Decor Advise

The livingroom/dining room rugs are red. My mom loved the elegance. The 2 rooms are seperated by a built in divider. The furniture in the living room is contemporary, but there's a hint of *heavier* furniture. The walls are ...hmmmm.. *off white* as my mother liked to say.

Anyway, it's my house now and I'd love to redecorate. It's taken me time to *let go*. I always liked the interior, and lived with it, but now I realize, it's not *me*. I want to work around the furniture I have just now. Not in a position to buy new stuff.

I bought a interior design book and saw a lot of green in combination with red. The opposite on the color chart. It didn't look *Christmasy* which is what I was afraid of. But I'd have to rehopolster the sofas. I want warm, yet colorful. I want to steer away from beiges and ecrus. I'm willing to experiment.

Also, would the dining area have to be the same color since the rooms are seperated, yet considered one big room.

Anybody good at this stuff? I can't believe how indecisive I am and how hard it is, at least for me.

Thanks, if you feel like helping.

Oh, Goodie!! :D

Pass the color charts ...

Uhhh, did I mention I'm :eek: *Color Blind* ?

Ya shudda seen me cutting the "Gels" (colored gelatin sheets) and
installing them on a few hundred stage lights in High School!
:eek:

Only took a few totally screwed up lighting rehearsals to convince one & all
that "Gellin Lights" was NOT going to be my specialty!

:p

I'm color fearless myself (I have a true purple sofa, for example) but too much color can be disturbing. If you want to create flow, as you say, warmer colors such as the beige that you mentioned, do the job. Splashes of color w/toss pillows, throws, window treatments, etc. create cohesion. One colorful object, such as an accent wall, create a focal point. Otherwise, your eyes won't know where to focus and a sense of chaos prevails in the room. Why not check out HGTV online? There is so much info to choose from there and you can even email the experts and ask their advice.

When you begin, totally empty the room so that you have a blank canvas, so to speak. Draw simple sketches of furniture placement and measure, measure, measure to be sure that everything fits and that you're not trying to make it all work. And I can tell you from experience, more often than not, reupholstering is more expensive than buying new. Unless you are keeping the furniture for sentimental reasons, let it go and start fresh when you're financially able. Good luck w/your project and, above all, have fun w/it. I'd love to be there w/you to be in on it. I LOVE projects like this. :)

Hey Karen.... how about a real life interior designer coming for a consult? Hubby and I can come for a visit, I can meet you, meet your home, then go off to visit our daughter at Gwynedd just down the street. PM me.

sounds like fun!... it also depends on what you want to keep... furniture.. and do something fun on the walls remove carpet... keep red carpets.. upholster the furniture... or keep both and just add details or paint the wall...

a pic of it all can make our minds mess around with ideas to give to you...

I love rich greens and gold myself in a lounge area, with velvets,and no my house looks nothing like that lol.

Without a pic Karen it is a bit hard to picture , any chance of putting one on here to give us more idea.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by catnapper

Hey Karen.... how about a real life interior designer coming for a consult? Hubby and I can come for a visit, I can meet you, meet your home, then go off to visit our daughter at Gwynedd just down the street. PM me.

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REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????? ?????

How :cool: would that be??????
Tell you what, after my cast is off and I don't need more surgery, AND, most importantly, clean up my disasterous mess, I'd LOVE for you both to come. We can make a day of it too. I'm so excited already!!!!! We can take lots of photos and make everyone jealous! :p Thank You! Thank You! I sure could use professional help.

Mary (Medusa) .. I LOVE purple! Your sofa must be awesome!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by K9karen

Mary (Medusa) .. I LOVE purple! Your sofa must be awesome!

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Thanx, me, too. :) Lucky girl, you, to get an offer such as the above. Please take before and after photos and share them w/us.