I’d look at aubergine, ochre, forest green or dusky pink on the walls. Basically something warm that isn’t beige as that won’t go with the grey. Agree with a pp to avoid “pops of colour”, it just looks 80s office as she said.

I would put a standard lamp in the corner next to the sofa, instead of thr table lamp (table lamp can go elsewhere). Whatever lamp you have there needs to have a mostly downwards pointing lampshade to give a downward pool of light- the current lamp is uplighting the ceiling instead, which doesn’t give a cosy feel.

You could try just swapping the table lamp bulb, you need a 2700k bulb for a warm feel (not 3000k). Suspect it may not be enough of a change though.

Coffee table is fine IMO and the only warm thing in the room! I’d put in other wooden bits and bobs to go with it though as it looks a bit on its own. Throws on sofa will help with a warm look too.

I think adding "pops of colour" whether they be orange, ochre, yellow, red, teal just draw attention to the coolness and looks a little old fashioned now.

If you aren't going to repaint, add warmth with more neutral colours (pale pink is a good idea) and textures, like knitted cushions, throws. Art and plants (even minimalist greenery) would be a massive improvement.

Round mirror over the fireplace, to soften the shapes - you have a lot of straight lines going on there.
Rug under the coffee table. I’d go for something with a lot of texture to it, like cream fur, but a pattern would work too.

Also, ditch the coffee table. It's very early 2000's

What do people have instead of coffee tables 😬.

I'm not sure it's coffee tables in general, more the style/finish of that particular one

I am team coffee table. I always think living rooms look empty in the middle without one! And it’s needed for your cup of tea!

I agree that pops of colour can look a bit contrived and please don’t do red. When we were viewing houses the all grey with ‘pops’ of red homes looked really depressing somehow (sorry for anyone who has this!).

I don’t think it looks bad tbh but I think warm lighting, lots of throws. I don’t think silver/chrome fittings etc help as they add to the cold clinical feel so I’d choose wood or warmer tones. The wallpaper is very dark- if you repainted it all in a neutral tone (you’d need to do some research what works with grey as a browny cream/taupe wouldn’t look right. Do like the light pink though!)

Personally I wouldn't change the room until you've played around with accessories first. It's lovely and just needs a bit more texture in my opinion. Personally I would stick with the grey, white, black theme and get some cushions in those colour (base white will lighten it up). Maybe some furry cushions if you're into those and a couple of light coloured throws. You can get lovely chunky knit throws that will make it look cosy. Add a nice candle stick (ceramic ones are warm-looking) and a mirror above the fireplace and it will seem way more homely. Personally I'd add a small vase of flowers as well and perhaps a knitted basket or similar to store surplus blankets / books / remotes etc in.

I quite like a coffee table but in a generic cold room with no interest, a rectangular solid wood coffee table can just accentuate the sterile feel. It can be well utilised to soften that by putting some evidence of life on it. Ours currently has a couple of autumn candles, a vase of peonies from the allotment, coasters and a handful of books we are reading. I also add a runner to it sometimes.

I've done some idle googling and found a photo of a "softened" room with a grey base. I still don't like the grey but the plants, textures in the soft furnishings, range of complimentary colours, rounded shapes of the vases and cushions, asymmetric artwork and natural light all help massively.