Need ideas to update my living room... (floor, painters, colors)

[mollyblythe]

Originally Posted by MMichelle

I like the wood (cedar?) paneling and cabnets - I'd keep that. Refinish the hard wood floors and go for a lodge look.
Replace the tile around the fireplace with a drystack stone. It's not as expensive as you might think.

I think this suggestion is right on the money.

[Scrubbybear]

Originally Posted by susan42

Please NOT vertical blinds!
Just go for some nice heavy curtains. Alternatively if you're on a budget, IKEA do panels for windows that run on tracks a like vertical blinds, but much more stylish. If you want to be able to pull them right back off the window, you would need 2 tracks. one behind the other then when you pull them alternate panels are on alternate track so that you don't need yards of track at either side of the window.

Ditto on the vertical blinds. Makes your home look like a cheap hotel. PLEASE don't do it!

[limike820]

Ok guys i just finished ripping out all of the carpet from all of the rooms. The wood floors definetly needed to be refinished. Any suggestions for the stain color of the hardwood floors? After talking with the painter/carpenter, we decided to remove the cabinets infront of the wood wall and just paint the wood wall. I'm also going to have a mantle built around the fireplace. Crown moldings are also going to be installed in the living room, dining room and master bedroom. I dont want to go with boring white walls though. I would like to have some color, but i'm worried that if i pick the color it may look like a circus LOL. I will be posting some new pics in a few. I need exact benjamin moore colors. The idea is to have the white moldings and mantle. One color for the walls in the living room and maybe a darker color for the wall to make the fireplace pop out. thanks...

original pic



This is a pic of the dining room. If you are walking towards the fireplace and make a left, the living room opens in to the dining room. I'm looking for color ideas for both rooms that will flow.

[beachmel]

You aren't responsible for that 2-toned turquoise room, right? LOL Also, you know, I wouldn't go too dark on those wood floors. It's much easier to go darker after you've gone with light.....much, much harder to reverse the process. JMHO

[limike820]

Definetly not LOL. In all of my previous places i always played it safe and went with off white colors. I would really like to try and have some color in my home this time. The work on the wood floors begins tomorrow and should be completed by saturday. Sunday i have painters coming in. So i really need to figure out the color scheme. Should the color on the walls depend on the stain of the floor?

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by limike820

Just bought a new house and im looking for some ideas to update the living room. Since there are hardwood floors under the carpet i was thinking about just removing the carpet and refinishing the hardwood floors. Im not sure about the wood paneling on the wall. Anyone have any ideas? Should i paint it or take it down? Any idea on costs? Im not sure if maybe i would like it better once the carpet is out and the wood floors are done. Im a first time home owner and dont have a clue on costs.

Wow. I thought the carpet and the paneling were the TWO BEST THINGS about this room.

I'd put in some in nice heavy drapes, some soft mood lighting, some really excellent prints/paintings on the walls. A few nice plants, strategically placed... it would be awesome.

20yrsinBranson

[limike820]

I was talking with the guy doing the work and Sheetrock is going to go over the wood panel wall.

[Boo2lowkey]

Originally Posted by limike820

I was talking with the guy doing the work and Sheetrock is going to go over the wood panel wall.

I was going to suggest that ideal b'c' one, it's cost effective and second you have a solid structure to work on. Also your room seem dark, maybe adding some wall sconces would add character over the fireplace. When you say building a mantle around the fireplace do you mean around the tile or covering the existing tile? If just around the existing tile then retiling the fireplace with a lighter tile would be good along with creating a wider/larger base area on the floor. If you want you could tile over existing tile.

[limike820]

The stone on the firewall for now is going to stay. When i said mantle i'm referring to the wood mantel that goes around the fireplace and gives you that little shelf right above.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by Boo2lowkey

I was going to suggest that ideal b'c' one, it's cost effective and second you have a solid structure to work on. Also your room seem dark, maybe adding some wall sconces would add character over the fireplace. When you say building a mantle around the fireplace do you mean around the tile or covering the existing tile? If just around the existing tile then retiling the fireplace with a lighter tile would be good along with creating a wider/larger base area on the floor. If you want you could tile over existing tile.

Dark? I was thinking how nice it would be to cut down on the awful glare from those windows. I think that dark rooms are so restful. In my house, unless I am working on something that requires bright light, you have to turn on the light on when you go into my rooms! LOL

20yrsinBranson