Victorian house moody living room decor. (Pic request)

[whichonespink]

Hi there, I am currently in the process of (thinking about) decorating my lounge but i struggle to picture things. Googling Victorian lounge comes up with loads of period looking rooms which although i like and would look great i want something more eclectic. I like the shabby chic look with a mixture of modern and vintage but this is very easy to get wrong (can end up looking like my grandmas lounge).

We are lucky enough (wife and i) to be able to have a lounge each to decorate, one was dining room and one was lounge but kitchen big enough for dining table so no need for dining room. She has already done hers and it looks brilliant but very light and girly. I want mine more moody, dark and masculine with huge fire place and open fire. Dont even have the fire surround as yet as the large original marble surround was it was removed by the previous owner and replace with a lovely 60's gas fire.

Thinking of charcoal grey walls, rustic wooden floor and huge bookcases. One problem i am having is trying to integrate a 42" TV into the room without it looking like a full on home cinema room.

So, question to you pistonheaders with victorian houses, please could you post a picture of your lounge if you think i may like from the breif above?

Thanks in advance.

Pink.

[B17NNS]

I used to subscribe to a magazine called Living Etc.

I assume it's still available - grab yourself a few issues. Full of cool funky eclectic interiors. Am sure you will find suitable inspiration there.

[trix-a-belle]

oooh fun project
sadly I don't have that style of house (rubbish modern red brick) so can't help on the photos but certainly have lots of ideas springing up in my head from your description of what you are aiming for

quick Q, are the walls currently flat & plain?

if you want some suggestions or someone to bounce ideas off shout

S

[whichonespink]

Thanks for the replies,

B17NNS, i have heard of that, i think the mother in law might have some back issues at her house for when she was doing hers a few years ago. Probabaly worth a look through. Had forgotten about them until you mentioned it.

Trix-a-belle, Yes, walls are plain and flat except for the cimney breast which protrudes around 400mm into the room, original extensive coving around the wall/ceiling and a picture rail about 2.75m up the wall.

Apart from them, its a blank canvas. Hope immage below will appear.



This is the last room to renovate on the ground floor so i am being pushed quite hard by Mrs Pink to get it done. Should really ahve started at the top but we were desperate to get the ground floor habitable.

Edited by whichonespink on Thursday 8th July 12:59

[trix-a-belle]

oooh lovely!

my thoughts were some faux panelling to frame certain items, ie tv
(i'm not talking lots of wood attached to walls but more either strips of beading attached to walls or different shades of paint to make it seem like panels http://www.danceswithwalls.com/FauxPickwk6.gif for paint effect version)

a nice big worn leather sofa & arm chair &/or perhaps doctors/psychiatrists chaise http://newel.com/images/images/037663D/037663DF.JP...

alternatively a nice injection of colour & life against a moody period background? http://uktv.co.uk/images/standarditem/EX1/13225_EX...

your key is going to be having a feature fireplace which sets the mood & I think you definitely need some heavy dramatic (possibly damask style) curtains with big puddles on the floor though (extra fabric to make a puddle below where it hangs) http://www.chicagolandblinds.com/images/silhouette... gives you an idea of what i'm harping on about, obviously not that colour or necessarily right up to the ceiling though

sorry i'm taking over & going mad but this room/style combination sounds like heaven to me

S

Edited by trix-a-belle on Thursday 8th July 14:03

[whichonespink]

Cheers Trix, Love that picture with the purple chairs in it. Just the look i am after really. I even love that fire surround. I have dismissed surrounds like that as i thought they were more edwardian that victorian but i guess that there is some cross over. You are right, with the dark grey wall, adding colour is very important. Would be a nice retreat from our all white hallway with black and white photo's and dark wooden floor which although i like it is very clinical. Something i deffo dont want with my lounge.

At the minute, there are heavy curtains but they stop about 6 inches off the floor. I do like the look you showned me there as our windows are over quite large and 3m tall. Ia m going to search more on the paneling idea as that my help break up the plain walls and to frame the TV?

