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…

make sure the close ups are of the period features, the panelling and window frames are fantastic with a beautiful patina, it would be criminal to paint them, people spend thousands having doors dipped to strip the paint but unfortunately it removes patina as well. Do make sure agent mentions that shutters work ( if they do) the beautiful cornicing hopefully original door furniture fireplace etc
do not try and make a period room look modern with stuff from ikea, a large mirror or painting above fireplace would be good, the only place you might find a rug that size for less than thousands is an auction house, old even worn will work in a period house

there needs to be something on or above mantel piece if you have no large mirror or picture, get a vase with a large and high bouquet minimum 3' in it for the photos and a simlar but smaller arrangement on coffee table, a cream throw may be better than dark green

Or this one - less than £500 from Ruggable. Sure, it's not a genuine Persian rug, but no one will notice and it will soften the space.
https://www.johnlewis.com/ruggable-kaden-rug/amber-red/p112614542?size=l305-x-w245cm

You need CRAP

Curtains
Rug
Art
Plants

I would give it more colour by accent cushions and throws. There is too much brown in it. Pictures/mirrors and plants are all good ideas.

Agree with @SoloSofa24 and what is that poor vase of flowers doing?
You'd be better off switching the ceiling pendants for large but simple drum shades (ikea). Obviously nothing wrong with the panelling, but your room feels otherwise very cold, too much metal.
But I don't think it matters to potential buyers, they're interested in the house, not your decorating style.

My impression from looking at the photo is that it's a big expensive house, but the owners can not afford expensive furnishings. The subtle message is "this house will drain you"

Leather sofas do not look right in a formal sittingroom. Pine furniture usually looks cheap because it is usually cheap.

It doesn't look like a georgian interior.

You don't need to buy anything. Just light the stove. That will instantly make the room look warmer, because you have an actual fire in it.

it's a pity original lights are missing are the ceiling roses there? but these rooms were always meant to have 5/6 branch lights / chandeliers, a single pendant would never provide enough light but a few table lamps or another standar dlamp could be good

people looking specifically at georgian houses expect georgian features these properties always have quirks, people do not expect double glazing and state of the art fittings though they do want a kitchen and bathroom with modern equipment even with traditional look cupboards and tiles

any removal of any period feature devalues the house as I am sure you know

Plants
rug
paint the coffee table
light the fire

I wouldn’t worry- your decor is not to my taste at all but it’s such a stunning house that it doesnt matter. I’d be looking at the windows, the panelling and the floorboards and I’d buy it!

have not RTFT so apologies if this repeats others but I would light the stove. Don’t show the radiator. Move your mac book from the floor under the table and put a couple of coffee table books on the table. Can it be a bigger table? Different colour throws on sofas, something more vibrant.

But - don’t worry too much. It’s a gorgeous rooms with great bones and lovely proportions. Those windows are fab. Can you show what’s on the other side of the room? There might be a better angle from the corner of the room (to the right of the photo which isn’t shown) - so the fireplace is more prominent as a focal point. You might need to move the sofa on the right to take a better picture depending on the layout of the room.

If your whole house is like this I’m envious!

The rug shouldn't be the size of the room. The room is a decent size but not crazy big. A rug fitting under the coffee table and towards the sofas would be fine. 2m x 3m perhaps.

It’s a nice room but it looks so bare and stark. I’d add curtains or some kind of drapes on the windows; tall green plants; ornaments/photos on the mantelpiece and maybe something hanging above it like a mirror or a subtle classic painting; some books on the coffee table; and some cushions on the sofas.

The decor apart from the wallpaper which is actually stunning irl Isn’t my taste either but we didn’t get round to furnishing it properly..too many other things to do first. New windows,roof, heating. Only little things 😂 all done now we’re moving !

Its an odd set up.

The room is quite grand and formal but the sofas and coffee table look like DFS. It also looks like nobody lives there.

if you dont want to spend on anything beyond plants and flowers, consider hiring them to stage it for the duration of the selling period or just the photos.

just a big rug and a specimen plant would go a long way to lifting it.

By the way, carpet companies will do a bound, cut to size piece of carpet as a rug for a very reasonable price. I got one for my dining kitchen.

I'd love to see the rest of the house, it looks like it could be beautiful.

Get a rug (not thousands DS, perfectly achievable through Dunelm) and ditch the coffee table

Having looked at your listing, this is one of the best looking rooms, the dining room and 1 of the bedrooms in particular, I feel hold it back more than this room.

Also not RTFT but get some art on the walls

I'd replace the 2 mismatched, dark throws on the sofa backs for cream ones, to blend in with the wallpaper, and some matching cushions.
A large mirror over the fireplace and a plant on the hearth, maybe a Boston Fern.

Giving dentist waiting room vibes

I love your sitting room OP. I love the high ceilings and oak panelling. Maybe just a few green plants and a large mirror. I wouldn't spoil it by flooding it with a bright colour.

I would add a rug under the coffee table & a mirror over the fireplace. I would probably remove the throws off the sofa

It would be vandalism to paint the oak panelling. It's probably over a hundred years old. People who will be buying this house will love the oak panelling.

Plants, rug, curtains, some colour

Slightly against the run of play, but here goes...
The photos of your drawing room will be viewed in the context of the rest of the house. From your description of this as your formal room, I'm guessing there is also a snug or family sitting room that looks much more lived in. Whilst I agree that the beautiful raw material of this room isn't well served by the modern furniture and lack of visual interest (sorry) on walls, over-mantel etc, what you want buyers to register is contrast between rooms, so they understand easily the different settings and functions they will have to play with if they move in. This room as it stands should offer that contrast with an informal or family room. If on the other hand you have a similar colour pallette in your other reception rooms you might want to put some colour and interest to differentiate between rooms.
In any case, I would light the fire and put some books and better flowers on the coffee table- and as others have said, bring the sofas closer together to suggest conviviality. And please, no rubber plant- thus isn't a student flat.
Good luck, @Gilesmummy.