How do I make these less awkward?

Sarah Allen
by Sarah Allen

Hello!

i have this ‘dead zone’ in the transition space from my living room to dining room. And I hate it. But I have no clue what to do. I have my dogs food and they eat there but that could easily be moved.

please help!

and the fluff is from the murder of a stuffed raccoon courtesy of my lovely puggle.

  22 answers
  • Gk Gk on Jun 16, 2020

    You could put a long entertainment center there to take up more of the wall space. Good for storage too! You could place some smaller occasional chairs on the opposite side of the rug from the couch. You could also place a chair and a standing lamp where the dog food is now.

    • Sarah Allen Sarah Allen on Jun 16, 2020

      I like it! I think the long entertainment center is great, it’ll fit better on the long wall

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Jun 16, 2020

    I think if you had a couple of small chairs that faced your sofa that would break up that space or a table or long cabinet that you could add photos, etc on. https://in.pinterest.com/vtjohn222/living-space-or-dead-space/

  • Maura White Maura White on Jun 16, 2020

    Not sure if its the angle of the camera, but they a bit crooked. I like how you have them hung - I think its the rest of the room that just doesn't go with them. If your hutch and tv stand were painted a soft gray, it would go much better. And the busy brown area rug doesn't match the paintings either.

    • Sarah Allen Sarah Allen on Jun 16, 2020

      I see what you mean- it’s a different style. Why did I never think of that before?

      the proportions are also looking off now too

  • Lori O'Farrill Lori O'Farrill on Jun 16, 2020

    I really like GK's comment.. if you are looking to do something not expensive, what about some cube storage and make it long or stacked? and maybe a basket for blankets and dog stuff in between.

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Jun 16, 2020

    Another vote for a longer media cabinet!

  • Molly Anmar Molly Anmar on Jun 16, 2020

    Turn your hutch perpindicular to the wall right beneath where that ridge is in the ceiling. You'll probably want to do something to decorate the back of it so it's pretty...maybe some interesting wallpaper, a thin sheet of plywood painted the same color as your walls or maybe a bookshelf. Then, I'd put the TV/entertainment center there, instead of so close to the sofa. Your rug is gorgeous, but kind of small for the proportions of the room. Consider much brighter accessories, like pillows (or the larger rug) and a much larger picture for that wall.


  • Mogie Mogie on Jun 16, 2020

    I would start with a nice large L shaped living room set. Put some color on the walls. But first pick an accent color to use.

    This would be a easy way to bring color in via your art work. And large throw rugs would also bring in color and add warmth to the area.

    Paint the hutch that would brighter and freshen the room. Adding lighting above the shelves of the hutch would also make a big difference and look richer.

    A slip cover for the couch would allow you to throw it in the clothes washer when it was dirty and give you a whole new look at the same time.

    A nice live edge coffee table would look good too.

    I would also either buy or make a large tv stand with LOTS of storage. We have one that has a swivel attachment on the back so the tv can be turned slightly when needed.

  • Linda Sikut Linda Sikut on Jun 16, 2020

    Hi Sara,

    It depends on whether you want to buy some new pieces or not. :) When we first moved into our home, I moved the furniture often until I liked the way it looked and functioned. I'd probably try putting the sofa on the wall where the TV is, but the TV where the white table is - at an angle - then figure out where to put the chair. I'd also probably try putting the sofa into the room, facing the TV and putting the chair and white table sort of where the sofa is now. If that didn't work, I'd keep trying - maybe put the sofa at an angle and move other pieces accordingly. I'm sure you could do this with a virtual livingroom app. I just didn't want measure everything and I guess that I needed to try different arrangements in action. Believe it or not, I moved into this home in 1972 and I recently moved one of our chairs to give more room in a specific area. LOL Changing my mind never ends. Wishing you the best!

  • Peggy L Burnette Peggy L Burnette on Jun 17, 2020

    Hi Sarah, I love your dogs, ours are couch potatoes like your. Have you thought of putting your couch on an angle so everything is not hugging the wall? Just a suggestion. Good luck.

  • Cindy Cindy on Jun 17, 2020

    Hi Sarah. I'm Cindy. I would begin by using a bigger area rug. Rule of thumb is that all the front legs of your furniture should be on the rug. Place a couple low back chairs across from the sofa. Again, front legs on the rug. I would also put a large plant where the dog food is. I like your art work above the tv so I would keep it there. Good luck Sarah. Hope all is well with you.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jun 17, 2020

    You could add a cabinet to camoflauge the dog's area. A larger piece of furniture under the tv like a console would work and have the end section to stick their food behind a door when you don't want it seen.