Thanks again for the help, you obviously know what you are talking about with regard to home decor.

[Rollin]

I am currently doing the same in my victorian house. Have 2 lounge rooms to do. Just finished installing an original large cast iron fireplace in one. Floorboards are to be sanded next.

Living etc has a good website with galleries full of houses they have featured. You'll get lots of inspiration from there.

http://www.livingetc.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemI...

[trix-a-belle]

quite alright, its keeping me sain at work today & i'm enjoying it

the fireplace certainly needs to fit style wise, that one above works I think as it has the large frame/mantle over the wall which implies a high ceiling, dark & moody victorian jobby here http://www.victorianfires.co.uk/jig_images/RX/RX14...

definitely worth looking at the panelling as it will add some depth to what is currently a flat surface, you don't need much perhaps one large 'frame' on each wall (same size) so size in accordance with the tv mounted on one wall & the tv should blend & just mimic the frame around it

if the hall way is blacks & whites then maybe a mid to dark grey & purple pallet (aubergine & dark rich purples) would be a good direction? it ties in the black & white but starts to add hints of colour, & lots of sumptuous fabrics:rugs/throws/curtains/fat squidgey armchair..

whichonespink said:

Thanks again for the help, you obviously know what you are talking about with regard to home decor.

quite ironic when my house only has magnolia walls (I do have a huge comfy purple sofa in the living room though)

[_dobbo_]

We're in the same boat as you - effectively two living rooms to decorate, one mine one hers. Mine will have all the AV gear and the back room will be the cosy one.

Went and got some sofas last weekend and it seems "she" has taken over my living room already - here's where we are at the moment:



I actually like the ropey floorboard look but I think we'll end up with carpet. In the room are also two big old looking (but actually new) leather sofas as well.

Lots of work still to go. I never in my life thought I'd care about wall colours or enjoy doing DIY. I am now my Dad.

[Gaffer]

Do you mean something like this:




I personally like the way they have made a feature of the windows with the contrasting colours.

Just typed into google victorian living room and went to images....lots on there.

Edwardian era tended to be dark bottle greens or dark reds, which will give the moody look you are after. Think Sherlock Holmes...

Claire

[whichonespink]

Gaffer, yes that is very nice. I too love the way the windows stand out againt the dark walls.

Not really a fan of the bottle green and reds but the dark grey's i realy like. Think i may have found myself a cast iron fire surround so things are looking up.

Thanks to every one that have posted and to those who said they are in a similar situation then all i can say is good luck to you. I will be worth the effort when its all done........thats what i am telling myself anyway.

[trix-a-belle]

please post some piccies once you are done (& tasters during too if poss)

[Bill]

I'll get a picture of ours up later as we couldn't find a grey we liked for a similar room.

[whichonespink]

Trix, will do.

Bill, looking forward to your pic.

Cheers

[Bill]

So, excuse the clutter, and st photos as I try to avoid the worst of it





Or our study (now playroom)



You'll note the cunningly placed iron

[Mobile Chicane]

OP, what you have there is a room of elegant Georgian proportions and features. The ceilings are far too high for 'moody'. Decorate to the style of the house, rather than trying to impose another. Both living rooms also have to work with the rest of the downstairs area so that one space flows naturally from the other.

Personally I'd keep the walls quite light - a tad 'cooler' than what's in situ (Google Farrow and Ball for sympathetic paint colours), and inject the 'masculine' elements via chunky furnishings with clean lines: things like a pair of squarish leather sofas in bitter chocolate colours facing one another on either side of the fireplace, a heavy low coffee table in between, deep rugs, solid bookcases, oversized cushions and thick curtains (no swaggery), an overmantel mirror in a plain dark wood surround, and chrome floor-standing lights in simple curve designs.

As regards the TV, personally I'd place that between two tall book cases, on the opposite side of the room from the fireplace.