Help style my living room (with pic)

[myladygarden]

New build house and living room is bright but decor wise feels a bit sterile & bland. any suggestions how to create a cosy, luxurious room & stylish room? Open to a bit of colour as long as it’s not mustard but quite like neutral with lots of textiles and layers.

We’ve got a very large neutral Persian rug going in shortly then wanting a coffee table (thinking something like this but in a different colour although would love this if it were 1/10th of the price!).

I’d like to replace the old silver arch lamp too but no idea what would work in that corner. Need some artwork and general accessories and styling I think.
Anyone?

It looks lovely, I don't think you'll need much to bring a bit of colour. I would personally want those art works to be bigger, with more colour to them.

In terms of the lamp, would you consider a big traditional standard lamp? With a nice colourful fabric shade?

Can you fit some bookshelves in somewhere? Rooms are always better with books - ideally within reach of comfy chair and somewhere to put your tea.

The art on the walls is too small and hung in the wrong place. I’d sort that first.

Not sure why the photo is so pale looking but sofa is this colour

Curtains would make it more cosy.

I'm guessing you don't have children :)

For me, the room needs some colour, or some big plants, or both, but if you like neutrals, then it's lovely.
I agree with PPs though - those pictures on the wall are much to small. Get some as big as you can afford, to fill the spaces where they are hanging.

Yes agree artwork looks weird it was just been randomly put up when we moved in and now needs rehoming. So definitely bigger and maybe a couple grouped together (I would probably go for a set as I'm rubbish at artwork display!)

The wall out of sight is a shelving/tv cabinet so plenty of bookshelves already and would rather keep the rest of the room a bit less cluttered. Lamp I'm not really sure but just don't like that one anymore!

Postera have a really broad range of art posters, reasonable prices and very eclectic. You have the wall space to have one really striking piece of art which would make an impact.

I would add in some colour with curtains and cushions. You could virtually pick any colour you like to go in that environment.

I do have children but now teenagers so finally got rid of all the toys hence wanting something a bit more grown up and styled!

I do like an indoor plant - maybe a giant one in the corner where the lamp is? Would still need some light there but make the plant the feature? DH will go mad he already moans our kitchen is like a greenhouse 😂

I have this Anthony Lyttle print in the kitchen (still from the fairly dire TV series Conversations With Friends, but for some reason the site I bought his work from isn’t loading). I thought anyway it might be useful to show the scale of a big piece of wall art with two human figures — you’ll have to click into the link.

https://filmandfurniture.com/product/loop-art-by-anthony-lyttle/

I do think that may be the case but for now loving the simplicity of shutters so will park the idea of curtains for now. Will re-visit once everything is in if it still looks/feels cold as we have long curtains in the main bedroom with shutters and they look really smart.

I'd want to "warm" it up with some orangey terracotta shades, maybe textured cushions throws and accessories. Not necessarily busy patterns or traditional styles though. The oak doors are nice.

Go big in the art to really fill those walls. Take time to find what you like. Lots of galleries have reasonably priced prints. Curtains and rug will bring the coziness. A floor lamp with bit more personality will bring the place together.
Perhaps a different coffee table will complement the empty space or an ottoman. Bring in different textures and visuals, perhaps a nice stripped cushion would complement well your couch.
I don’t see the need to chance the colour of the walls.

Bigger bolder/colourful artwork for the walls, or picture shelves to let you add a trailing plant or other decorative ornament as well as a picture.
change or add pattered/brighter cushions to the sofa.
a large rug under the sofas to fill the space

I've just painted my similar new build living room in F&B Setting Plaster and I can't recommend it enough - it's warm but peaceful and not overwhelming, looks really sophisticated and grown up. That, with some big artwork and stick to natural woods and textures for things like coffee tables and rugs, throws etc.

AI gave me this:

It’s a lovely room. I’d add a skinny console table behind the sofa and push it back. Put a couple of lamps on it and maybe some plants or a stylish ornament or 2.

The pictures on the wall are just too small. Go bigger, bolder and lower down.

A rug will look great.

A big green plant or 2 in corners will work wonders. Lose the dreadful lamp.

I have fine white, floor length curtains at our windows that have blinds. They are for effect only - they can’t be drawn. It really finishes off the windows.

I am not mad about coffee tables. I’d add a large upholstered footstool and have big tray on it with books and candles.

@Vanillalime so you mind me asking which AI app you used for this? I’d like to do similar but no idea which app to use, thanks.

I can only wish to have such a minimal home and I love your shutters!
I think the rug will be a lovely addition and perhaps some new larger pictures.

thats super cool @Vanillalime id never have thought of AI for room design. It’s not 100% there but definite improvement. Have ordered a big plant now just trying to find some nice soft furnishings cushions etc. where best to look? I know places like dunelm and wayfair but I see 3,000 cushions and don’t know where to start.

I’m tempted by the console behind the sofa suggestion @SweetFancyMoses but worried that end might start to look too cramped as my desk is in the corner (just seen too left) and I need space there.. once I’ve got my rug down and a few accessories in going to mock up a console table and see how it looks using a few bits I’ve already got (table lamp, vase etc). It would negate the need for a floor lamp which I’d quite like if a plant is going in the corner.

@Nonewstodayagain I just uploaded the OPs pic to ChatGPT. I’ve used it recently for some interior decor inspo for my own home and it’s been really helpful. For example I have a console table with a vase, candle & picture above. But it looked ‘off’ and I couldn’t put my finger on why. ChatGPT explained my vase was too short & chunky and that the balance of the items was off. A few little tweaks and it now looks so much better.

Also used it for my garden. I uploaded some pics and described what I wanted the garden to look like, gave some details like climate, sun exposure etc and it gave me some pics & a list of what plants to select, how many of each, landscaping, step by step guidance on how to plant etc.

For cushions, I’d pick a colour you like and then go for two different textures. Pink would look lovely with that sofa and you could go for two velvet and two ribbed, or two knit and two velvet, you get the idea. I got ours from IKEA but we’ve also had nice ones from Dunelm.

Others mentioned a plant in a floor level plant pot, and bigger pictures. These would all help massively. It’s a lovely room!

If you did want to change the walls, I’d go for a pink shade, either something like Farrow and Ball’s Setting Plaster or Pink Ground/Scallop if you’d prefer something lighter.

Curtains, rug, coffee table

I'd get coloured blinds not the white watches and match them with a bright cushion cover, rug and pot for that plant. Then get some artwork with that colour.

Thank you, I’m giving this a go now!