Decorating Dilemmas is a weekly column in which our stylists answer your design questions, so you can tackle your home decorating project with complete confidence.
Hi How to Decorate!
My family and I will be moving into our new home within the next few months. Like most people, I’m constantly thinking about how I will decorate, but I struggle with figuring out what will work best when I only have the floor plan.
I love a clean, crisp, white look with a hint of coastal blues. We will be mounting our TV above the fireplace and I plan on doing a board and batten look around it. Since we will be watching TV in this room, placement of sofas, chairs, etc. are important.
There are also 3 columns – one in the middle dividing the family room and eating area/kitchen. The whole main level will be a nice dark, wide plank, hardwood flooring. Any help you can give would be so helpful!
Thank you!!
Jenny
Dear Jenny,
Thank you for your decorating dilemma. We love a clean slate and are excited to help you come up with a layout option as well as furniture recommendations for your new space.
Your brand new wood plank floors are the perfect canvas for our new La Spezia Striped Dhurrie Rug in blue. Next, position two of the Baldwin Sofas in Danish Linen Oatmeal. The frames are comfortable and allow for a generous amount of seating. In addition to the sofas, we’ve suggest adding the Larkin Swivel Glider … perfect for entertaining. Our new Suzanne Kasler Linen Sky and Blanc Stripe fabric would enhance the coastal elements, and look lovely on the Larkin gliders. For a final touch to the conversation area, try our Bornova Coffee table in Gray.
Between the gliders, we’ve added the Classic Garden Seat in celadon. The Spool Side Table, is the perfect side table for one sofa, and the other sofa can utilize the Durham Nesting Table.
Your big open wall is the perfect home for the Belgard Media Console to live with our new Vittoria Table Lamp. The Le Seine Paddles and Oars above the Sous Marine Framed artwork is the perfect combination to create a casual classic coastal look and develop a focal point for the large open wall.
With all of the windows you have, your natural lighting is fantastic. We suggest keeping the windows open by adding mini curtain rods with panels in the Suzanne Kasler Blanc to fill the dead wall space.
Happy Decorating,
The Design Team
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Sally
Looks great! Just wondering if you could share how one can hang the oars without damaging them. I have some for my son’s room but have never hung them. Thx
Caroline @ How to Decorate
Hi Sally,
Our oars come with mounting hardware, so unfortunately I’m not sure what method would work best for yours. I would suggest asking someone at your local hardware store. I bet they would have some great ideas!
Best of Luck,
The How to Decorate Team
Karen
I like the arrangement very much. Right away, I could see myself on one of the sofas with my back against the armrest and my legs up on the sofa lounging while watching TV (of course this wouldn’t be possible with 8 people in the room but how many times do we want optimal tv viewing for 8 at a time). To me, this arrangement allows for lots of comfortable seating for entertaining and incorporates the television nicely but doesn’t allow it to dominate. I love the colors selected and especially how the artwork (Sous Marine Framed) and the oars will tie the room together and give it a relaxing coastal vibe. I wish this were my living room!
Tamra
Do not feel this is the optimum seating arrangement for a family room where the television watching is taking place. Most people would prefer not having to have their head turned for viewing.