Hi Everyone, today we're helping out Mary from Mary's Meanderings. She has a lovely Victorian Living Room that she will be updating soon. Mary has a large space with lots of furniture, which brings with it some decorating questions. Let's help her out with some ideas and inspiration.
Don't get overwhelmed with all that Mary wants to do. Just pick one or two things you'd like to comment on.
Here's Mary, "in her own words"...
We are blessed to live in an old (approx 100 yrs old) home. It has lots of character and many quirks too. When Debra at Common Ground started her Design Challenge series I just knew that I wanted to be a part of it as I love reading all the great ideas you ladies come up for decorating challenges.
My design challenge right now is our living room. It is a large room with pretty wood trim and we spend winter in this room as it has a wood burning stove which is our primary source of heat. Therein lies one of the problems. That fireplace and mantel is off centered in this room which makes seating arrangements troublesome for me.
The other issue is that I would like to put our beautiful armoire/ entertainment center in this room so we can watch movies now and then (we don’t have cable, or dish so just watch a movie or 2 once in a while.)
Before I go much further let me show you the room so you can get an idea of the needs.
Picture l- this picture is taken from the front door-This would be the south wall in the room-
Going in clockwise manner, Picture 2 is the wall to the right which has the fireplace/wood stove and then a picture window .This is the west wall. My piano is in front of the window and the lace is covering the back-
Another view of west wall (there is a chair behind the bunny arrangement)
Picture 3 is the next wall which has 2 more massive windows (the window coverings were in the house when we bought it. When we took the ceiling wallpaper down to rewire the house we found that they had remodeled this room Dec.1, 1950 (it is written on the ceiling along with the decorator’s names ) Supposedly the owner spent $5000.00 to have these window treatments made which was a lot of money then- geez it’s a lot of money now to me!) To the right of the windows is the front door. It is the north wall so the light that comes through is not bright as such.
East Wall- for those of you wondering , the wallpaper is murals of the 4 seasons in Victoria era. It will be coming down and walls painted.
Picture 4 is the wall opposite the fireplace (the East Wall)- The door leads to the pretty front guest bedroom I redid this spring.
To the right of the doorway is where I was thinking of putting the armoire/entertainment unit which is pictured here-
It could also go on the wall shown in Picture 1- where the book case is.
So these are the things I would love to get some ideas on for this room-
1. TV corner area arrangement
2. seating in front of fireplace-
3. be nice to have more of an entry way feel at front door.
4. The desk behind the settee was so useful last winter for blogging and would like to maybe use it again somewhere in the room if possible.
5. I will be painting this room in the Spring and would love some help on color choices. The trim will be kept stained though I would love to paint it (have to make DH happy too). The window treatments will also be staying. The rooms windows are to the north so with the dark fabric I would like to give it a lighter look which might not be possible.
6.This room adjoins the dining room which also will be getting painted – should I paint both rooms the same color?
7.Oh- the wood floors are a lighter color then the stained woodwork- should I do something different to the floors or woodwork or would an area rug or 2 work to pull it together and if so suggestions.
8.The Victorian style sofa will also be undergoing a new look- slipcover? Upholstery? What kind of fabric?
I have 2 wing back chairs that I can borrow from another room and I am sure some of these items will not fit in a new arrangement though I would like to keep the piano, round ottoman and have a desk area too.
Oh geez can you see just what a bucketful of decisions I need help making!!!??
Well dear ladies I could just go on and on with all the questions I have for all you amazing bloggers but will stop for now and wait for all your heavenly suggestions!!! Thank you so very much for taking the time to give me your suggestions and ideas!
Thank you Debra for giving me the opportunity to to be of this great Decorating Challenge!!
Bee Blessed!
Mary
http://www.megardengal.blogspot.com/
You're very welcome, Mary. Thanks for sharing your lovely home with us for Design Challenge!
Now it's blogland's turn. You don't have to be a decorator to leave a comment. Please just go with your intuition. That is what a designer would do. They listen to the client, then they present their own ideas. So let's share our thoughts and ideas for an update with Mary. Keep in mind her ideas, but don't be afraid to share your own.
Thanks everyone in advance!
xoxo,
