Wrong couch?!

11 years ago

Hi all,
We just moved house and are pretty much starting from scratch with furniture. This couch is brand new (about a month old) and comfy, but unfortunately I fear that it doesn't go with the chairs. I really like the chairs, and they probably suit the look we are going for a little bit more - we are sort of after elements of 1920's-ish elegance in our overall look. I think the major issue is that the shape of the couch doesn't match the shape of the chairs and the look we are going for. It is a small living room, and we are trying to be careful about not overcrowding, but want four seats, and no other configuration is suitable. As we are starting from scratch, we haven't much else in the way of furnishings yet.

I am willing to sell this couch and buy another more appropriate one if I have to. I have seen one that is very similar (colour, height of legs) but with rolled armrests, that may be better. But I just want to confirm with others that the couch is definitely wrong and there's nothing else we can try first. Thanks in advance!

Lyndal

Featured Answer

mldesign0401

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Can I suggest placing the two gorgeous armchairs in front of your window, slightly angled, not entirely in each corner, but not right in front of that window either, create enough room to place a small occassional table in between, this makes a real feature of them in front of the window, which is also the best element of the room.
Place your navy sofa directly opposite them about a meter away in front he rooms entrance, allowing you to walk around them, this will do a couple of things.
1. Direct you into a cosy new zone where conversation and cosyness take centre stage, and secondly, it will make the armchairs the first thing you see walking in, making the Sofa less of an influencing factor, and more of a practical placement.
You could place a slim hall stand behind the low sofa, with perhaps a grouping of collected objects, a vase, some prints etc to further draw attention away from the sofa.
Again, as per Fiona, bring in some cushions, perhaps rectangular indigo velvet or an ink blue for that deco luxury and sophistication, on the cream armchairs, it will tie them both in, and a cream mohair throw folded nicely over one end of your sofa to do the same thing.
Either side of the window, hang a poster sized frame each side to play on the symmetry you create with the chairs, again reinforcing he attention towards this back wall.
The armchairs will remain the features, an your personal flair does not have to be matchy matchy. I agree the difference of form is what is not working mostly, the square arms versus the rolled ones. The seating style is less a factor, so if you did buy another go with a rolled arm instead.
I would still create this seating hub, it could be further enhanced by introducing an area rug, some metallics, perhaps the frames or a coffee table with a glass top, metallic were strongly used in the opulent 1920 interiors. Think extravagance and geometric form, which we now have in spades, as it's right on trend, and happens to go with your style, there should be an abundance of decorative things to really bring this room to life.
Good luck.

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Comments (19)

Fiona
11 years ago
By having the lounge between the chairs you are emphasising the difference between the two. Although the lounge is 'boxy' compared to the chairs, the difference is heightened by the black/white juxtaposition. There is currently nothing tying the items together. Try some cushions which include black, white and at least one other colour.

BTW looks like you have a gorgeous room, love the floorboards.
Fiona
11 years ago
I forgot to say they the two chairs together.
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Luke Buckle
11 years ago
What about a cotton slipcover on the couch?
lmage
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for your suggestions!

The cushions are a great idea, to tie the colours together - thanks Fiona. The couch is actually a navy blue (tricky to get the lighting right for the photo). We have cushions that are black and white which really don't help at all! I will try your suggestion.

Luke, do you mean a cotton slipcover in the same/similar colour as the chairs?

I kind of like having different colours but perhaps the contrast is too marked.
lmage
Original Author
11 years ago
Oh, and as for moving the two chairs together - it made one side of the room look really top heavy, as they are taller and heavier than the couch, and it is a small space. I will try to post a pic of that soon so you can see what I mean. Thanks!
caroandlee
11 years ago
Agree with Fiona. Is there a way to place the two armchairs together, then the sofa on the other wall? Whilst the singles will be taller and heavier, maybe you have space for a floor lamp on the other side of the sofa to balance this out? At the moment you have many changes of line and shape for your eye in the space. If you can rework the layout, then a floor rug, cushions, throw etc will tie the colours together. I think you just need to get the balance right in what will be a lovely cosy room.
lmage
Original Author
11 years ago
Attached are some pics of the armchairs together. We have tried the couch on one wall and the armchairs on the opposite wall, facing the couch, as well. The problem with this is that it makes the windows the focal point (they are not great windows) and also cuts the room in half.

As you can see, the opposite half of the room has a tv in one corner, and looking towards the kitchen (sitting on the couch), there is a door on the left. So to have the chairs facing each other, they'd all be in the section behind the door, (where they are now) and then because your coffee table would have to go in between the seats, the half of the room that is closest to the kitchen would be pretty bare. At the moment, with the chairs in the configuration originally shown, at least we can have a rug, coffee table further out into the centre of the room, utilising more space.

Soooo confused!
lmage
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you so much for your creative advice! It was such a good idea! The only problem is that the room is not quite big enough. The couch ended up being straight in front of the front door (less than a metre), and therefore sort of hit you straight when you came in. Any further forward and it was too close to the chairs, and any further back and it blocked the path from the door to the kitchen. So sad!

How about this? (see attached). The chairs are directly opposite the front door, on either side of another window (the hideous picture was from previous owners and covers an old air conditioning unit - we intend to replace this, and could do a similar sort of thing to what you mentioned on the back wall). I think this works, but the couch would definitely need to be changed, I think.

