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We moved into our home last June and we're slowly putting our own stamp on things, but have a long list of to do wishes. I'm in the beginning stages of decorating the living room. 1st plan is painting our living room book shelves. Don't worry, it's 1980's heavy grain wood, nothing spectacular. I feel like the quality is pretty decent and over all I like them which is why I don't want to replace cabinets. The kitchen has been painted white this past fall. Our entire home has all of the same cabinets.
Anyway, we live on a heavy wooded property which we love. Our home inside can feel on the darker side even with sun coming in. Our entire back length of the house are large sliding glass windows and you would think that would help, nope still dark. We plan on taking down some trees at some point that are too close for comfort, but after receiving a few quotes I think painting is more affordable right now, plus I really dislike the grainy wood.
We have a semi open floor plan. You can't see the kitchen from the living room, but it has a nice flow with a large openings from both the living room to the kitchen. Another opening from the living to dining room etc. There's a wall in the middle separating.
Attached are photo's of our living room. Would like your thoughts on them. Stay with my first thought of white to make everything match? OR would it be too odd to do a crème color? Both would mix well with the stone colors in our fireplace. Then, of course add hardware. I'm not sure what was with the 1980's. Not one piece of hardware was on anything in our entire home. Would love your thoughts too.
Thank you! :-) I will never touch the fireplace. :-) We have the same stone on part of the front of our home too. We just love it.
I'm not attached to the sofa's/carpet at all. Sofa's are many years old and we'd love to replace those too or bring them down to the basement and replace what we have down there lol.
The room looks to be all neutrals. I would replace the sofas and/or rug with bold bright colors. Can you white wash the book cases?
A trick that my designer friend taught me. Go to a fabric store and buy a yard each of some inexpensive bright cotton fabrics (check the remnants pile). Drape them on various pieces of furniture around the room. You quickly see what colors will work.
I wouldn't touch any of it - not the fireplace, nor the bookcases. That is a beautiful room.
Don't understand this modern hatred of wood, unless it's on the floor. Makes all kinds of sense ... NOT.
I think a crème colour for the sofas and rug would both (a) brighten the room and (b) work better with the wood, which has a reddish, warm tone. As opposed to stark white.
I wouldn't be so shy about painting the bookcases. They're yours, so paint away. I see a white cabinet in the corner of one photo, so painting the bookcases would match with that and any other light furniture you have.
Some shiny metal accessories, either in gold or silver, would also brighten the look of the room. The coffee table legs are currently dark, I see. Add some shiny metallic accessories over the mantel and on the bookshelves... mirrored boxes, mercury glass vases, brass or nickel items. Maybe a mirror over the fireplace instead of other wall art.
I don't think it's the wood shelving that's making the room appear dark. Personally I don't think painting them would make much difference, though you COULD paint them if you like.
I'd add some warm, bright colors to the room myself - in the rug, the upholstery, etc. I'd even consider painting the interesting angles above the shelves in a contrasting color and carry that color through behind the shelves (if I did that, I'd paint the shelves a creamy white as well).
I'd buy a lightish, cream based rug with plenty of color in it and replace the sofas with upholstered pieces that tied into the colors in the rug (and behind the shelves).
We had a living room that was perpetually dark due tons of trees in the backyard (in spite of a row of windows). We bit the bullet and had the trees closest to the house removed and the difference was amazing and instant. I really encourage you to consider that option seriously. Oh, and grass grows a lot better in the backyard too. We still have trees around the perimeter, just not up against the house.
When your only (artificial) light source is a fan light (assumption based on lighting in pics), it's no wonder you think it's dark. The dark cabinets, floor, and stone all contribute to absorbing the limited light.
Painting and changing fabrics/materials can lighting up the room, but what happens when the trees are limbed up/cut down- wear sunglasses in the room?
Unfortunately, lighting is the most overlooked aspect of a home with most builders. I see plenty of potential for adding more lighting. Recessed cans for the ceiling, cabinet lighting for the built-ins, floor recepticles for lamps (if you had end tables or sofa tables).
Personally, I WOULD NOT paint the built-ins. I would add some crown molding to the top, and some detail trim to the doors and vertical members. Definitely add hardware. And depending on the type of lighting I would use I might consider using glass shelves. The fireplace NEEDS A MANTEL.
One other thing I noticed- why do builders think leaving a LamBeam exposed and stained is attractive? I'd wrap that with drywall in a New York minute!
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