A pair of loveseats is one of the most versatile ways to furnish a family room or living room. They can be configured in an "L" to the left or right, as well as a in a parallel arrangement, and unlike a sectional, they will generally work in a different room in the future.
Loveseat-sized sofas are always a better choice unless you live in a verrr y large home. Full-sized sofas tend to act like aircraft-carriers in a normal-sized room, and then insist on lining the walls, rather than pulling into a conversation grouping. Evil, very evil.
For a lot of seating in one room, adding a pair of chairs and a pair of ottomans will give seating for eight--without looking like a doctor's waiting room. Those ottomans should pull into the center of the layout to be a combo ottoman and coffee table, and I put them too close the the fireplace!
Please select chairs that don't resemble the ones on this layout--ugleee!

This is similar the the last layout, but is parallel with the wall, instead of with the fireplace. It is generally better to square with the firplace instead, but this gives a bit more open space for toys and play for a toddler.

This parlor layout shows a sofa, represented by the sofa icon and the little blocks next to it. It is a bit large for this tiny room, but with a pair of chairs it can still form a good conversation grouping. These chairs could be angled a little for a more relaxed look, but not so far that traffic would go through the grouping. The chairs need to have low backs to work best here.
This room would be great for conversation, reading and family time.
A table lamp at one end of the sofa, a floor lamp at the other end (both on remotes), and a floor plug to have a third between the chairs would finish the room.
A tall plant or sculpture, with an up-light, in the upper right corner would look great against the bronze-color silk dupioni draperies.
Idea: With a smaller sofa, this grouping would look great angled toward the lower left corner.

These layouts show a good use of two loveseats and a pair of chairs, or a pair of chairs and a loveseat.
Most importantly: These plans only work if the size of the item is carefully plotted BEFORE purchase.
It makes me sad when I get calls from potential clients--calling after making a purchase--because they need help now that their new furniture will not fit into the room for which it was purchased.
Doing the layout first saves money in two ways: first, on the quantity of items purchased (generally fewer total items), and, second, saves money by making a better selection the first time.
Remember, "furniture always looks bigger in a house than it looks in the giant furniture store or club store...".

Here is a possible floor plan for a family room--it should also have a pair of chairs--across from the long side of the sectional--for conversation without a stiff neck.

Pillows and Paint

Changing little things in a room can make a world of difference. Changing a color, by painting furniture or adding pillows can change the feeling of the room.

By adding new draperies and pillows, we added more interest to a room and gave it more character.

Here is another example of how pillows can give a new look. Before this couch was rather boring and plain. Nothing to make a statement.

The only thing changed in this picture is the pillows. See what a difference pillows can make?

Painting the furniture in a room can have a great impact.

Now you can see the dresser in the room. The paint makes all the difference.

Before and After

Please enjoy these photos of room makeovers Ogden Studio has completed. By hiring a certified interior designer your design dreams can become a reality, just as they did for these clients!

To enlarge the photos, just click on them.

Before : This bathroom was dated, as you can see, but also had a dropped ceiling and some wasted space with a build-out "box" at the end of the tub.

After : Here is the new look, with a raised ceiling and new lighting. The tile seat at the end of the tub is a better use of the formerly wasted space, and gives a larger feeling to the whole room, as well. This homeowner liked the idea of a pedestal sink, and since we were able to incorporate space from a dated hallway cabinet into the bathroom, there is now enough storage without the old vanity. Do you like the new subway tile, with a crown molding shape for the top detail?

Before: We have all seen these gloomy closets wrapping a vanity area. For this makeover, the closet was changed to a walk-in on the left. This gave slightly more storage than before, especially with good closet components, and gave a much longer "line-of-sight" at the entrance to the bathroom area, (rather than a "hallway" feeling. Since the previous closets had been on exterior walls, it was also possible to add a window, and a floating vanity with marble top.

After : The window looks out on the side yard, with lots of greenery and natural light, as well as the light from the new wall fixtures. This vanity is for display space, with a laundry bin below, and is also a good height for a grooming station, if needed. The white beadboard and sage wall color contribute to the cottage look desired by the homeowner.

Before : This bedroom is part of the same master suite. The homeowner was ready for a change here, as well.

After : We selected custom bedding and pillows, and updated the wall color. The next step was custom built-in cabinetry for the other end of the room--to give space for media, more clothing storage, and--by eliminating other furniture, a serene, refined feel for the whole room. The simple curtain over the bed gives some low-key drama and romance.

Before : This photo is a bit unfair, because the previous owner was in the process of moving, but the pink walls, dried flowers and splotchy brick were about to go back to the decade from whence they came!

After : This photo is also a bit unfair, because the client has great taste, and a flair for accessories--she is responsible for all of them in the photo! This room has new floors and moldings, sage green walls and wide-louver shutters. Before tearing out the fireplace, we tried a soft topcoat of a similar, but lighter, brick color. It was applied by hand as a ragged wash, only on the surface of the brick--not on the grout. As you can see, it took only a simple mantel to finish the look--a lot less expensively than an entirely new fireplace.

Before : Living Room for the same client.

After : With new moldings and a warm tan wall color, the room needed to cross-pollinate the sage in the adjoining spaces--so the furniture has some tans and some sage. For a touch of sophistication and a nod to the clients' contemporary preferences, we used satin black accents and tables. We had the harlequin-design pillows custom-made for an understated, unifying element.