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.

Isn't it surprising how different it looks wothout the tie backs?

The grey blanket looks old fashioned to me-but that's probably the lastest thing as well!

What colour are the sofas?

Coffee table looks like an 80s throwback

It's just the curtains. Xx

Yeah, and the coffee table.

Classy. You have great taste and it is a lovely. Your friend has a) no taste b) is jealous that you have such a fab living room.

The only thing that dates it is the tie backs. Get rid of them and let the light shine in. Allowing your curtains to hang straight will enchance the grandeur of your room and really show those fabulous windows off.

Can't see what light fitting your have on the celing but a chandelier would look great - the bigger the better.

It's beautiful and elegant. Without the curtains you'd have so much more light and more of a view. Can't you open the curtains completely, rather than in sections?

Keep the curtains, those windows are big you 'll feel awfully cold without them. I say this as someone who lives in a big cold house.

It's very classy wouldn't say old lady but personally would like some colour maybe cushions or funky lamps/pictures just to lift it a bit.

Having said that I'm only offering an opinion cos you asked. It's so subjective. If I went to your house, I'd think it was lovely.

Your friend was very rude to criticise your taste.

I'd say old lady is more lots of ornaments/clutter not clean lines like yours.

My place in my 20's was party trash, second hand furniture and just generally totally run down as I had no money and I wasn't happy living like that.
Yours is much nicer, there is nothing wrong with it. Perfectly acceptable for somebody who is obviously going somewhere and is proud of their home.
Sounds like you need a new friend.

Loved your room in the first pic, but much better without the tie backs - can't believe the difference it makes! (I've just taken mine off & much prefer without - thanks mumsnet, any more tips? 🤗)

Yes you definitely need the curtains but can you take a picture of them open fully to the sides?

I LOVE your curtains! They have such a nice, warm and cozy feel. Your windows are gorgeous too. If it was my room it would be more retro but then I'm near 50 rather than blocky modern, but that's my taste.

I do think you are depriving up from seeing your gorgeous fireplace, though (from what I can see it looks stunning). Extra bonus points in you have a kitty who will pose in the picture ... tries her luck

It looks a million times better with the curtains hanging straight. The triangular way they were arranged was very 90s looking. I can see how the decor looks quite middle-aged tbh. And I think that's a 'trap' people in their 20s sometimes fall into. I remember at 20 I just wanted my house to look proper and grown-up. So it looked nice and quite elegant but didn't actually reflect any of my personality. I'm in my late 30s now and far less concerned with how my house 'should' look and instead it's all about what I like and what makes me feel good. So I have coloured walls, a vaguely 70s livingroom with lots of green plants, retro superhero cushions and Star Wars/Doctor Who artwork. It's very, very me. And somewhere that makes me much happier than the classic 'grown-up' decor.

The one thing I really would suggest you might actually need to change though is where the tv is. I once destroyed a tv by having it too near a radiator. The side of the tv that was nearest the heat developed a shadow across the screen that ruined the picture quality. So be very careful with that.

I like it. Im early 30s. It looks classic. Dont worry about your friend, it just looks you have good quality stuff. We have some lovely furniture in our living room but to be honest its saved from looking classic by amount of kids toys and books scattered about. Even the beautiful table we bought which I adore is usually covered with paper from the children doing art work. Your living room is what I aim for. Your living room looks simular to most people I know around our ages, with the younger people I know it is usually cheap ikea stuff (just like we started off with, along with charity shop finds)

I would not want a tv on the wall, but I'd put it on anything other than a purpose built tv stand as I think they're horrid.

My parents have one - it's all smoked glass and chrome. I hate it.

She was rude to say it's "old lady". Everyone has different taste. I seem to be one of the few people that isn't in love with the colour grey. I however don't expect everyone likes my taste. I would love a fireplace like you have and the windows are gorgeous. My whole house needs decorating and I couldn't bare to put a photo of it up. I do think what would add to this thread now is for your "friend" to post some photos of her living room (just for comparisons sake). .

I hate the coffee table too but it was imported from India when DP was there many years ago and he doesn't want to get rid of it. I also hate the knitted throw on the sofa you can see... it has lots of dubious stains from over the years

We live in Zone 2 London so have about 5 houses that can see in to our house (and we can see in to parts of theirs) so curtains are a must for evening time.

For those still complaining about the tie backs I've changed them (pic again)! I think it looks so much more modern and less old lady now. DP didn't even notice

It looks very elegant and sophisticated, OP, not what I would think of as "old lady" at all.

To me, "old lady" style is high-backed, electric recliner chairs; floral sofas with winged sides and a fringed or frilly skirt; flowery wallpaper; standard lamps etc.

But what does it matter what anyone else thinks anyway? It's your home, not theirs. If you like it, then it's perfect!

yes the curtains make it look 'old'. I would go for a more cream linen look. I never have curtains and think cream Roman blinds would also look much more contemporary. Look at the Vogel Tv brackets. Thats what we have in our house. You can push the TV back to the wall when not in use and pull out when you want to

I think the room itself is lovely and you've done it really nicely.

Those curtains are really bringing the room down though. The windows are the best features of the room and you are obscuring them with curtains that I don't think suit the room.

Those tie-backs are criminal. And your pic does look better without them. But the curtains are still too big and heavy for the room I think. They are still obscuring some of the light (and it looks like you have a lovely green view outside as well).

I'd have one curtain at each side of the run of windows, not six curtains like you currently have. I think the fact that there is 6 of them is adding to the heaviness and fussiness that doesn't go with the lightness of the rest of the room.

The fireplace is fab.
floor is great too.
The curtains look a little wrong.
Floaty voile would be lovely as your door/ windows are great

My previous house was "old lady" when I bought it. Because an old lady had lived there alone for thirty years without updating anything AT ALL. It had the original thirties' kitchen. A pantry with mousetraps in. Swirly brown carpet on the stairs (which my MIL thought "so lovely"). Leafy brown and red carpets throughout. Brown and turquoise mottled tiles on the fireplaces. Embossed wallpaper everywhere.

Your house, OP, is classy and contemporary imo. Your friend might be jealous, she might not, but she is wrong to think it "old ladyish". And even wronger to say so.

I losing the tie backs has made a huge difference! The only other thing I'd do if it were my house, and I was able to do, would be to change the TV stand for a low chunky piece of actual furniture.
The decor and furniture is gorgeous

I really like it. I'm 32 so not completely past it I don't think.

I'd have one curtain at each side of the run of windows, not six curtains like you currently have. I think the fact that there is 6 of them is adding to the heaviness and fussiness that doesn't go with the lightness of the rest of the room.

But if you just had one curtain on each side of the room they would have to be very wide and would obscure at least half of each side window when open. and make the room very dark. The way the OP has them now means that when open most of the material is hanging over the wall between the windows so not interfering with the light.