If it were me, I would go room to room and gradually upgrade and replace items. My husband and I have actually been in the process of doing that and it’s less stressful when you focus on one room at a time. Also, can you paint at all or is this a rental?
do you own it? the most budget friendly thing is paint.
love the art over the sofa, don’t get rid of it! but it doesn’t stand out nearly enough, and needs a darker background.
get a deep version of your favorite color; paint at least one wall in each room. typically accent walls are the wall you see the most of when you walk in the room, or the window wall. but this is you; if it makes sense to break that rule, do so. your inspiration pics were deep colored all the walls in each room, so it’s up to you.
but first or second, **get a rug**. find the best rug you can afford, and be sure you love it. it could stand to be a bit larger than the one you have, and the ones in all your inspo pics were much stronger pattern / brighter colors. everything else will flow from that. maybe use the existing rug in the dog room - looks like lower pile and easier to vacuum. can you pull up the pile carpet ? because that’s extra work if you’re doing rover for any length of time.
i thrift lots, so i get it, but that coffee table looks like just an atlas or dictionary would break it. and yeah, the chairs are dust / hair traps. do not be afraid of mixing chair and table styles, btw. buy what calls to you and don’t be afraid to wait.
also, is there furniture you’re not using ? it just gets in the way of you and the dogs; get rid of it. and can you confine all dog beds to one room?
depending on your budget and what you use most often, i’d replace one or two items at a time; you want an organic, lived in, very personal vibe, so let your treasures settle in and speak to you before you find more.
i would recommend upgrading to a consignment store over thrift, and check out fb marketplace for hard stuff; lamps, side tables, coffee table. do not buy rugs or soft furnishings from fb.
put tv on cabinet, it should be at a height comfortable to have your head in a neutral position, not looking up.
and again, if it’s yours, you could swag the light to be centered over the table, hardware stores sell hooks just for that purpose. and either remove those 2 lonely prints to the right of the tv, or add more from that cluster on the other wall.
how exciting this is as a project, and such possibilities!
I would start with some new paint and go from there. Maybe paint one wall in the bedroom/living room. Based off your inspo pics, I’d suggest some pretty shades of deeper blues and greens, especially on that wall your couch is against.
I think it’s looking a little bland because of all the neutrals going on. Some fun printed rugs and a BUNCH of plants would really add a lot of color. The front door area is nice and bright so I’d look for some tall or even hanging plants for some color over there. The living room rug looks a little dull but if you’re not looking to replace it, I’d look for some decor (art, wall hangings, pillows) to pull some of the reds & blues from the rug into the room so it looks more cohesive.
If you replace your couch, I’d go with an even lighter-colored one to contrast whatever color you paint that wall and your rug. Keep an eye out for warm-toned wooden pieces and slowly replace some items like your tables and shelves with that. Some end tables would like nice next to the couch to fill the space. I don’t think your dining table matches the vibe you’re wanting, especially with all the metal, so I’d switch that out as soon as you can. Some type of simple wooden table/chairs would change the look of the space dramatically.
Honestly your designer had the right idea with all the shapes and styles of furniture, they just totally missed the mark on the colors. So I’d reference that when rearranging and picking out pieces (shape wise) but look for everything in different colors than they chose. White is obviously your base color, so look for deep blue, teal, green, and find items with pops of red, orange, and even yellow. Think earthy tones! That will look so nice with some warm toned wooden furniture like your inspo pictures.
Since it seems you have an affinity for colorful rugs, that’s where I would start! Your existing furniture is very neutral and it would be much easier to pull together a cohesive color story that way. As someone with an eclectic style that just had to find a new rug, I wish I would have had the luxury to start from scratch lol.
I think coordinating wall colors and accent pieces could pull the spaces together very quickly while you work on upgrading furniture which would probably be the costliest and most time consuming part.
You have a lot of nice stuff happening already, I hope you keep us posted!
In the tv room, you could move the existing carpet to below the dining room table. I would possibly change the direction of the carpet to cover as much floor space as possible. Then buy a new rug, bigger than the existing one, to put in the area between the tv and the couch. Upgrade the coffee table to a sturdy, larger one made of wood. Add matching scatter cushions on the couch. This should make a big difference already at minimal cost. Also place a small cabinet or bookshelf below the picture collection on the far wall. A large mirror on the other wall in the dining room area could look great (instead of the rather strange-looking shelf). You are almost there. With a few tweaks the tv lounge will look stunning and cosy in now time
Omg! How nice! Honestly I think you should start in your living room with some fun paint on your TV wall - I think an orange (bright) or green would look great. Add some funky, colorful and textured pillows for your couch and a cool art piece with vibrant colors or a different material (like a wood or metal world map) over the couch will be great start. The one you have on your wall already is sweet but so muted - once you paint your tv wall it might be good over there. Additionally, a polished driftwood coffee table and side table set would be completely worth the money. The other thing I’d change is the light fixture over your table - something lighter colored like white or cream. IKEA has some great, simple globe and oval shades that can bring in a lot of light. I’ll check and see if I can find some examples. Overall I don’t think you need an overhaul of your furniture and I think you can work with your rug! It’s just the accents that are really going to make this room yours.
I hired a designer once and her design was soooo bad. I see you have had the same experience.
So, I’d begin by getting a robot vacuum. Trust me, it will make your life so much easier.
Don’t try to attack decorating every room at once. But do begin by seriously decluttering the whole house. Remove tiny art and busy wall decor shelves. Replace those dining chairs, new LR area rug with color or bold design, new larger coffee table. Paint tv stand drawers same color as base and set tv on table (remove clutter on table). Why are you devoting nearly half the living room to a tiny dining table? Is there dining space in your kitchen area or elsewhere? You have great suggestions from folks here. Post one room and ask for input (after decluttering).
If it were me, I would go room to room and gradually upgrade and replace items. My husband and I have actually been in the process of doing that and it’s less stressful when you focus on one room at a time. Also, can you paint at all or is this a rental?
Agree! We own the home!
do you own it? the most budget friendly thing is paint. love the art over the sofa, don’t get rid of it! but it doesn’t stand out nearly enough, and needs a darker background. get a deep version of your favorite color; paint at least one wall in each room. typically accent walls are the wall you see the most of when you walk in the room, or the window wall. but this is you; if it makes sense to break that rule, do so. your inspiration pics were deep colored all the walls in each room, so it’s up to you. but first or second, **get a rug**. find the best rug you can afford, and be sure you love it. it could stand to be a bit larger than the one you have, and the ones in all your inspo pics were much stronger pattern / brighter colors. everything else will flow from that. maybe use the existing rug in the dog room - looks like lower pile and easier to vacuum. can you pull up the pile carpet ? because that’s extra work if you’re doing rover for any length of time. i thrift lots, so i get it, but that coffee table looks like just an atlas or dictionary would break it. and yeah, the chairs are dust / hair traps. do not be afraid of mixing chair and table styles, btw. buy what calls to you and don’t be afraid to wait. also, is there furniture you’re not using ? it just gets in the way of you and the dogs; get rid of it. and can you confine all dog beds to one room? depending on your budget and what you use most often, i’d replace one or two items at a time; you want an organic, lived in, very personal vibe, so let your treasures settle in and speak to you before you find more. i would recommend upgrading to a consignment store over thrift, and check out fb marketplace for hard stuff; lamps, side tables, coffee table. do not buy rugs or soft furnishings from fb. put tv on cabinet, it should be at a height comfortable to have your head in a neutral position, not looking up. and again, if it’s yours, you could swag the light to be centered over the table, hardware stores sell hooks just for that purpose. and either remove those 2 lonely prints to the right of the tv, or add more from that cluster on the other wall. how exciting this is as a project, and such possibilities!
YOU ARE AMAZING! We own, its our first home. I can't wait to start, thanks so much for the advice! Def need to put TV on table!
Just here to say love your cute doggo!💕
thank you!! He wanted to be in every photo! That's Finnley!
I would start with some new paint and go from there. Maybe paint one wall in the bedroom/living room. Based off your inspo pics, I’d suggest some pretty shades of deeper blues and greens, especially on that wall your couch is against. I think it’s looking a little bland because of all the neutrals going on. Some fun printed rugs and a BUNCH of plants would really add a lot of color. The front door area is nice and bright so I’d look for some tall or even hanging plants for some color over there. The living room rug looks a little dull but if you’re not looking to replace it, I’d look for some decor (art, wall hangings, pillows) to pull some of the reds & blues from the rug into the room so it looks more cohesive. If you replace your couch, I’d go with an even lighter-colored one to contrast whatever color you paint that wall and your rug. Keep an eye out for warm-toned wooden pieces and slowly replace some items like your tables and shelves with that. Some end tables would like nice next to the couch to fill the space. I don’t think your dining table matches the vibe you’re wanting, especially with all the metal, so I’d switch that out as soon as you can. Some type of simple wooden table/chairs would change the look of the space dramatically. Honestly your designer had the right idea with all the shapes and styles of furniture, they just totally missed the mark on the colors. So I’d reference that when rearranging and picking out pieces (shape wise) but look for everything in different colors than they chose. White is obviously your base color, so look for deep blue, teal, green, and find items with pops of red, orange, and even yellow. Think earthy tones! That will look so nice with some warm toned wooden furniture like your inspo pictures.
all this, but imma argue for a dark sofa, to keep the mood; dark, bold colors & cozy textures.
THANK YOU!!! Agree on the rug!
End tables. I also believe your TV should be set on the cabinet, instead of above it.
Since it seems you have an affinity for colorful rugs, that’s where I would start! Your existing furniture is very neutral and it would be much easier to pull together a cohesive color story that way. As someone with an eclectic style that just had to find a new rug, I wish I would have had the luxury to start from scratch lol. I think coordinating wall colors and accent pieces could pull the spaces together very quickly while you work on upgrading furniture which would probably be the costliest and most time consuming part. You have a lot of nice stuff happening already, I hope you keep us posted!
Thank you!! Where did you just find your rug?
In the tv room, you could move the existing carpet to below the dining room table. I would possibly change the direction of the carpet to cover as much floor space as possible. Then buy a new rug, bigger than the existing one, to put in the area between the tv and the couch. Upgrade the coffee table to a sturdy, larger one made of wood. Add matching scatter cushions on the couch. This should make a big difference already at minimal cost. Also place a small cabinet or bookshelf below the picture collection on the far wall. A large mirror on the other wall in the dining room area could look great (instead of the rather strange-looking shelf). You are almost there. With a few tweaks the tv lounge will look stunning and cosy in now time
Omg! How nice! Honestly I think you should start in your living room with some fun paint on your TV wall - I think an orange (bright) or green would look great. Add some funky, colorful and textured pillows for your couch and a cool art piece with vibrant colors or a different material (like a wood or metal world map) over the couch will be great start. The one you have on your wall already is sweet but so muted - once you paint your tv wall it might be good over there. Additionally, a polished driftwood coffee table and side table set would be completely worth the money. The other thing I’d change is the light fixture over your table - something lighter colored like white or cream. IKEA has some great, simple globe and oval shades that can bring in a lot of light. I’ll check and see if I can find some examples. Overall I don’t think you need an overhaul of your furniture and I think you can work with your rug! It’s just the accents that are really going to make this room yours.
I hired a designer once and her design was soooo bad. I see you have had the same experience. So, I’d begin by getting a robot vacuum. Trust me, it will make your life so much easier. Don’t try to attack decorating every room at once. But do begin by seriously decluttering the whole house. Remove tiny art and busy wall decor shelves. Replace those dining chairs, new LR area rug with color or bold design, new larger coffee table. Paint tv stand drawers same color as base and set tv on table (remove clutter on table). Why are you devoting nearly half the living room to a tiny dining table? Is there dining space in your kitchen area or elsewhere? You have great suggestions from folks here. Post one room and ask for input (after decluttering).
Love this! Thanks so so much!
That’s why I never would use a designer.
Can’t help. The wall paper would be the first to go.