This is my living room...how would you change it?

[livingroominspiration]

Have namechanged for this in case anyone in rl recognizes me from the photos of my living room, (if you do, hello ).

I've never felt entirely happy with my my living room, it was all done in a hurry about 10 years ago. The sofas came from different houses and therefore don't really fit in the room, or indeed in the same room. I don't feel it looks like a 'proper' living room. Or am I meant to call it a lounge? I'm never sure.

My caveat is I don't have loads of money to spend right now, so in the immediate future I can probably only decorate and add some odds and ends. I will be replacing sofas at some point but possibly not for another couple of years.

What would you do to it in my position?

A nice big rug to make it cosier, some nice throws over your sofas- preferably lighter as you have a lot of dark furniture which can make it seem colder, some photos on the walls, some candles. If you can paint I'd try a warmer wall colour. Can still be neutral coloured but soft stone for example or mocha are are warmer colours than cream. If you can wall paper there are some lovely patterned wall papers about which are textured and look really luxurious without being too expensive- especially if you pick them up at places like b&m or the range.
It's exciting decorating and getting your home just how you want it. Well the end result is, perhaps not so much the hard work! Good luck!

Re plasterboard walls, just use command strips. Amazing! And leave no marks. Stuff on the walls would make a huge difference

I quite like your living room. All the sofas make it look incredibly cosy. It's not in colors I'm naturally drawn to but the result is nice. I would not change a thing. If you want to choose a color you like and add it here and there with a few cushions and new lamp shades.

In my opinion, cosy is the best look for a living room in real life.

I'd go for a more cool scandi/ New England beach look. Bring in some pale blue or stone colours. Look at papering a wall with something like JL Cowparsley in duck egg blue. Definitely get rid of the sofa next to the wood burner. Dress the windows. With wide slatted, off white blinds from Blinds2go who can make them to measure and are very reasonable. A large cream rug, such as Flokatti style (some can be washed). Think about one large statement piece of art work, hanging into plaster board just requires different fixings that expand out when in the void, but are screwed in in the same way as a screw.

I like the retro shape of the beige sofa and the square patterned throw.

The star nets are awful though. Better with plain (but nice texture) or window stick on sheets (sandblasted look).

Maybe?

I prefer this look though

Chronic back issues will not be helped surely by a sofa and feet up? No lumbar support and a weird spinal position to be in... not convinced that's what your h has been told by physio...

I'd get rid of the sofa in front of the window and also change the curtains for perhaps some roller blinds that are close fitted to the windows

Ditch the brown sofa and replace with the cream one away from the french window so the two sofas face each other.

Paint walls in cool blue.

Go to the student degree shows in May/June and buy the biggest painted canvas you can find and afford and put it on the wall.

Love the floors.

Personally I love the floor and the curtains! I would just change the brown to a nice pale blue if it were me. I do think removing a sofa would look better but if you need it you need it. The room has to be functional too!

why do you need all those throws over leather sofas (I think the beige ones are leather?) One of those throws looks like a dish towel.

If you are determined to have throws get some nice colours. The brown cushions are dreadful too. You can pick up cheap coloured cushions lots of places.

I don't like the screens either but I think the room will look a lot better if you take these simple steps.

Thanks for all the responses, wasn't expecting so many replies. Lots of ideas for me to think about!

To answer some questions, the cream sofas are leather (2 seater and 3 seater, there is an armchair which is currently in another room). They are quite old and are quite badly worn, marked and scratched, hence covering them with throws. Ultimately the plan is to replace them but the throws (which are very soft and fleecy) make them a bit nicer to sit on in the meantime.

Slight off thread but DP has several prolapsed discs in his lower back, steroid injections didn't help so he'll probably need surgery. Meantime he's only really comfortable sitting on a reclining chair/ sofa as it takes the pressure off the base of his spine - in the absence of a recliner, the brown sofa lets him angle himself with cushions so it's a bit more comfy than a standard sofa. But all sofas really are only for another year or so (hopefully).

I would like to move away from brown. I suspect I will end up with shades of cream. Every room in my house is painted cream or white . I'm a bit scared of colour!

I would be more than happy with blinds, but I'd need them to cover the French doors too. Next door's kids are in their garden when looking in, but as our garden are on a slant can see in easily when hanging over the fence which they are always doing.

I think someone mentioned twig lights upthread - I know theyre not a MN fave, but I'll confess I have some already, they're in the corner of the room between the 2 cream sofas, you can't quite see them in the pic.

I think what surprised me was the comments that it's a dark room. I always think it's really light.

I think changing throws and cushions, and getting some stuff on the walls will make a difference. Once I've worked out what colours I like I'll think about repainting. And try to work out what I can do with the windows

Spiky planting along the fence then you could get rid of the nets!

You can get blinds for your French doors.

www.hillarys.co.uk/inspiration/2016/01/blinds-for-french-doors/.

It would help to make the room look more streamlined and less cluttered.

Wow I love your room 😁 it looks really cosy, I think that the brown is just sucking the light out of the room. I'd get a rug to just break up the expanse of floor, cream or bright green, or powder blue depending how brave you are! Lighten up the brown pouffe with cream or different coloured throw, and large painted wooden tray onto which place coordinating bits. I'd deffo change one sofa for a chair possibly a recliner. Mirrors and few pics displayed on a wall Try and hide as much of brown wall or changet colour to brighten it up. Shutters would be lovely at Windows but even frosted film half way up would let light in but stop neighbours looking in. Lamps and string lights will make it cosy at night and nice tall plants. I've got the opposite problem my living room is too cream!!!! Thanks for giving me the boot up the backside to think about doing mine.

couple of bright rugs?

One thing I've noticed about this thread: one person's idea of being cozy is another person's idea of being cluttered!