hi! I’m new here and hoping for some advice from some seasoned members. I work from home and I’m at home….a lot. Because I’m home so much, I fixate (to put it lightly) on the things about my house that don’t work and make impulse purchases to quell the cabin fever in my soul. I am currently fixated on my formal living room, which is small and a bit awkward. You walk into our home and it’s the first thing you see to the left. It’s a rectangle and you enter perpendicular to the room. There is an awkwardly large wall that makes the room feel empty (see the photo with the two large shelves which have since found a new home). As you can see, I tried a large floor mirror but I think that’s making it worse. Any suggestions for what to do with it? Also I love the art but hate where it is, so suggestions for above the couch are also encouraged. Will gladly remove the sconces. I’d consider a new couch. I appreciate any and all insight. Thank you!!!
For that large wall, I agree that the mirror might not be helping. Since it’s the first thing people see when they walk in, you might want something that feels intentional rather than a placeholder. A gallery wall with a mix of artwork and sculptural elements (maybe a few floating shelves with curated decor) could add some depth. If that feels too busy, a large-scale piece of art or a bold textured wall treatment (wood paneling, limewash, or even a statement wallpaper) could anchor the space. The sconces might not need to go, but they might look better flanking a larger piece instead of the current placement. It’s clear you have great taste, and sometimes it’s just about tweaking the layout until it clicks. Hope this helps.
Love the suggestion of moving the sofa to make a hall and do a gallery wall or a few large pieces that are cohesive and can add a few smaller pictures over time. Has to be something you love.
I’m back with some ideas I’ve come up with. I’m thinking I’m going to wall paper the wall and add a long credenza, but otherwise keep the layout. Thoughts!
I like how your sofa, the wood-and-white chairs, the white slipper chair, and the coffee table all go together with the same kind of bulbous curves — very cohesive, and what a sense of style! And I like your brown and white palette. I'm afraid I don't have any brilliant ideas for changing the layout, though I think the chairs should relate to the sofa a little more. (You could set the two wood chairs across the coffee table from the sofa and move the white chair off to the side on its own in a reading nook — I'm a big fan of reading nooks.) My suggestions are:
Very curious to see what you finally come up with! But I agree with Daniela — don't get rid of anything yet. You have very stylish and coordinated pieces; see what you can do with them.
thank you so much! What a thoughtful response. I agree about the height of the art - what if I moved it down to tuck behind the couch a bit. I’ve seen this in some design magazines and I think it might look cool coming out from the couch if that makes sense. In terms of color, you’re right, I’m allergic. I generally add a fresh bouquet of flowers in the center of the table to give some life. Let me know thoughts on potentially shifting the art down.
That mirror looks great with your other furniture -- definitely keep it. Take advantage of the curved sofa and rotate it into the room (45° or less). Move the slipper chair to the side of the window to face the new sofa angle. Those wild wooden side chairs should flank the mirror where it is now. Swap out the framed print between the sconces with something art deco. People will come into your room and say WOW!
I think that could work. I would put the top of the art at the same height as the door, which is about the same height as the mirror, so they all relate to each other, and I think you'd still see most of the art above the sofa. I also like @bonnie2613 's suggestion of putting the sofa at an angle, since it's curved and would work well that way (people are so clever! I would never have thought of that). Then the art wouldn't look too narrow behind the sofa. Many possibilities here — have fun!
