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Hi..Im in the process of getting a new sofa for my living room..looking at something similiar to pottery barn basic in white slipcovered. want to change my room to more cottage chic. Its such a odd room connected to dining room. Will eventually get rid of one or both chairs. Maybe even get something like the pottey barn sectional. Love it. Ive attached picture of some sofas and my current room. any advice would be great.

not sure how to post multiple pics here are more

Hi Val, a couple of add'l photos - hopefully with less glare from the windows or slider (?) - may be helpful. Don't see the photos of possible sofas you mentioned. Apparently the dining room is adjacent to the loveseat?

What's the purpose of the room? Its focal point? Where would you place the new sofa or sectional? Can see the stairs coming down - add'l stairs going down to a basement or lower level - by the piano?

I'll post back, if you have a chance to add the photos and add'l info -

Looks like a great opportunity to utilize this space. Best of luck -

Thanks for the reply yes its a L shaped living room dining. The living room doesnt have much wall space. Big picture window and that little space where my piano is currently. Was thinking of maybe a small sectional or sofa for now. Trying to attach multiple pics

Val, your home has wonderful features: the floors, the wainscoting, to name just two.

If you go with the PB sectional, as long as it fits the space you have, replace the dark green rug with a light, textured rug, similar to the one shown in your Pottery Barn inspiration photo. Natural textures are one of the key elements of the cottage look. The existing rug will not do any favors for the sofa or the look you have in mind.

You won't even have to change out the wallpaper. And, the existing beadboard wainscoting is the perfect cottage feature.

For the sofa, bring in accent colors with pillows and throws to blend with or complement the wallpaper. Mix solids and patterns. Add more textures.

While you are at it, you may want to replace the coffee table or the side table, as they both match. And, cottage decor looks fresher when you don't have a matchy-matchy look. Or, you could always paint one of the two pieces an accent color, if you wish.

Good luck: it won't take much to achieve the charming cottage look you love.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aychihuahua,

thanks for the great advice..I definitely want to get rid of the rug. also would you put the sectional along the wall where the old sofa is. I really dont know where else to put it. The room is not that wide so I feel like I have to put it along the wall. maybe put the end table behind it? Is there anything I can do with the piano to fit into the room. Also should I keep it there? Thanks for your great advice

Val, even moving your love seat and two chairs into this conglomeration would help the room to look better. You have everything lined up all around the walls right now which takes away from the cozyness of your space.

You could probably just purhase a sofa and keep your two white chairs. Just move the loveseat and chairs into this position to see the difference it makes.

Your right..I dont like them pushed against the wall. The sofa is huge so I might get a smaller sofa or sectional and move in from the walls. maybe a sectional separating the dining room from living room

thanks for the advice

You do have some options, but the most important thing you can do is to get a to-scale layout to see how various furniture pieces and arrangements would work in the space you have.

A good online tool is http://www.bhg.com/decorating/arrange-a-room/

You enter in your room's dimensions, noting where doors, windows and other architectural features are located. Then you enter in the dimensions of the furniture you have or are considering buying.

It is very easy to do; you'll have prompts to guide you. (If I can do it, anyone can.) You can also save and/or print out the arrangement, which is handy when you go shopping. So have fun!

I would also be very concerned about the scale of your furniture. Definitely agree that it s/b floated in the room. I would consider various options and use my blue painter's tape to mark off items in the room and make sure sufficient space remains for everyone to circulate.

Didn't hear how you use the room now or how much seating you need. Would the piano work if angled (facing the center of the lr) in the other corner? You could possibly set that area up as a music zone. That way, it'd be adjacent to the eating area and facing the main seating zone.

If you need a focal point, would an antique mantel and/or a faux fireplace (candles?) work in the center of the room? If scale's an issue and the larger furniture pieces don't work, you might simply arrange your 2 large chairs with a table inbetween in front of that focal point. A large piece of artwork or mirror on the mantel could finish it off. (The current, multiple framed items** might make the space feel smaller.)

So, if you had the piano in the other corner and furniture floated in the center, you might consider setting up a reading nook in the piano's current corner - say 1 large, comfy chair plus a standing (arc?) lamp or overhead swagged lamp. Another option might be to build out that corner with bookshelves for both display and books.

If you need add'l seating, have you considered building out a bench (plus storage, if possible) in the corner adjacent to the dr? That might coexist nicely with the piano, if it was moved to that location.

Hope some of that's helpful, Val. Only my .02. Good luck with your room -

** It's sideways so can't see that area too well in your photos but it appears that several framed prints are above the wainscoting in the center of you room -

thanks for the suggestions. I usually end up using the area near the dining room for spill over during holiday. put an extra table there for more dining. The living room is really just a room to hang out in, especially during holidays. No tv..thats in our family room. No one uses the piano anymore..kind of a waste but I would hate to get rid of it. I dont believe in wasted space so I definitely would like to be able to use this room more. I actually suggested we get rid of the coffee table and put in a pool table. Would you believe my husband is against it. We took down the wall from the kitchen to dining room because everyone was always in the kitchen. And now everyone is still in kitchen and no one in living room.
thanks for any suggestions