It looks like a nice comfy home for your dad & I agree with bigreader about keeping the quality furniture & probably some of his sentimental attachment to it intact. The blinds could be softened with inexpensive gathered sheer curtains on a rod & tied back with rope or something beachy. If you have the time look out for garage sales & vintage or 2nd hand stores for interesting curios which may be more common where he lives now, even some quality 2nd hand cane furniture might crop up. Some of his existing furniture might be suitable for painting white or lime wash to freshen it up.

If you use more blue & white as a theme...

East Hampton Beach Cottage · More Info

I think some white framed pictures & mirrors on the walls, plus some nautical themed items in blues & whitewash tones will offset the darkness.

indah island · More Info

Thank you Bigreader and Louie T. Great comments and advice from you both. Louie T, I love those reference pictures. I think I might look for a similar buffet/hutch and paint white and add the different elements you recommend. I can see the blue, white with a little greenery creates a very fresh look. I'll send pics once done.

Thank you again

I hope your dad enjoys his sea change arcmaz :)))

Ormiston, Brisbane · More Info

Thank you LouieT

what do you think if I put a pine hutch painted white on the wall opposite the table? Not sure what I would place on wall between the table and where arm chair starts.

I would just have a buffet instead & dress the wall above to leave air space as the rooms are not that large. You will need to be careful that you add only what is needed for storage & then add for decorative interest without crowding things in there.

Lightweight furniture like cane &/or open style furniture to emphasise the relaxed & more casual vibe your dad may need.

I'm with the others in not replacing decent, if dated, furniture with cheap stuff. I might be inclined to switch the positions of the chairs and the sofa so that the dining and living areas are a bit more open. You could think about replacing the two chairs in due course with something a bit more beachy (wicker?) but keep the sofa. I agree with a buffet in the dining area, and maybe put the picture that's above Dad's bed there as well. The spare bedrooms just need more modern bedding. Overall, I think you'd be better off investing in bedding, some wall decorations and a buffet than in replacing the existing furniture.

I would suggest, the one big investment would be to buy 4 modern leather recliners, with seperate foot stools, the type Harvey Norman carry, not the ones that are solid, but some have round bases or similar light bases, they would look a lot less heavy in the smallish lounge room and they are very comfortable for older persons, would allow a lot more movement around them. Then artwork on the walls, particularly up the centre hallway, perhaps mixed in with sepia family photos. Then kilm rugs for a bit more colour with complementary scatter cushions. Carry the same tones into the kitchen in the way of canisters, small appliances etc and you are done. If you can find a second hand, more modern, bedroom suite on Gumtree or similar as that would be the one lot of your dad's furniture, which, I personally would find hard to live with. Add a nice modern doona cover, you can buy them for as little as $10 at Kmart and you are finished. So the only real expense is in the recliners! Your dad is lucky to have a caring daughter or son? Good luck

To start with, don't try to do the whole house at once, you will only confuse yourself more. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day. Plan room at a time, look for available options in your price range and then ensure everything comes together through the whole house. A colour scheme can achieve this and introducing blues and greens will keep the look fresh and modern but still masculine. Maybe introduce dad to Houzz too so he can give you ideas of what he would really like.

Agree with Louie some simple sheer white curtains would soften the blinds and dress up the rooms better.

I don't see anything wrong with keeping the guest room beds if they are comfortable but new, more modern linen would make a huge difference. I think I would have to lose the dressing table in the master bedroom though, but to keep the bed and add new bedside tables and drawers would not be out of place.

I would definitely look for new artwork though, unless your dad has any sentimental reason for keeping any he has. Check out $2 shops, many of them have inexpensive canvas prints these days that can be used very effectively. It comes down to how creative you can be. Check out Houzz for interesting ways to hang artwork too. $2 shops are also good for finding interesting pieces to create a coastal look especially when it is all very "in" at the moment.

If the lounge is still good and comfortable, don't rush to replace it. It is a little bulky for the room but keep everything else to a minimum. The glass coffee table for example, is a good idea as it visually does not take up space.

The most important thing for older people is to have furniture that is not too difficult to move for cleaning and to keep beds and chairs at a realistic height for ease of sitting and standing as joints get older.

Good luck with it all.

Painting the bedroom furniture instead of replacing would save a lot.

Go far out to the country via eBay etc to get lower prices on 1950 s or 1960 s furniture for the lounge room. These still have the support and quality that older folk need. Look for brands like Parker etc. do your home work and check for woodworm. Will be cheaper than ikea. Make a nice day of it for your father and the kids, do some fun stuff too.

The lounge suite looks cosy but a bit large for the space. Perhaps the 3-seater lounge could be replaced with a 2-seater or the whole suite replaced with 2 x 2-seaters. The dining suite could be replaced with a more suitable one for the family. I would not change the beds as they appear to be of good quality but the dressing table could be replaced with a chest of drawers which would provide more storage. If 2 beds are not needed in the 2nd bedroom then only could be removed and a bookcase could be placed in that room, making it a guest and study room. Replacing the quilt covers on the beds with more modern and brighter colours would make a huge difference. A few modern wall hangings would also brighten up the rooms. This way you would not have to spend a lot.

Time flies.