Where to go for room design advice

smallzoo2

Our kitchen/lounge is now open plan as we had to convert part of the house for m elderly mum. Yes the room is big so we are very lucky but it just doesn't feel right,,its not cosy and the lounge area just doesn't feel like a lounge anymore

How on earth do we find someone that might give us advice on what we can do ( e.g. add a room divider, breakfast bar, different flooring etc ) to make it feel better.

It seems designer are very expensive and more interested in colour and decor whereas builders are mire interested in the structure

any help would be appreciated

cheers

JuzaMum

If you draw a plan and post it here I am sure you will get some suggestions. Maybe add some details of the flooring and finishes you have too?

Doozergirl

That's exactly what interior designers are there for. If course they are concerned with colour and decor, but they certainly do deal with layouts and elements of interior architecture; you're asking about decor too. The most successful rooms are created by taking everything into account.

If it's so big, why don't you create separate rooms again?

smallzoo2

Well we spent so much money on knocking down walls etc for the annexe we have very little money left ..and maybe its big to us but not for many houses...

trailingspouse

Cheaper than a designer, have a think about these questions -

What furniture is in there at the moment, and are you happy to get rid and start again? Which pieces would you absolutely definitely want to keep.
What do you do in there? (Not what you would like to do, but what you actually do)
What would you like to use the space for?
Do you feel the room is too dark (can be depressing)? Too light (can look clinical and soulless)?
What is the colour scheme around the rest of the house?
Does the room feel cold/draughty?
How old is the house - period, new build, or somewhere in between?

Have a look at room designs on Pinterest, Ikea, anywhere else that takes your fancy. You're not wanting to replicate a room design entirely, but if you like the look of one think really clearly about what exactly you like about it. And (dare I say it...) a mood board would really help - just collect together photos, fabric swatches, paint colours, ideas and thoughts.

You don't need to rush into it - sometimes you need to live with a room for a while before you can decide what you want to do with it.

DorsetLad

Is your kitchen/lounge L-shaped or rectangular? If rectangular, you could divide it into two functional spaces by, for example, having a sofa in the middle facing the "lounge" part, then putting a long bookcase or sideboard behind the sofa with two large lamps on it. This should create a visual barrier and give the impression of two separate living spaces.

theonlywayisup

Have a look over on Houzz and add a drawing of your room to their forum, they will give you lots of good ideas.

vansboy

Do you have uni, or college nearby, that offers interior design courses?

If you do, offer them them the chance to let their students come up with some ideas as a project.

Would give them 'real life' practice, plus lots of free ideas, for you.

VB

Auntie-Dolly

http://www.lauraashley.com/uk/design-service/design-service-home/page/home-ds

Kohl

The IKEA website has a home planner tool that lets you build a scale model of your room, inc furniture, wall colour, flooring etc.

You could build a replica of what you have now and then experiment with adding/moving furniture (limited to IKEA obviously, but will give you an idea) and changing the flooring, if these are the areas you're debating.
The really good thing about it is that as well as the standard 'top down' view you can also view the model in 3D which will give you a better feel for the space.