Design/ style help for dated living room - pics included

[livingroom]

NC as it is so clearly my house to anyone who knows me!!

I really don't know what to do to improve our living room. I am very bad at picking out style etc.

The stone wall cannot be changed. Neither for now can the glass unfortunately - I could possibly change it to something else. Behind it is the hall with the front door.

I think around the TV/ window looks very bare though. Maybe cornice could help? I was thinking of maybe getting large pictures and nicer frames.

Oh bloody hell, you poor thing. Sounds like he's trapped you good and proper. No wonder you feel like you're playing house if you can't make simple decisions about your own home.

Because I'm a petty brat I'd just do things without consulting anyone seeing as they're so comfortable making decisions without you - but appreciate you don't want to be adding fuel to the fire.

Yes, that's coving. The panelling is nice but again, wouldn't suit the room unless you do a complete overhaul. I get the impression that you like a stately home type of vibe.

WRT the wall colour, you'd have to paint some samples because it really depends on the light in the room but Hopper Head by F&B could be a good place to start. https://www.farrow-ball.com/paint-colours/Hopper-Head

This is called colour drenching - so the walls, ceiling, furniture etc is the same colour. It can look very dramatic but needs good attention to lamps! Think your DP would like a cavey feeling? I think it can be made to feel very cosy :)

@TheDuchessOfMN yes ILs live in the "main" farm house

@Freshair1 if I had my time again I would insist we just buy a house somewhere. Anywhere. It really won't be possible now. I reduced my hours/ salary when DS was born. Also stock of houses here is pretty much zero. Things that were affordable when I moved here are 3x the price now.

But I think little improvements could help. I think I'll try some things today when ds hopefully naps.

DH is easy going and said he really doesn't see any issues with this room. You should see our bedroom talk about a uni rental.

Bathroom used to be green

Also check out Sophie Robinson on Instagram, she's painting her den a dark colour at the moment! Although I think she's leaning towards a purple.

Put your stamp on it and put your foot down. Life is too short to live in second place.

Does it make you unhappy? I understand farming families have these mindsets but it’s unfair that you have no choice over where you live in the country, no choice over what house you live in, your life hemmed in in lots of other ways and you’re not even allowed to decorate your own house properly (or change the sofa but I understand that one if it’s only a year old!).

i personally think dealing with the stone wall would make a huge difference. It’s such a different style to the glass wall (and the sofa is another style again) that it’s too much for a small room.

What's ugly here is the clash of styles (and too-large sofa, obvs). Don't make it worse with mouldings from yet another era.
Apart from decisions and purchases made other people who don't care how things look, you have a one-year-old, so it's a tricky stage of life to invest in anything too breakable or easily damaged, such as really nice curtains.
I agree with all the people recommending storage for the toys.
I would go nuts with shelves and plants to make the most of the glass wall, but I don't have a dog or a one-year-old.

Clearly from that view, you are in a beautiful area. Why will the inlaws not let you do anything to it if they dont live there anymore and arent selling it? (Could you think of buying it off them properly instead of renting it?) If they live another 20 years then you will have been not allowed to do anything to your house for 28 years, does that not depress you a bit? (Sorry gone off thread but I intrigued).

Rip out the window and put a set of patio doors there or a BIG picture window. (Joking obviously, your DH might divorce you!!)

The glass wall is so dated and scares me. I am permanently disfigured after and accident with one. What is the other side of it? Could you just take it all down and leave it more open plan?
I agree that the tv looks wrong on the wall.
There are some gorgeous and trendy light fittings at reasonable prices in Dunelm which would lift the room.
A statement art work instead of the small photo frames would look great. Sometimes you can get a great piece of art from a local painter.

@Enforceddrysummer I tried to make that point earlier but it wasn't picked up.

Doing something to improve the safety of the glass wall is essential. We put special film over ours before we could get rid as it at least holds the lethal shards together. My mum also had an awful childhood experience of someone going through one. With a sofa in front of it an active toddler it is a worse combination than any colour clash.

Exactly. I fell right through the glass. My leg is permanently scarred and I've lost the use of half of my right hand. I also lost my career as I did very detailed work that required exacting dexterity.

@Enforceddrysummer oh no I actually never even thought of the safety aspect. I think that will get me to get DH to do something. I'm so sorry to hear about your accident.

I have managed to remove 2 of the couch modules. The middle one is very stubborn so will have to ask dh to help later

Wow, well done, it looks better already x

Lick of paint on window wall and soften with curtains will make a huge difference. Maybe take the blind down then as well, to let in lots of light.

That is so much better. The sofa is no longer the focal point of the room, you’ve more space, you’re looking at the view and you haven’t blocked heat from the radiator

Yes, I’ll admit I hadn’t considered the safety aspect of the sofa and a toddler and the glass. The glass should go.

@livingroom are you Irish? My friend was in a similar situation for years but her in laws let her do what she wanted to the house.

Your DH and in-laws interfering is not on especially when you’re improving it. Also unfair your DH apparently gets the final say so in everything. Classic Irish farmer - stubborn & thick as a ditch!!! 🙈

what you’ve done with the couch is great. And the picture someone posted about white washing the stone and putting up a shelf looks amazing.

if you really can’t touch the stone I’d go ahead painting the room grey and get the ikea tv unit and cabinet I posted as you can use the drawers for toy storage and they are cheap so your DH can sod off!!! Then a nice rug so you can get rid of the foam squares.

You could go a long way with hiding the toys in some storage, tv on a stand, and playing about with siting the sofa.
I would embrace the natural feel of the stone wall and make a feature of the glass wall which I think has real potential.
Throws, plants, lamps, and large wall decor could transform the feel of the room.

@Enforceddrysummer that is so scary and that other poster is so right about a toddler launching himself off the couch and straight into it. Nightmare

This is just fab!

I actually like the glass and stone wall period features but it is a lot going on so the aim should be to neaten the rest and add a bit of interest with colour and texture rather than random other fittings like coving. I didn't realise the glass was unsafe so please prioritise that though, either removing it or a film.

It looks a lot better with the sofa changed. It would great to change it but if not this is a good start.

Big ottoman trunk for the toys. Lighter, fresher, more decisive colour paint (the dark suggested looks ok but I think adds to the busy-ness). Good quality rug, maybe a sheepskin or Afghan wool, curtains not blinds to frame the view. Interesting glass light fitting. Could you put in some fitted cupboards or shelving with boxes?

The little cushions and pictures look bitty so maybe larger ones.

Well done OP, very brave of you to put on here for opinions x

Sofa looks better smaller.

Could you split it up so that it’s a regular 4 seat (in front of the glass) and then use the weird cup holder sections either side of the corner part to have that as an accent chair where the ball pit is?

Well done OP it looks better already with less sofa

Maybe put together some room pics of what styles you like and, equally useful - styles you hate.

I'll be honest, I don't think coving will enhance that room at all.

Once you have decided your colour palette for that room you could paint the the frames of the glass wall, to give it a crittall effect - see picture.

If you want to make maximum impact with minimal spend, changing the floor would be best and then painting the walls yourself.

I do think that room lends itself to mid century styling - look up ercol & G-plan for inspiration - you can 2nd had stuff on ebay

@MonkeyMonkin How did you guess 😝

@MyAnacondaMight no it looks very had without the ends on it parts on. This is it earlier. I might try take out the round corner bit and leave it as a 3 seater against what I am determined will now become a wall/ something much safer.

@GLORIAGloriarse I had this ottoman in the other room. DS is up and about os everything isn't away right now