Is my sitting room "old"? (I'm only 29!) PICTURE

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NC for this.

Advice please... a friend of mine was over the other day and said my sitting room looked "old lady"

I'm only 29! The curtains are crushed velvet which I understand to be very en vouge and grey walls which I thought were fashionable too?!

The furniture is expensive so don't want to get rid of it to fit the room to a tee.

*one not l

Maybe don't stack the cushions on the sofa on the right like they are books on a shelf?

Blimey - if everyone thinks your front room makes you seem older than you are, mine must make me about 130!

I'm 27 and would love that decor. It's warm and comfortable. A classic look.

If you love it who cares our houses reflect us. Most 'modern' looks go out of fashion too quickly too.

I think it's classy

If it were mine I'd maybe add a bit of pattern with some cushions

I agree the lovely windows are the feature in this room. You are lucky

I'm 33 and love everything about it. I didn't think the tiebacks looked bad at all but the windows do look bigger now they're gone. I really like the velvet curtains and grey walls. It's definitely not drab as a pp suggested, I think it's modern and cosy. Your friend was rude!

I must admit that it does look better without the tie backs. But why do you only half open the curtains? It drives me round the bend when OH and MIL does this. I think all rooms need as much natural light as possible.

I don't get why some people don't like curtains and prefer shutters or flimsy curtains that everyone can see through. At night we need the privacy and the warmth that curtains bring. Nothing else offers this - not blinds or shutters.

I think it's gorgeous and you friend is jealous.

I was on my phone earlier, now on Mac and room is much nicer than I thought

What's with the cushions though? Why are they all lined up like they're for sale?

Your room is beautiful however I still think your TV unit does not match the room, I love your curtains just hanging also.

Our TV sits on a white and oak handmade unit, and our living room is mostly white and oak/wallnut flooring.

I think it's lovely, and not old at all. I love the curtain fabric, but I suspect some people would have gone for a different style of curtain. I suggest some heavy coffee table books and very modern art. Possibly involving lots of nudes, just to give your friend something else to talk about

Lynette funny you mention that! We have a huge modern painting (measuring about 1mx1.5m) of two nude figures sketched in black with splashes of pink and blue on the wall you can't see and on the other wall that you can see in the photo is a series of black & white professional photos of us all taken a couple of years ago :)

MrsJamie love that cabinet!

I'm 24 and i think it's lovely!

It probably looks younger than mine... and much more expensive than I could have put together at your age. I would probably go with a smaller coffee table personally

I'm 30 and I think it's gorgeous! It looks like it's straight out of Houzz!

I think it's lovely.

I think it looks grown up rather than old lady. If you wanted to youth it up a bit you could remove the swish bit (technical term and have them just pushed back) and remove the tie and also get a variety of patterned eg geometric cushions in a variety of colours, textures etc.

I think it's beautiful, very classy.

diddl the curtains look old fashioned to me-because I'm old enough to remember them first time around

Hah - I laugh in the face of 90s tie backs and velvet curtains and I raise you Austrian Blinds In Shiny Pink Fabrics.

OP: The curtain fabric does look a bit dated to me but that is because I hate crushed velvet having seen too much of it last time. They do look better hanging straight but I would be tempted to use one long poll and pull them right back in day time to make the most of the windows and greenery. I would bring some of the greenery into the room but ultimately if you like it and enjoy it that is all that matters - you live with it.

I think its lovely, very 'grown up'. I personally dislike the curtains but they do suit the room.

I think it looks very classic and grown up as others have said. I'm not from the UK originally so have a bit of a different perspective. I've noticed that in home decor and fashion, the UK is very trendy. So once something is popular it is in every single store. Of course, if you go all in on a trend, it's only a matter of a time before it looks dated. Granite counter tops, mahoghany furniture and timeless pieces are the norm where I grew up. Butcher block worktops, chalk paint, and all this blonde wood/Scandinavian-inspired furniture is totally foreign to me. It is something you are likely to see in a country farm house in my home country but it seems to be ubiquitous in the UK.

Of course there's nothing wrong with being trendy if you're up for redesigning your sitting room every few years. But if you are investing in quality pieces it's better to choose styles that will stand the test of time, even if they aren't likely to end up on someone's Pinterest board ;)

I'm 29 and think it's lovely. Modern elegance

It is bit 80s, it reminds me of my dad's house. Why are the cushions stacked in a row like that?

Actually I would really like to know about the cushions too -
They're arranged a little bit like those devices to keep pigeons off windowsills - like a barricade to stop people sitting!