I'd really appreciate your opinion on this, and whether you think this would work for the overall look we want to go for. And what type of sofa would work if we changed it. It would still need to be a 2 seater, I think, or otherwise it's too much. (And I think the couch would look wrong if it was off centre of the window).

Thanks again for your time and much needed creativity!
Lyndal
caroandlee
11 years ago
Now you are getting there....this is what I meant. It's tricky without a floor plan, but I think the grouping works much better. You will see which way around works best, but I think you have a good base to work with. I quite like the 'older style' plus more modern sofa. Keeps you away from matchy matchy. You have space on the RHS of the sofa for a floor lamp, & would love to see a great rug on the floor - check out Armadillo, Potterybarn, or West Elm, and would go for a round coffee table or upholstered Bongo(s) from King Furniture depending on your style and needs. There are so many great cushions out there, I would keep them and any throws until last. Hope this helps.
lmage
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for your input. Yes, I am a bit more settled with this layout. I feel like the couch is still off, but am glad you don't think it looks terrible! Here is a floor plan.
Fiona
11 years ago
I reckon we can make this work (thanks for the plan, can't help myself love a plan!). Is it possible to put the tv on the wall,opposite the front door, on the right of the windows. Put the chairs in the corner to the right of the front door as mldesign suggested and then the sofa 'floats' in the space (doesn't have to be square) facing the windows, on the wall opposite the kitchen door. This creates the living space. Then you can create an entry space in the corner between the two door with a console table. It may be a bit squishy but I think it could work.
mldesign0401
11 years ago
Just for some fun, since I picture you pushing these chairs around, and I know it's heaps of fun fir you, swap my original suggestion around. Opposite so the sofa is where you now have it, pretty much all you can do there, and the two chairs either side of the kitchen doorway. This way the sofa is for watching tv, and should two or more people be in the room, only one chair is not focused on tv, and conversation is more likely in this case anyway. Give it a try, and then rule it out.
lmage
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you all! Fiona, the tv wall mount would be very difficult to move..this would be a last resort. Old house = asbestos = wanting to minimise major wall alterations!

As for putting the chairs on either side of the kitchen door, I tried this before, and did just again, (I'm a sucker for punishment) and it probably would have been a good look, but the front door opens into the chair on the left side of the kitchen door/opening (on the left side when faxing the kitchen). There is a very limited space here, and the door swings through most of it, it is kind of dead space. Although a long narrow table along the wall was my vision for this area - a place to pop keys etc and put some much needed decorative features. The only other variation I can do is to angle the chairs slightly from where they are now, so that they angle in towards each other (with the one closest to the tv facing slightly away from it. There's only two of us and when we have people over we generally aren't watching tv (we don't watch much at all) anyway.

So what is the overall verdict, after all that? Do you think we can still achieve an ok look with the configuration we have, perhaps with a different couch and all the decorative features previously mentioned? Or do I have to sell my chairs too? Although not keen to do that, I would if it means having a room I'm happy with.

Thanks again! I have felt very supported by you all during this very stressful weekend of managing a decorating crisis!
caroandlee
11 years ago
Good job with the floorplan. Have had my two cents worth, but I definitely wouldn't sell the chairs, and really think soft furnishings will define the space and add to your lovely home. It's just a bit like getting dressed! Each layer improves the outcome..Your couch is a relatively neutral piece, and if you're still unhappy further along, you can always change your mind. Do you think it's the shape you aren't sure of, or the colour tone? Just make sure the rug you choose isn't too small. It needs to go part under the furniture to draw the room together. Karen
mldesign0401
11 years ago
It's a shame those tw corners don't allow the armchairs, even tilted as I would place them.
With all else failing, I think the best scenario would be to place those chairs s you have them in the second last images, opposite the front door, although turn them slightly inward and place. Table in between them. I would purchase a chaise sofa where your navy one is, so the long chaise is next to the door, a great place for lounging.

I think a rug and small coffee table will pull it all together for you. The armchairs will be yur luxury. And if you can, dress the windows so the soft furnishing appear more opulent and tie in with the furniture style.
White Shutters would look amazing, but costly, although worth the investment, you could hang white timber venetians in the meantime, and I would have upholstered pellets in a coordinating fabric to one or two of your cushions. Bu them first, then visit spotlight to pick up some material that matches, and cover a mdf pelmet with Dacron (wadding), then the fabric with a staple gun. Angle brackets attached to the insde then the window frame will extend colour form the sofas up toward your ceiling, emphasizing your vertical space, prints will then fill the middle ground.
Good luck
Fiona
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Having a hard time getting started on a Monday, but saw these cushions on Temple&Webster, there are a few other in the white/blue textured line and they are a good price for the brand
Fiona
11 years ago
I don't think you need to start again. After all your furniture moving, I'm sure you've come up with something that works and will be ready to ollpase on the lounge! Get some cushions and a coffee table, live with it for a while and if you're still not happy change out the lounge.
lmage
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you again! mldesign0401, do you mean a corner chaise lounge? Do you think a similar colour but more rounded lines would work?

Fiona, thanks for digging out those cushion pics, they look great!

If I pull it off, I'll attach some pics when it's done, so you can all see!

Lyndal