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Hi! My living room is currently overrun with blue/green plaid. My husband and I prefer to decorate with secondhand items for the cost and eco-friendliness of it. As a result, our current living room furniture is handed down from his Grandmother and looks, well… elderly.
This is a recliner and reclining sofa in a large plaid. Slipcovers are not an option because my husband hates them. I love the comfy furniture but can’t stand the plaid. The walls and carpet are neutral.
What I am wondering is…how can I decorate the room to work WITH the plaid, and make it look a little more hip/ funky/ cheap-chic rather than “mid-1990′s Grandma”?
It’s definitely a challenge to decorate around furniture you don’t like the look of. To minimize the plaid you can try a couple of things. Pick one of the colors from the plaid and put it on the walls – at least 2 of them that meet in a corner, preferably behind the furniture. It should have the effect of having the furniture blend into the walls and not contrast with them. Use blocks of other solids like an accent chair, a couple of big throws that are over the backs or arms of the sofa. Introduce a complementary pattern to balance the plaid. Try a big floral or if the plaid is really large in scale, use a smaller floral or a narrow stripe. Look for a damask pattern (those are in right now).
You could also introduce another color to soften the plaid. How about a rich gold or deep tan. Use that color everywhere including on the sofa but then throw in a little blue or green in accessories. To increase the ‘funky’ look, bring in unexpected items as tables (like a chest or large wicker piece), a thrifty textured area rug, art that isn’t a picture but is more “found art” like cool vintage signs or metal pieces or old bottles – the interesting and unexpected will take your eyes away from the elements you don’t care for.
Hope some of these ideas help. Terrie
I am happy to find so much useful info in the posts, the writing sequence is brilliant. I’m always looking for quality content, thanks 4 sharing.
I found plaid curtains with a sheen (similar to the last photo in the post) added just the right note of casual elegance to my living room, complimenting my leather sofas as well as the few touches of elegance in the accessories. The plaid reads casual and the sheen reads elegance; perfect to pull the look together. I have a few more changes to make to complete the look but I love how the plaid works. It did take a while to find just the right plaid, but the wait was worth it and I got lucky and found the expensive (for my budget) panels I had been stalking on clearance; risky to wait when you’ve found the perfect things but this time it paid off. I know something is right for me when I’m still smiling a year after the purchase.
Hi Kathy -
The design of your drapes and their finish sound perfect for your room. I laughed when I read “I had been stalking….” because I too have waited until something I wanted was put on sale. It feels triumphant to find what you want AND get a great deal on it too. I hope your plaid continues you bring you pleasure and keep you smiling for years to come!
Hey Kathy
So you’ve decided to work in a little plaid, huh? Surprisingly, me too. Although I like plaid a lot and have used it in many clients’ homes, I never thought of it for me since I have a more modern sensibility.
Then I’m out looking for draperies of some sort to cover the dining alcove windows and this big buffalo squares plaid jumps off the rack at me. They are perfect! I have an aqua color wall and a cinnamon wall in that room and the plaid marries the colors perfectly.
Thanks for reading and commenting. We love hearing your ideas and feedback.
Terrie