How can I makeover this room?

It would help to see pics of the entire room. But just from looking at this angle I would advise removing everything that is on the walls and tops of furniture and look at space anew. What I see on the walls is ditzy and too highly hung. But the entire room does not show. What is at the fireplace end of the sofa, looks like it is jammed into the corner. It should be centered at that wall if possible. Then the shelf unit above should be centered over the cabinet and hung lower and the items on it arranged attractively. The mirror is also hung too high. The sofa, chair, rug seem attractive. I don't know what is on the sofa back but if it is a throw, it would look better draped over an arm of the sofa.

Angle the sofa to face the tv. Paint the mantle a darker color. Remove the mirror and group all the wall pictures etc to make a ‘gallery ‘.

Everything seems to be at odds, so angle the sofa to face the fireplace, move the chair to the wall where the desk is located, not against the wall, but let it float. Put the desk in another location. Remove clutter on furniture. Work with the angle of the room, don’t fight it.

rearrange books and stuffs from the wooden shelves by keeping less and Remove all the pictures from the wall and above the windows as well.Plan and put the pictures on the wall like a gallery.

Start fresh, everything off the walls and shelves. Switch the tall cabinet with the computer desk making a focal point on the far wall. Move those two small bookcases to under the windows, and move the chair next to the couch( L shaped) facing the tv, with the end table between them, this would clear the area around the doors making it look bigger as you come in. Take out the striped rug (too big) and put the other one under the coffee table . Get a small one to put by the doors where you enter. Then lower the mirror, the bottom of it about six inches above back of couch . Make a collage of some of the pictures with the shelf above the computer. You don't need something hanging on every wall. Should be more eye level, and not so spread out. Don't hang anything above the doors or windows (too much) can't dust them, and can't see them. Be careful to not clutter the shelves. By the way, nice green color. Hope this was helpful.

Hi! Boy, do I get how you are feeling! But this is what I do when I get like that. First, do what you are doing and get another set of eyes and yes, take pictures. Great way to see things in a whole new light.

This is what I see: your brick wall seems completely out of place. Is that real brick? It looks gray on my monitor. And the picture frame molding around it makes it stand out more. Is it possible as an easy fix to repaint the entire room one color? If you can’t, (don’t want to) paint the brick, is there a color you can pull out to use on the wall to blend it all better together? If the molding has to stay and you can’t replace it, paint it all the same color. Get a color wheel and try out colors. You are on the right track to have a medium tone on the wall, but the color does not seem to work.

While you have your room empty while painting, experiment with furniture placement. Big pieces first! I absolutely agree with taking just one rug and sofa and place at the same angle as fireplace. Place chair adjacent to that. Try each side.

You have a beautiful wood hutch. Try placing that in a more prominent place? (This is where it gets hard ha ha. Wish I was there.) Next to the fireplace? At an angle opposite the chair? Clean it up and show off your prettiest things. Stash junk in the drawers. Place large items on top to give some height to the room.

If you have to keep the small bookcases, try placing them together under the window and organize them. Or possibly behind the sofa? I can’t tell how much room there is. If they are there for the kids, which I get, try adding a coordinated fabric curtain to hide the mess.

You have a lot of small artwork. When separated and hung too high, it makes no impact. Gallery walls like others have suggested work well. Maybe you have a hallway where all your family photos can be displayed?

Your white woodwork stands out as a stark contrast to the dark furniture and light floors. Again, I would paint all the same color as the walls.

What about taking the shelf over your window and using it above your tv on the fireplace? Can you get your tv up a little higher? Just a thought...

Finally, get some full length curtains, floor to ceiling, and take down the shelf over the curtain rod.

Wow, I wrote a book! Hope this helps. I tell myself that decorating is a process. You do something and live with it for awhile, and then change it again. Eventually, we get something we can live with and what our budget allows lol!

Best of luck!

I thing it is too cluttered and looks old. You do not have to put the sofa against the wall, new wall color, more neutral not green. Nothing matches. Sorry that my opinion.

Hi Shirley! I think you are doing the right thing to ask for advice. I’m an interior designer that has worked for over 35 years....trying to enjoy semi- retirement, but can’t ever really let that side of my personality rest! This is a narrow room, but it does have good bones. In small spaces, the quickest way to make it seem bigger, is to keep the background monochromatic. Paint the walls, brick, trim around the brick, the pantry door and trim(so it blends in) all a nice camel color that blends well with the stone hearth and flooring. (Take a look at SW 6113 or 6114) The mantel seems a bit low, so I’d try to raise it. Maybe even replace with a stained wood mantle in a browner shade than floors (stay away from any red stains). The fireplace screen, with the black screen of the TV, draws your eye to 2 dark holes, which isn’t comforting. Rustoleum makes a paint that is for high heat applications, so you can paint that screen. You will have to clean it really well first because chances are it has a coating over it. You may find it’s actually a lovely brass underneath that you can just seal (yes, brass finishes are back and very chic!). Just don’t paint it black! Also, along the window wall, find draperies that fit floor to ceiling in a color close to your wall color. Floor to Ceiling will make the ceiling seem higher, and keeping them in the same family as the walls, when they are closed, they don’t break up the space or add an additional focal point.

