Hi Deb. I have lived in my condo for five years, but have never decorated it. I still have my old furniture and other “stuff`” from my old house and the days when my kids were younger. The living area is kind of an ‘L’ shape and runs into the dining area. There is not much wall space — one piece by the green couch and one shorter piece by the TV. The floor is walnut hardwood laminate and is in good shape. The paint colour can be changed, as it need painting. There is a large area rug on the floor which I have for years and am willing to part with. All furniture and wall pictures are negotiable as well. The futon on the short wall by the kitchen can also go — I only took it because I had nothing else to do with it. The mirror is old and the frame has been refinished and I would like to keep it. There is a shelf unit across from the burgundy futon full of games and puzzles which can go as well. I don`t know how to fill this space. Can you give me some ideas? I kind of like a modern look — not countryish or formal.

~ June

Hi June. Thanks for your email. It sounds like you are ready to make some changes.

I think your living room area has potential to be a stylish, comfortable and better laid out space.

Polished and stylish

Like the inspiration picture, I would like to see you make some changes that will make your living room really shine. The key to achieving this is to create the right layout with the best pieces for your space.

Primary seating arrangement

I would like to see you move some things around, to create a better furniture arrangement for the shape of the room. Sometimes an awkwardly-shaped room, like one in the shape of an ‘L’ requires a well-thought out floor plan. To start, I would move the desk out of the corner by the patio doors. I would really like to see you create a primary seating area at the end of the room by the patio doors; this would give you a nice bright space to enjoy as your main living area.

I don’t have the dimensions of the room, but have tried to estimate what would best work for the layout. I would keep your sofa on the one large wall, and give it enough space on either end to have a bit of breathing room. You could also create a pleasant symmetrical look by adding two of the same end tables and lamps on either end of the sofa.

If you are thinking of changing the sofa, I would get an upholstered fabric sofa that is in a grey shade, like the one in the inspiration room. Then I would suggest two comfortable occasional chairs to be grouped on either end of the sofa. The size of these chairs is important; they can’t be too wide or too deep, because you don’t want them to close in the room too much.

Create a grouping

Once you have those key furniture pieces in place, the next step is to add some finishing touches to create the feeling of a grouping and main focal area. This would mean getting one nice large piece of art over the sofa; chose something that suits your taste and style, but I would suggest you make it one large piece. You could go with something with a colour you love, or a large dramatic black-and-white photograph.

The living room grouping also could have a rug that is probably about a 5’ x 8’ to go under the sofa and chairs. Add a small, round coffee table to the mix and this seating area will really be nicely pulled together in a stylish, symmetrical way. On the wall across from the sofa, I would look for a long console or cabinet and place the TV on top of it. I think you should really take advantage of that entire wall space and add a unit that has closed door storage to keep extra stuff in.

The last step is to remove the futon and cabinet with puzzles and toys. By clearing out this area of the room you will give the room a more open, spacious feel. Once this is complete, I thought you could determine if you need the desk in the room. If you do, you could place the desk between the sofa and the dining room; if there isn’t enough space for this then also consider putting it on the wall where your futon is now located.

Some last finishing details would be to re-paint. I can’t tell your exact wall colour, but I would go with a light, bright, warm ivory colour. And down the road, if you wanted to add a new set of drapery panels, match the fabric to the wall colour and keep the drapery light, too. Another small detail would be to add some crown moulding to the room. This can dress a plain room up by adding a little more architectural detail.

June, I hope these ideas help you to create a whole new look for your living room. I think the right mix of furnishings and layout can really make it feel like a whole new place.

Editor’s Note: The pictures shown in this column are not BEFORE and AFTER images of the same room. The Dilemma is a reader’s submitted photo and The Solution is Deb’s inspirational suggestion as to how the room might look with some updates.

Mail your questions and pictures to: Ask Deb Nelson c/o Herald Homes, The Chronicle Herald 2717 Joseph Howe Drive, P.O. Box 610, Halifax, N.S. B3J 2T2 or email to dnelson@herald.ca.