KAL - A Bungalow Story: Planning - The Very TBD Living Room/Foyer

My soon-to-be home is an old, "charming" house (read: small) - the entire first floor is roughly 800 square feet, and that includes the foyer, living room, hall closet, powder room, kitchen, dining room...and a very large "box" in the center of it all. The "box" contains nuisances like HVAC, plumbing, and an old chimney that reaches from what used to be the basement boiler to the roof.

Today: There are a lot of "areas of opportunity" in this space:

There is an awkward structural pole just about where one would want their sofa table - but only one, as heaven forbid anyone have attempted a bit of symetry where the earlier remodel was concerned.
There are numerous odd "cutouts" that serve no purpose - except to eat up space and remind one that the reno was done with a very '90s (1990's!) design aesthetic.
An attempt for a "modern" vibe produced a strange half-arch to the kitchen.
A closed in stairwell with a superfluous ledge along the lovely drywall stairwell begs for a proper staircase.
Very little in terms of moldings, millwork and cheap doors to the closets and powder room are out of tun with the home's vintage.
The piece d'resistance has to be the current "big burgundy box" containing the plumbing/HVAC necessities - but also, so to ensure the "box" is a truly ugly focal point - has been added onto with a seemingly drywall-only closet.

What this room does have going for it: new windows, the original front door, an "open" feel, and terrific hard-wood floors throughout. The electric and HVAC is new(er) and doesn't need to be replaced. And, there is already electrical run in the ceiling, so repositioning lights will be easier (read: less expensive) than doing from scratch.

Fortunately, after meetings with a couple of architects/contractors, it seems there is a solution that will not only improve the "look" of the living room, but also the structural integrity of the entire home. At some point in my future, a large steel beam will likely be added cross-ceiling to allow for the removal of the current pole, but also the slim-lining of the Big Burgundy Box - which decidedly won't be burgundy for much longer.

Tomorrow - Goal for this space: Correct the overall disjointed feeling of the rooms, and bring back some of the charm that has been stripped away. Remove silly cut-outs, square archways, and streamline the Big Burgundy Box. Install structural support that is fit for purpose, and maximize the exiting footprint. Re-configure the existing coat closet near the staircase so it is more functional, incorporating a useless adjacent cut out. Position lighting where it makes sense. And then, for the fun stuff: decorate, so that it feels like home!

The overall feel for this room won't be much different from my current LP rental/London living room:

Lots of soft grays: most of the upholstery is in mens-wear inspired fabric (herringbone, houndstooth, pinstripes, tweeds, etc.

Lots of white: in the to-be-installed moldings, door paint, coffee table, pillows lacquered mirror, roman shades.

Gentle color: eggplant/aubergine (for my London friends!) and cozy pink cashmere in the pillows and throws helps feminize the boyish fabrics. The art brings color to the walls. (As I wrote that I got "my milkshake...brings boys to the yard" in my head, now can't get it out.)

A sense of "age": appropriate for a 120 year old home...install traditional moldings and millwork.

A mix-and-match sensibility: A modern, intricate Oly white coffee table next to my grandparent's refinished dark-finish cane club chairs. An industrial table behind a traditional sofa. Custom upholstered ottomans in pinstripe sat below an inexpensive Pottery Barn console bought more than a decade ago. Modern art by Petr Weigl, Peter Kutner, Reana Menzies and Kim Schussler beside a hand embroidery piece brought back from China and cheap and cheerful framed photos from travels. Crystal accents in harmony with antique mini-vessels my great-grandmother once used to serve cream. My great-grandmother's gas lamp on one table; an awesome nickel-plated Ralph Lauren helmet lamp (good Harrods sale!) on another. Paisley sari silk I hand-carried from India on pillows adjacent to newer velvets from ABC Carpet & Home. It sounds dysfunctional, but somehow it will all work together given the like color-tones and harmonious fabrics. Trust me!

A little bling: If budget allows (or maybe for the future), a chandelier. Table and floor lighting in glass and crystal will reflect the light coming through the front windows. Polished nickel in the lamps and the ottoman nail-heads deliver a bit of sparkle.

My hope is that soon this space feels quiet, textured, aged, cosmopolitan and comfortable - reflecting my travels, and (fingers crossed) an ability to assimilate pieces selected over time. My inspiration hodge podge, below: