I am going to try to host a linky party for getting help/advice - let's see how it goes! Link up your questions about design problems and hopefully we can all help each other out!
Help Me Monday!
I have turned a blind eye for the last 6 months to the poor, neglected red headed step child of a Living Room/Dining Room. Those are the rooms we use the least, and they have been easy to ignore. But in a whim yesterday I thought we should try some different furniture arrangements.
First I should introduce the star of the show, the belle of the ball - the elephant in the room, literally - Big Bertha the Grand Piano.
Not a baby grand piano, Ryan couldn't have that - we must have a GRAND piano that he plays less than ten times a year that we have lugged from house to house and bought each house around this huge piano that doesn't fit nicely anywhere. OK - I think I got all that out..moving on...
She sits here in the front of the room, blocking all natural furniture placement.
After I saw this blog post by Judy on finding the perfect furniture arrangement:
http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2011/01/finding-perfect-furniture-arrangement.html
I thought - oh my! My living room is set up just like this, I can do this very arrangement! Only to be told be the occasional piano player that no way could we even move the elephant, I mean Bertha to that spot by ourselves without breaking her legs - but she is a GRAND piano, therefore much longer than the piano in the above room, and would take up much more of the room this way.
So, with much effort, we inched Bertha to a less angled spot, and more towards the window wall so we could move the sofa down a bit. Here is what we came up with:
It looks like all of the furniture has been shoved to the right side of the room.
We brought in this cabinet that has been hanging out in the guest room until I can get it on craigslist, just to see if it was any better with something on that wall.
The previous arrangement had the slipper chairs over on the wall where the black cabinet is now - but that wasn't great either.
Any helpful words of advice here? Other than ditch the piano on craigslist along with the black cabinet? And that hideous fake tree too!
Here it is from one more angle:
Oh how I miss you my San Antonio Rose!
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I think the chairs should face the sofa to create a more intimate feel. Place a small, dark table in between the chairs to break up the fabrics & draw in the color of the piano. I would replace the coffee table with two small upholstered benches/stools to add color. The piano is beautiful BTW!
ReplyDeleteWell, this does look like a challenge. My suggestion is to try the sofa in front of the window and then the chairs, one on each side for a grouping. Maybe the piano in the corner where the chairs are now. Can't tell from the size of the room, but maybe it would work. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteLove the black cabinet! =] That piano is gorgeous......big......but gorgeous. =]
ReplyDeleteSorry I don't have much advice, I struggle in this myself. =\
Those front windows are beautiful and long! =]
Good luck Liz, looking forward to what you decide. =]
I so wish we lived near each other now that your house is not magazine perfect it would make me feel so much better about my house! I vote you hire movers while hubby is out of town to move Big Bertha down to the fabulous basement/man cave!
ReplyDeleteOn a serious note, wow, that's a hard room to arrange, the couch is the awkward looking thing to me, how bare would the room look without it?
Can't wait to see what you decide!! Where did the curtains come from...not really a fan.
And Micah thinks the plant thing by the curtains looks like some kind of critter.
Have you thought about moving the piano to where the big black chest is now. That way you would have both the long wall and the window wall for your furniture. Or how about swapping the piano and couch. Move the chairs to in front of the windows. Yes, in either case the piano will block the entry to the dining rm but your chairs block it now and because the piano would be on an angle it may not look as blocked as it does now. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteTurn the piano so that when he sits to play, his back will be to the wall and he'll be facing out into the room.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say:
ReplyDeleteTake the chest and the tree away, and move the slipper chairs so they are across from (and facing) the couch. They will need some sort of table(s), bench, ottoman, etc., in between them.
Thank you ladies! I love these great ideas. I am excited to try them! Now I just have to wait for my mover to get home!
ReplyDelete