Cushions, throws and finishing touches. Help please (Hopefully without twigs and pebbly shit.)

[FishfingersAreOK]

Finally, a year on, have got curtains up in the sitting room. They look lovely. But. And a big but (given I am crap at interior designy stuff) I now need cushions and throws to bring it all together.

Why the actual fuck did I choose tartan curtains. Fuck. Now totally clueless what colour, shape, design, anything will go. All I know is my current cushions are the wrong shade (too pinky cream). So I need to start from scratch.

So, curtain material is this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curtain-Terracotta-Designer-Upholstery-The/dp/B00GHPU4XA
Sofa is a creamy (yellowy) brocade (can't afford to change atm) It matches the creamy yellow stripe in the tartan
Floor is smoked oak.
Brick fireplace is kind of the focal point. Pics on profile.

Oh lovely, stylish mumsnetters...what cushions should I get? Please help. Cream yellow? Red? Sandy coloured?. Striped? Dotty? Flowery Something else?

Thank you!

I would keep it really neutral, and no patterns, just texture - could you get away with grey toned stuff? Thinking chunky knits, that kind of thing.

I really like those curtains!

I really like the tartan too and I agree with the above - do grey cushions that pick out the grey tone in the tartan. Trying to match a tartan with a print can be done but I would say only by someone who has real flair in that sort of stuff. I definitely would not add more yellow when you already have a yellow sofa. Plus grey is a fab neutral that goes with almost everything is you change the sofa at a later date.

Arghh - trying to upload photos to no avail. Will try again later (once have stopped bashing my head against a wall )

Am pleased you like the curtains. I think they are lovely too...but they are now giving me a bit of a "finishing touch headache".

Hadn't thought of grey - probably because the floor/curtain mix has made the room seem quite brown. Have a selection of brown cardigans upstairs - maybe try that tucked round a cushion to see if that works.

I desperately want to go mooching in John Lewis/Next/Dunelm lovely boutique places to get the cushions but feel so overwhelmed at my total lack of flair I dare not go without a plan/idea.

Grey cardigans even

www.photobox.co.uk/album/2452368672
Hopefully this will work. BTW the TV cabinet does not look nearly as orange in real life!

do you need throws? Sofas tatty?

if not, don't bother. More to keep straightening and cleaning.
ditto cushions. A few for comfort if needed, no more.

same as you don't want loads of cushions on the bed, they are just something to throw on the floor at night, trip over, and pick up in the morning.

Is there a hint of greyish sage green in the tartan? That would make a nice colour for cusions (although I agree with special, don't have more than you need, and I'd avoid throws unless you need one for something specific).

How about a rug? A plain terracotta would work well.

Need at least one throw for me (am a wuss and get chilly in the evenings). I have got some leftover curtain material...enough for a couple of cushions..but worried it lightly look a bit matchy-matchy iyswim.

From your pictures, the tv stand is the focal point, not the curtains, fireplace or the sofa...it might be just me, but that's what I see.
I am not very good at interior decorating, but what if:

1. you had a look on Houzz (apple app)-search tartan curtains and see what comes up
2. painted the tv stand and the mirror frame? To something neutral?(says the woman who painted the whole house in Annie Sloan pure white)

I really really love the curtains and the sofa works with them:)

A terra-cotta rug would clash with the floor. A rug is needed in a cool beige neutral, IKEA has them.
I see a blue grey in the curtains, that could be used for cushions. Matching cushions are too matchy.

Your room will look lovely, really like the curtains.

I think a stone colour rug and a couple of cushions in different grey shades.

Or a natural sheepskin rug.

OK grey (cardigan) does not work. Have a very similar to the slate/blue vest top...will try that out. I really appreciate this help. I know when a room needs something, and know when it is right/balanced/finished but just cannot "see" to get there!

Oh and some more feedback please....

I think one thing I would like to do is make the room feel a little more feminine...but not sure if I need to do this as a separate task from the cushion dilemma. But had a quick search on slate/greeny/blue curtains and please could you tell me of these which are OK (if the colour is a good match irl) and which is bad (and if you can for what reason).

Quite like - a bit dull and maybe the stripe is not a good idea? But not to dominant blue - adds texture. www.parna.co.uk/cushion-cover-from-vintage-linen-with-blue-stripes-4avail-1524-p.asp

Really pretty. Maybe a bit twee? Too twee for the room? Am I liking this because it is feminine - but actually would not go.hellopretty.co.za/pommepomme/oatmeal-cushion-with-hand-embroidered-flowers-in-slate-or-turquoise

Think this is too "duck egg" but would something in the right shade of blue/green work? www.hurnandhurn.com/homeware-c1/soft-furnishings-c162/cushions-c163/orla-kiely-linear-stem-cushion-duck-egg-blue-p973

Wrong blue - but pretty - again too pretty? www.burgundy-delights.com/sold-beautiful-slate-blue-vintage-french-embroidered-heart-cushion-pillow-cover-22699-p.asp

These are too bold I think.www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Morrocan-18-inch-Embroidered-Blue-Decorative-Pillows-Set-of-2/5902939/product.html?refccid=34Q7INT2I353MC2C7XELNRQWWM&searchidx=31

I think I am really revealing quite how crap I am at this....

