I am SO excited. We just spent our tax refund to buy new living room furniture. It is way overdue. We have leather furniture now in which the leather is splitting and there is are a few places that the stuffing is showing through the cushions. Seriously, this furniture is pretty beat up. It isn't even fit to donate...I will have to call 1800GotJunk to get rid of it. I am now going to try to take part of the living room back from the kids. We had long ago taken all of the decorative stuff within reach out of the living room. I would like to add a few things to the new look. However, I still want to be careful about no glass breakables or choking hazards just in case. Any ideas? The new furniture set is dark brown leather (to better hide the stains should the kids spill something) with medium cherry tables and a black media stand.
What style? Do you like traditional, contemporary...?
Do you need to pick a wall color?
Ballard designs, Touch of Class and JC Penney have nice ideas.
I put a tapestry on one of my living room walls. It's so pretty.
Congrats on the new furniture. I would like to suggest though that you don't junk the old furniture Put a note on free cycle you will get some college kid or kid in his own first apartment who has no furniture. they will grab it and throw a blanket over it and wala your furniture gets a whole new life. and the landfill gets to not be stuffed with stuff that can be used for a bit longer. if you don't have freecycle then put it on your curb with a free sign......
I like looking at Elle Decor's website for ideas. Also Pottery Barn's catalog and books (from the library). Pottery Barn has alot of simple, kid friendly ideas.
I need more info before I can offer any decorating advice. But..
Get some leather treatment --it's a lot like hand/body lotions. If you use it regularly your leather furniture will last a long time. Works on leather jackets, purses, shoes and boots too --even car upholstery.
I too have dark brown leather couch and chair with ottomon. I have granite tables from Room and Board. Sometimes just looking at their website you will get ideas or Ikea too. Find some great throw pillows. I just found some really cool ones at Target on clearance. They are like a burgundy with taupe. I love them because they have down pillows inside a zipped case. I kind of have a modern/asian theme going on. I like it clean looking. not too cluttered. It is OK to mix and match styles. I did think of asian when you said dark brown and cherry tables.
I agree with Nancy...Pottery Barn pays thousands of dollars to professional designers to stage their stuff...I am not above lifting directly from their website and catalog : )
I would find a furniture retailer whose stuff you like, then get ideas from how those pieces are staged. I also sometimes visit model homes. Most importantly, I begin with the question: "How will this space be used?" The answer to that guides my choice of lighting, decor, fabrics, etc. Have fun and congratulations!
Pictures make such a change to a room, color of walls with the furniture changes things, put out things that aren't breakable, maybe some flameless candles, plants, etc. Those fill in a room well.
Specifically, I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. Window treatments dress up a window nicely. New paint always adds life to a room. Good luck!
