We are planning to redecorate our living room next week. Plan to skim the wall first as the previous owners did a bad job of painting magnolia over old wall paper and borders and it's left the walls in a rubbish condition. I'm really unsure what colour paint to do.

We don't have a focal wall as it's an L shape room and no fire place.  We have oak furniture including a nice sideboard on the long wall with a mirror as a bit of a feature and to break the wall up. A desk area in the small section at the top of the room. A 3 seater settee and chair from Ikea in interchangeable covers either red or black depending on what's clean! A black ikea poang chair in oak and black leather. accessories are black and glass/silver table lamps, red rug and sand coloured curtains on silver pole (not planning on changing as they are quite new) and small oak lamp table and matching coffee table. We are also planning on changing the very dirty light beige carpet to a darker more family friendly grey/beige colour.

I don't think the room can take another colour so it looks like using another neutral colour but it feels a bit boring? Our kitchen has similar colours and is painted in cotton white, which is an off white colour but I'm not sure if that's a bit bright for a living room.

I've attached a few old pics to show you. Ignore any medical equipment as we don't have that anymore.

kitchen

Love your kitchen! I'd go with a big bold wallpaper on your long wall, or red paint? I'm mad on feature walls and wallpaper though so totally get its not for everyone.

not sure I could convince hubby about either!  I'd love wall paper but he says after spending money getting the walls skimmed he doesn't want to put paper on them. what's your room like?

What a gorgeous boy and home you have. Have you checked out Pinterest? Loads of inspiration on there, it's addictive.

My H would say the same Carole!

My lounge is all open plan - we have one really long wall from the front ot the house to the back with 2 chimney breasts. The main wall is red, Cuban fire or something it's called & the chimney breasts are cream. I'd really love wallpaper but H just won't have it. We've red curtains and a mix of red & cream cushions. Then brown furniture.

What about duck egg blue, silver and like a champagne gold colour?

My h was just exactly the same when we had our kitchen plastered but I got my feature wallpaper and now h loves it. Il root through my pics and see if I've got one of our living room, I'm stuck in bed so can't take one. Ours is a big through room, wooden floors a red couch, brown couch, black feature curtains and wallpaper.

That's one view of the front half of ours. See what I mean about my wallpaper love, real grandma's house style