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We've already analyzed this space and you got lots of good recommendations the last time. My opinions stand. I don't see that anything's changed since the last time you asked for advice.
I agree - w/o the tray of fragile things it at least looks more useable for feet since it appears you don't want to not use that ottoman and get a coffee table (I would still get some color in the room though)
Leave the empty tray IF it's stable enough to set a glass and not have it be dangerous. If it's tippy or would spill if someone bumps the ottoman or puts their feet up, then I would not encourage guests to use it for a place to set a drink.
Agreed. A tray needs to be functional for at least that much.
I can't visualize how the family relaxes in the room. I might think differently if I were the OP's age, but the size of the tv screams chaos to me, not relaxing or conducive to conversation or any other activities. I couldn't sit that close to a wall of tv and not feel uncomfortable and unwelcome in my own home. But, I'm an old fogey.
Anyway, I think that the tv and sofa (it crowds the back door) are there to stay so the easiest solution I could think of is to work on improving proportions and design flow in the room to help minimize the scale of those overbearing elements.
If it were my house, I would design and construct a built-in (or buy one if I didn't have the skills), put in a smaller tv and have hidden storage for games and other kids things - and quilts.
Last edited by SimplySagacious; 09-14-2018 at 01:56 PM..
I like that pop of yellow you have on the corner pillow. Its a happy color. Maybe a yellow lacquer tray on the ottoman and some yellow accents in the kitchen to tie it to the family room (tea pot, canisters, dishtowel). If you want to be more flashy then go with gold instead of yellow. More subdued go with a mustard yellow.
Remove the blanket ladder because it does not fit in style wise and get yellow throws than can be stored in a basket.
I like the added lamp. You say you like candles and yellow candles are an easy accent.
Replace red outdoor cushions with yellow to integrate the backyard.
I would add something to draw your eye up.Too much going on on one level. Either a taller piece of art, taller floor lamp that has more weight or color in the base or shade.
Take a look at the jonathan adler line for inspiration.
Sure, you could do that, but the sofa color is not the reason the room has a generic look rather than a cozy, inviting look.
If by gold accents you mean that gold table, no, it wouldn't look good with either sofa. Additionally, where you had it placed in the one photo was an obstacle. Obstacles are uninviting.
If you change the sofa to the blue color, you definitely have to change the rug which you could keep with the white sofa if you made some of the suggested changes. In any case, the other changes would need to be made for either sofa color for a cozier, more cohesive design ... change the wall art, replace quilt rack with table and lamp, books on the shelf equal instant cozy, removing obstacles like the tray full of stuff on the ottoman, and possibly some of the pillows. Did I mention how uninviting obstacles are?
Amen and amen.
First and foremost, a room must be COMFORTABLE - I don't care what style it's in, it's got to be comfortable. To me, this room, while lovely in many ways, doesn't seem comfortable. Especially all that fal-der-rah on the ottoman. Candles, vases, hot wax - YIKES. Then you have what seems to be mounds of pillows, but they are perfectly situated and propped up - that's an obstacle to most people. Then you have a white sofa - another "obstacle" in the sense that many people are going to be unable to relax on a white sofa.
OP, maybe this will help you to see what's missing. Design has everything to do with how the human brain interprets the natural world whether you are designing a room or a building.
I think you have natural talent, and your instinct that something is missing is spot on. You are missing a few basic design principles and elements, proportion/scale, balance, rhythm, harmony, color. There is a valid reason for basic design principles. It's what your brain wants and expects.
The tv and sofa are disconnected because there is no design flow to connect them. The brain doesn't fully relax because it can't resolve this.
The human brain is always looking for patterns and repetition, like a repeated shape or color throughout a room - a design flow or rhythm. When the brain doesn't get what it expects, it's not relaxed.
The brain is disturbed by disproportion, like the wall art; or something that doesn't stylistically belong or breaks rhythm, like the rack, or obstacles like fragile objects on an ottoman intended for feet. Not conducive to relaxation.
I know, I'm such a geek. Seriously though, if you remember and utilize the basic design principles and elements, you'll find that designing a comfortable, relaxing space is very easy. And your brain will be happy and relaxed.
Sure, you could do that, but the sofa color is not the reason the room has a generic look rather than a cozy, inviting look.
If by gold accents you mean that gold table, no, it wouldn't look good with either sofa. Additionally, where you had it placed in the one photo was an obstacle. Obstacles are uninviting.
If you change the sofa to the blue color, you definitely have to change the rug which you could keep with the white sofa if you made some of the suggested changes. In any case, the other changes would need to be made for either sofa color for a cozier, more cohesive design ... change the wall art, replace quilt rack with table and lamp, books on the shelf equal instant cozy, removing obstacles like the tray full of stuff on the ottoman, and possibly some of the pillows. Did I mention how uninviting obstacles are?
Amen and amen.
First and foremost, a room must be COMFORTABLE - I don't care what style it's in, it's got to be comfortable. To me, this room, while lovely in many ways, doesn't seem comfortable. Especially all that fal-der-rah on the ottoman. Candles, vases, hot wax - YIKES. Then you have what seems to be mounds of pillows, but they are perfectly situated and propped up - that's an obstacle to most people. Then you have a white sofa - another "obstacle" in the sense that many people are going to be unable to relax on a white sofa.
OP, I would:
Paint the accent wall.
Change out the art for something more colorful and inviting.
Probably change the rug.
Consider changing the curtains though if you change the rug and wall color you may not need to do that.
I would get rid of about half those pillows and just casually throw pillows - with accent colors - around on that sofa.
Actually I hate to say this but I wouldn't have a white sofa. With lots of pillows. Just...no. Not family room material.
I like a lot of things about the room. I like the layout. I like the scale of the furniture. You seem to have nice natural light and a good view outside. You don't have TOO MUCH furniture either, so that's nice. It's open and airy and light - those are all very good bones.
I don't have a white sofa, I have a leather sofa. But it's a neutral like yours. I change out the pillows to pull different colors from the rug throughout the year. Same with throws. I went with no curtains at all. I also have an ottoman instead of a coffee table and I love it, but I keep things low on it, and I also use the tray for a place to put drinks, and there is no danger, real or imagined, of dumping anything over if someone puts their feet on the ottoman, which is actually what it's for anyway.
A white sofa is popular among the younger generation. I have adult kids close to the OP's age and 2 of them opted for white sofas. It hasn't presented any problems for either of them. One of them has a young child too.
I wouldn't want a white sofa but it works for some people.
Leave the empty tray IF it's stable enough to set a glass and not have it be dangerous. If it's tippy or would spill if someone bumps the ottoman or puts their feet up, then I would not encourage guests to use it for a place to set a drink.
Why have an ottoman if it isn’t going to be used as an ottoman? That seems silly to me. I think a lot of people want to be able to put their feet up and that’s the whole point. Other small tables could be used for drinks instead of a table on an ottoman that might not be stable. Do you not want to use the ottoman because it’s white? If so, then maybe the switch to the secondary color would be better and then you could have a more engaging rug. For some reason, this particular setup just looks to me like “high end apartment advertisement photo chic” to me... it is just too generic.
I also agree with the people who say all the pillows need to go. Choose a couple with a pop of color and then get rid of the sea of pillows. I know I have this problem too and have my very own PillowSea, but it is at least on a secondary couch.
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