  • Patty Patty on Jun 17, 2020

    Please dont be offended but the balance of this room is off. I would take down the pictures and reconfigure them or move to another space. If you need more seating, a recliner could go there. If you do not need more seating, a lush, mid-wall plant would not only fill in, but add softness to the room. Look for one that does not require much light.

  • Lindsay Foy Lindsay Foy on Jun 17, 2020

    I do like the idea of a larger media cabinet, I would also consider looking into an accent chair to place in that area angled towards the couch

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jun 18, 2020

    Hello,

    You obviously love your dog, but would suggest if there is no other place for the dog to be fed, you buy a cabinet with two doors that can house the food bowls and you leave them open at feeding time and close them after so you don't have to look at them. Place something of beauty on top of cabinet, maybe a tall mirror or Vase of flowers etc.

    Best wishes.

  • Rymea Rymea on Jun 18, 2020

    Painting the hutch gray might be a good idea but I'm not sure that putting another large piece, like an entertainment center, in a different style/color, right next to it would work. If you could move the couch to that wall and put the TV on the opposite wall then I think that would solve things.

    Since it's an open floor plan you have to consider the dinning room and living room as all one decorating space. Right now you have a brown room and a black/gray room that aren't working very well together. If you paint the hutch grey you could paint the table and chairs black. If you are going to use the lavender from the pictures as an accent color make sure to bring it into the dinning room.





  • VL VL on Jun 18, 2020

    I think a very simple idea is to add a tall plant and move out the dog bowls. Possibly a large mirror behind the plant would reflect some light.

    Good luck!

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Jun 20, 2020

    I think you need a larger entertainment center for the wall with the tv. That's a large wall and the pictures are pretty small in comparison. I would move the sofa so it faces the tv and then add a couple chairs on the sides of the tv, facing the sofa. Even a couple shelves on that wall would look good and take up a bit more space.


  • Janice Janice on Jun 20, 2020

    You're brave to ask for advice! Without knowing what the other views of your living room are, I'd sugget perhaps moving the sofa to the wall where your TV is now and placing it at a slight diagonal (that is if you have a nice view to the outdoors with that window behind where the sofa is currently). A nice tall plant behind the angled sofa to separate the hutch from the sofa would work well. Pull furniture away from the walls and I agree with others who think you a larger rug would look nice. You could paint a large floor cloth to add colors you love to the room. If you'd post a pic of the other sides of the room, I bet you'd get even better suggestions than already posted here. I did like the one idea of pulling the hutch off the wall area and coveing the back with something nice so furniture isn't lined up along that wall so much. Have fun with trying new ideas, you might turn the dining room table to a slant or the other way as well. You'll get a better feel for what you want by changing it around a lot befoe you invest in new items. Perhaps you have a dresser you could move in to that room instead of a media cabinet.

  • Pennski22 Pennski22 on Jun 20, 2020

    Depends on your budget but if you want something to make do until you can afford a chairs or a cabinet. This fills space and you can give your room a pop of colour.

    Buy large hoola hoops at the $Store. Drill holes 4 divide in quarters. Fit Hope's as shown, use zip ties to put thru holes and zip together to form ball. Spray paint your accent colour you would like.

    When no longer needed, put in your garden and let line grow over.

    Hope this helps.


  • Jessica Green Jessica Green on Jun 21, 2020

    Personally, I think centering the table/TV/art between the two outlets (center of wall) would help the feel a lot! Spreading the art out a little more while keeping the layout would look good after the new centering. Make sure the TV is centered on the table. Add a tall plant on each side of the table to extend visually. Actually, everything needs to shift toward the dining room. As someone else said, pull the sofa out from the wall a bit. A bigger rug would be nice, but is not essential. Do put the sofa legs on it. Other than the plants, you can USE WHAT YOU HAVE. You don't have to buy anything! Just some minor adjustments will solve the disjointed feeling.

  • Homeroad Homeroad on Jun 22, 2020

    It looks like you need a much longer/larger piece for the TV than you have right now to fill that space. I would center something like a long dresser on that wall and center the pictures above it

  • Catherine Deirdre Rodden Catherine Deirdre Rodden on Jun 22, 2020

    Here I was just going to suggest a rectangular shaped storage ottoman. Could go against the wall or as a semi-room divider. Gives extra seating (maybe for puppers) and hides things (like that blanket we all love to have while on the couch but never want anyone to see it).