I think because the room is so narrow, if you try to angle the sofa, it’s just going to cut into the space more and make it smaller. I don’t have an issue with it against the wall. But I would put an end table at one end (towards the kitchen) and put the chair next to it, at right angles to sofa. I’m sure that’s a comfortable chair, but you may want to look for an equally comfortable chair to replace it with that’s a much smaller scale, and a neutral color. Furniture, especially lounge furniture should relate to each other in a space.

With all the other ancillary furniture, I think you really need to decide how you want to use this room. Is it a home office/family room? Then put a real desk where the china hutch is, with hidden storage for the printer. If it’s a place to read, then get proper tall bookcases to put in that same space. And make sure you have proper reading light. If it’s a playroom, then, replace all of the open shelving with closed storage so it can appear to be clutter free when it’s time to gather and watch a movie or enjoy the fireplace. Whatever you decide this rooms function should be... narrow it down. It’s too small to be so multifunctional. Less furniture will make this space feel bigger. And you will enjoy the space more.

Many people have addressed your wall decor. The rule of thumb for hanging artwork is that the focal point of the piece is at eye level for the average human, which is 5’6”. Mirrors should be hung where a 5’6” person can view their entire face. However, where that changes, is when you are hanging artwork above a piece of furniture. If it’s one piece, make sure it’s centered and 6-12” above the top of the piece, or tallest item on the surface, unless that puts it too high for that 5’6” person to see it! The best way I can explain, is make your artwork work with your furnishings...they shouldn’t be lone rangers! If you want to hang a small piece, pair it with another. If you are hanging a shelf above a desk, you should be able to reach the items off that shelf without standing up!

Good luck! And I wish you well! I hope you will share your revised room!!!

rita

Wow! Thank you all for taking the time to offer your advice on this room arrangement! I am going to post new pics here once I get it done! It is 18’ long by about 11’ wide.... going from back wall to kitchen doorway.

That huge brick fireplace was a very bright red when we moved here so I sponged it to the grey/white color it is now. All the white trim was a very dark color so I painted it all white, including the mantle... maybe that was a mistake? Also, the walls were white so I repainted w the green...maybe a light beige would be better?

This room is mainly used to watch movies in by my teen and his friends. The floor gets very cold in winter which is why I threw rugs in....That big cabinet thing is my husbands mothers... we’re stuck with it and I feel it over powers the room, like the fireplace... ugh! It used to be next to fireplace but we moved it cuz it looked to big there... not sure where to put that yet but thanks for all the ideas! Going to work on decluttering today!

If those 2 bookcases are the same size, couldn't they be stacked? Over by the pantry would be nice -and clean out the unnecessary objects.

You can angle the loveseat so it's facing the tv and fireplace. I think that would make a big difference.

Hello,

Change the rug and add some pretty cushions!

I’m posting updated pics. It’s taken awhile but I’m happier with the new look. We took out all the brick and replaced it with drywall. I also replaced the wood with a gas fireplace, changed the paint color and added a gray carpet. I moved tv cuz felt it was to high up and it hurt my neck to watch. That big hutch thing was moved to a different room and so was the burgundy chair. I replaced the hutch with a small ivory rocker. The room, which was cold and seldom used has now become my favorite! Thanks for everyone’s advice!!

I believe Light is desperately needed in the far corner of this ‘lounging’ area!

There is obviously a window of sorts on the left which appears very ‘sunny’ indeed!

Some type of vertical blind, that you can open right up & let that sun & air just stream in when appropriate. The small table lamp would at least add some light to that dark corner of an evening if it was simply moved to the top of the cupboard there, an addition of pretty fresh 🌸 🌺 would be a nice touch

too! A much brighter art print in exchange for the print already there on the right wall!

Some style of Fitted cover or a casual Throw to ‘change’ the colour of the larger lounge & yes, differing tones of one colour for soft furnishings/cushions as already suggested!

And when the Time & Money is there ‘lighten’ up the whole room with a paint colour to reflect the Light & also make the room feel ‘bigger & Lighter’ altogether!

Have Fun Shirley!

Robbie Schubert @ ‘Bayview Gardens’....