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Old 05-30-2013, 07:57 AM
 
4,249 posts, read 6,932,203 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts View Post
Oh, LOL, husbands are not permitted opinions on decorating.
Hey! I'm a husband and my wife and I collaborate. She doesn't mind though and gladly tells people that I've done probably 70% of the decorating and design in our house. I'm definitely in the minority tho :P
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Old 05-30-2013, 08:43 AM
 
36 posts, read 175,359 times
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I see it now. It does look more traditional besides the coffee table. Perhaps replacing the coffee and end tables with something more traditional would make my living room (the one with the staircase) look more put together. Only problem is that would be a little too expensive for me right now.

Or maybe replace the red rug with a solid colored rug?
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Old 05-30-2013, 01:28 PM
 
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With just a few tweaks this can come together a bit better. There are too many patterns happening in this room, all the pillows, the table, the rug, and none of them go together very well. But try this:

Move the rug under the furniture it anchors the furniture
Symmetry with the end tables and lamps, one on each side of the couch and center the lamps
(however the lamps are now too modern for the room, sorry)
Move the object near the lamp
Don't have blue kleenex box showing, everything fights for attention
Not so many pillow patterns, and bunch them up, :sorry I couldn't karate chop them)
Move the picture down a bit like gentlehearts said

The end tables: Since you can't replace them just yet, I painted them a dark black to match the bench under them. Is it a real marble top or a formica top? If it is a formica top you can paint them or replace them.

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Old 05-30-2013, 07:26 PM
 
Location: Prospect, KY
5,284 posts, read 20,073,658 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts View Post
To me, both rooms look the same. Did you know that stores sell furniture that is not brown?

For starters, both pictures are hung too high, and both pictures look like mall art, not a reflection of your family's taste. If you go to art.com, you can get big canvasses of lovely paintings that aren't just red and brown. I would get one and then pull some other colors from it.

Get rid of the shiny pillows. I like the more modern tables better than the other ones, but you must have liked them all when you bought them, the problem is the matchy matchy factor. The modern tables, juxtaposed with the oriental rug is what makes this room work better for me. A good decorating tactic is to use is dull with shiny, old with new (like a shabby painted cupboard), solid with pattern, etc. I would get rid of both coffee tables and buy non matching ones. Or, maybe switch the coffee tables between the two rooms?

What you need in the rooms is something of yourselves. Get a chair in a colorful pattern (like a red and tan check). Get a larger lamp. The one in the picture is too wimpy for the space. You need a lot more lighting, in general.

Don't be afraid of leaving your brown, red décor box. Go for some pieces that you respond to emotionally, and it will fix the dilemma you are feeling right now.

There are some really talented folks on C-D, so I hope they will weigh in for you.

I would listen to this advice.
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Old 05-31-2013, 07:59 AM
 
36 posts, read 175,359 times
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Thank you, Kayekaye for helping me out. I really do appreciate all your effort.

For answering you, the coffee table has a granite counter top. perhaps I can replace my rug and pillows with someing that is less busy. I was thinking a rug which is not floral, maybe geometric shapes or patterns?

And the blue kleenex box is not suppose to be part of the decor. Sorry, I didnt move it before I took the pic.

By the way, I moved the rug underneath the couches. Thanks for the advice. I also replaced the pillows with dull cream colored ones.

I was also wondering if my entryway rug had to be similar to my living room rug or it could be different?
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Old 05-31-2013, 08:14 AM
 
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I was thinking of keeping this as my entryway rug. however, Im not sure whether the entryway rug should be similar to the living room or not. please help on this too.

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Old 05-31-2013, 08:33 PM
 
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Oh it is granite. Well that is expensive to deal with. Yes if you can get a different rug then. Your "star" is going to be the granite pattern because there is so much of it. So you have
1. Granite, black and white?
2. Brown leather couches
3. Cream carpet
4. Heavy dark wood end table
That are the MUSTS you have to work with. I think you should take your picture shopping with you next time and ask for some advice, this time without the husband. I hate to ask but is there any return possibility? The couches and the end tables just don't go together. A rug to go with the granite should be pretty much neutral and solid color. Just too much going on.

For the entryway, is that the entryway behind the couch through the curved door on the left? If it is they don't really have to match with the way the couch blocks the visual depth.
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Old 05-31-2013, 10:13 PM
 
4,096 posts, read 6,231,842 times
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I hope I don't sound negative, just that the options are limited and you will need some help, probably in person to make all your purchases work out together. I'm sure someone else might have some better ideas shortly.
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Old 05-31-2013, 10:22 PM
 
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Thanks kayekaye for all your help. I did ask some of my friends to help me out but everyone felt my place looked fine or they wanted to change everything to more modern/contemporary look.

I like the way everyone decorates their place in a modern way. However, growing up, my place was more tradtional and I gravitate towards traditional rather than contemporary.

Maybe Ill remove the pillows and rug and leave the place as it is.
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Old 05-31-2013, 10:37 PM
 
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I can't see the pictures.
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