I agree with Dilidali - your TV cabinet would look sooooo much better if it were painted white (either standard gloss, or a slightly shabby chalk paint finish). I think that would really lift the room.

I would also consider (now this is me being a total perfectionist so do treat my suggestion with the contempt it deserves) adjusting the colour of the brickwork on your fireplace. It would look much better if it were redder and you can do it yourself with a product called dyebrick.

I am coming round to the changing the TV cabinet colour. It was relatively cheap/cheerful 10 years ago - so even changing completely is not a total no-no - even if I could not face painting it.....
But a shabby look....hmmmm

I like the last but one cushions.

If you're not sure you could take a bit of the leftover fabric with you to do some fabric shopping and make some cushion cases.

I think Laura Ashley might make cushions to order, or maybe it's just curtains. Can't quite remember.

I read this somewhere: in order for the room to look 'pulled together' you need simmetry. As in two of the same cushion, paintings, lamps, two chairs of same colour, even if the design is different etc. Not as in matchy matchy, but as im complementary.
Also, I searched in houzz images archive for tartan curtains and the room (I liked) they depicted had a cream sofa, two cream armchairs, a glass coffee table and a large plain glass vase with white/pale pink?roses, shaggy carpet under the coffee table.

One mn-er told us about her throws/blankets basket, I love the idea, no space for me :( but I drape my throws, folded lenghtwise, over the armchair/sofa, like a table runner iyswim.

You could paint the tv stand with chalk paint, no sanding/prepping required.

The links you gave for cushions:I like them, but honestly I have no ides how to combine patterns! I would stick to block colour but different texture? I have these, one side is velvet, the other linen, so you can chop and change texture. :)

neeps, and I agree with you about the brickwork :)

This cushion could work or they gave a similar one in green. I think you have loads of choices for an accent as there are so many in the tartan pattern. Personally I would go for either the orange/terra cotta or the greens. I think the room may look a bit bland with grey but then I have bright green, yellow and grey in my sitting room so I clearly like a bit of bold colour. what colour a do you like best on the curtains?

Right lovely MNers. You have really helped. I think the TV cabinet has to go/change. I had a feeling this would happen. It went in our old sitting room as it was next to an antique desk a similar colour - and the accent colours in that room were bright orange and blue.... I have just draped the cabinet in a pale throw and it really does make a difference. The curtains and floor and cabinet are no longer gently protesting. Feels far nicer. Calmer.

So, sod the cushions for now. I need to de-orange the TV. I have looked into painting it and because it is a ?Bali? unit - Indonesian wood I think - it is a nightmare to paint - 3 coats of shellac primer kind of thing. I have a plan for it (in the converted garage which will be the study - and so it can go back to being next to the desk.

So now I need a new TV cabinet. Fuck...another decision.

So, the smoked oak floor, white walls, some dark wood antique occasional tables (old fretwork Indian tourist tables from my Granny - no orange in sight). I also have this desk the other side of the fireplace www.marksandspencer.com/sapporo-tall-desk/p/p21166043

I could get a matching TV unit here:
www.marksandspencer.com/sapporo-media-unit/p/p22231259 but not sure if the bamboo is a bit "busy" for both sides of the fireplace.

Or something more like this : www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00250961/#/40250959

Or should I go oak - but modern? Traditional. Bloody hell. I hate this. [sulks]

I like the M&S one. I don't think it would be too busy as the desk isn't solid IYSWIM. I don't envy you, it took me six months to decide on a tv cabinet/stand.

Going back to the cushions, how about a couple in a soft sagey green to tie in with the tartan, then a couple of plain navy cushions and throws - I reckon the navy would really lift the room.

m.oakfurnitureland.co.uk/tokyo-solid-oak-widescreen-tv-dvd-cabinet.html#
Popped in here. This looked quite nice.

Here are some articles from some blogs I find helpful, which really walk you through the whole thing:

www.centsationalgirl.com/2013/04/five-ways-to-mix-patterns/

www.centsationalgirl.com/2013/04/using-pattern-to-dictate-palette/

thriftydecorchick.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/how-to-mix-and-match-fabric.html

www.thehandmadehome.net/2013/05/the-hunted-interior-pattern-mixing-101/

Do you have any of the curtain material. One thing that can make a room pulled together is using a small amount of the material as pipping or a boarder on a neutral cushion?