How do I make this room more welcoming for EA photos

[Gilesmummy]

please help..
we had the photos taken for our house this week and I think the drawing room looks,to put it mildly ‘Boring.’ I love my wallpaper and can’t replace sofas so need some ideas to inject some life..
the room has original oak panelling and shutters..

it’s a very traditional Georgian house so nothing outrageous. Although I’d quite like to see people’s ideas for creativity.

i think I’m going to be shopping this week…

Leather sofas always put me off - can you get some nice throws/pillows to soften (...cover) them up?

Also everything is at the same height - maybe a floor lamp or tall plant for variation?

Softness - rug under the coffee table and cushions at least! I’d change the light too to something less chrome/more fabric or wood but not worth it if you’re selling.

big light rug (to reach under sofas) and get rid of the coffee table, add soft furnishings

Oh yeah there’s no plants either! Plants and art.

Lovely house but it looks a bit cold in my opinion. What about a coloured rug under the table? Curtains? Cushions on the couch. Give it a note homely feel

It's a lovely room. I'd like a large rug under the coffee table. Agree with PP - cushions and plants.

Mirror? Pictures?

A large mirror or picture above the fireplace.... Also fullength curtains pulled back would really soften the room up but appreciate that's not cheap.... maybe look of marketplace?

To be fair though, this is all stuff that buyers should be able to envisage themselves. They’ll be filling it with their own stuff anyway so it’s irrelevant how you have it set up. Tedious! Selling is so much work OP!

It's like a waiting room. My house is a bit corporate looking so I have to make sure it looks homely and comfortable.
Definitely rugs and art. Fill the log basket. Bowl of fruit maybe.

Ate there any close-up photos, that show clearly the wallpaper and functioning shutters? I like the room a lot, but looking at it on my phone, none of the detail really shows well. I agree that putting something on the chimney breast would be good.

There's no personality at all. Big soft rug in warm colours. Abstract art piece or two on the blank walls. A few cushions in warm tones. Pot plant or two would make a big difference

I think it's pretty good already tbh. It wouldn't put me off buying it. If you want to stage a photoshoot for a magazine then it's probably worth the trouble.

Needs a bright colour which you could add with a rug and cushions and throws. Orange, maybe?

Green. You need green to break up the variations of brown to more brown to darker brown to browny-beige. And some lightness in ivory/white. And deep pink.

Voiles would suggest airy brightness in summer as well as break up much of the brown and bridge the low line of sight, plants suggest light and warmth, colour gives warmth. A large rug wouldn't hide the floor in a bad way, it would make it look warmer and not a five minute walk from the sofa to a draughty chimney.

At the moment, it looks like a cold, stark expanse of brownness that people would barely tolerate for as short a time as possible of an evening before going to bed with three pairs of pyjamas, mountaineering socks, a beanie and two shivering greyhounds.

Rug ( large , and pale to go under coffee table and sofas )
Throws and cushions on sofas ( pale throws , one one the arm )
Plants ,
A vase of flowers
Bowl of fruit on table ( oranges and lemons last a while and looks and smell,good )
You can’t really see the shutters , can one window have them closed in one photo ,showing that they’re there

Beautiful room. Pick three colours and work them through in LARGE rug under coffee table, four large cushions on each couch and the throws, No need to spend a fortune, go to Home Sense or H&M home etc

It's a lovely room but it's just so BARE and sterile. It would look so much better with pictures, ornaments, plants, and some nice table lamps.

Nice bright rug. Large one that fits under the right hand sofa and the table.

A vase of daffs, a rug, bigger cushions and more throws. Mirrors and artwork would help too, as would a tall plant

What an amazing room! Also, sorry to derail but what do you use on your oak panelling? We have some that is a bit dull and I need to give it some TLC but not sure what to use- it’s original so don’t want to commit crimes against heritage features.

I’d put curtains on the rails, even cheap ones. Cushions to match (a warmer colour, creamy/Sandy yellow perhaps). A big floor standing plant by the window and a picture over the fire that has similar warm tones. Then lose the dark coloured throws and cushions. Otherwise nothing much. It’s a lovely room, just looks a little cold and not cosy. Perhaps even light the fire for the photos?

You're appealing to a very small cluster of people who want a property of that size (and presumably value). The room needs some plants and can probably get away with some art and architectural type vases or statues strategically placed

It's a beautiful room. The colour is all a bit samey though. Even the green throw on the sofa is hardly visible because it's the same tone as the leather. The lamp shade blends into the walls. A rug, maybe some floor length curtains if there's a practical way to hang them. Sofa throw and cushions in a colour that shows up. Could be any colour you like, doesn't have to be bright, could be rich and subtle. Lampshade to match. Large mirror on the chimney breast.

It’s a beautiful room.

For a cheap and easy way to brighten up the room for anyone who can’t see it’s amazing bones, I would add;

A large, bold and rich coloured painting above the fireplace.

Some tall plants against the wall to add a vertical element eg parlour palms. As a PP said, it’s all very horizontal.

A huge, bright flower arrangement on the coffee table. Your little bunch of roses looks lost 😂 If you buy things like twisted willow twigs or pussy willow, they will last for ages (for viewings), not just for the photo. You can add foliage from the garden and a few tall stemmed flowers (eg lilies or chrysanthemums).

Looks like AI tbh. Not a great photo.

Beautiful room

I'd add a wooden mirror above the fireplace, colour similar to the panelling, a large rug, cushions and green plants. You can take them all with you.

But congratulate you on taking pics before the EA does, so few do, & it really helps to see why your room doesn't stand out on Rightmove in phone sized photos. Normally on plain walls I add bright artwork and match a colour from those into cushions, flowers and plants. On a thumbnail photo it really makes a difference. I've staged many properties for sale, for myself, friends and just for fun. On a very tight budget I borrow from friends or buy from FB marketplace and resell after.