Definitely more red. And I'll take the fake Tiffany lamp if you don't want it.

This person didn't say if her mother even wants her help. She has just "decided to intervene." Isn't it possible the mom likes her home the way it is?

Even the poster admits this may be a "thankless" task. Perhaps because it's hard for people to thank others for unwanted/pointless "favors."

Mom's home looks clean and comfortable. If she's happy with it, leave her to it. You don't have to live there.

PS - the room does not look dark to me and if the daughter thinks adding a ceiling light will improve the decor, she obviously hasn't been reading AT very long.

Really, the room seems only to need a bit of color & coordination.

I would definitely NOT paint the two dining chairs. I think they are quite lovely, and wood is a PITA to strip once paint has been applied. I would start by recovering the seats, and swapping out the throw pillows before staining them.

Other than that a big vibrant oriental style carpet on the floor would help bring in some color, and tie together some of the eclectic styles/motifs about the room. Definitely lose the Tiffer lamp, and probably the giant fan too. Unless it's truly authentic,those things always scream 'cheap chinatown souvenir'. (sorry - its hard to see it in the photos)

Here are a few ideas that may help:

1. Choose a color palette to gude you. You are fortunate to start with a neutral palette so take advantage of that fact. Perhaps pick up the teal accents in the fan on the wall. Gold, teal and accents of red are beautiful.
2. Replace the large picture between the two windows (it looks squeezed) and replace with a smaller one.
3. Remove the valances and replace with ivory drapery panels and iron hardware.
4. Per Colleen's suggestion, paint the chairs a dark brown, reupholster with a brighter fabric AND add some batting to make the cushions look and feel softer. Choose coordinating pillows.
5. The accessories above the mantel are too heavy and dark. Consider replacing them with a colorful painting and perhaps a small plant. Paint the brass part of the FP white so it won't distract the eye an put a basket with some winter berries at the hearth.

Good luck!
~Lorrie @ MyDesignSecrets.com

It isn't that mom lacks style, it's that her style isn't "stylish." I think you should leave her stuff alone and simply investigate rearranging the furniture to switch up the flow, and adding color through a vibrant wall paint and throw pillows/blanket. Imagine the walls a bright blue with white trim to pop the red tables.

Update the fireplace surround.

I'm going to chime in and agree with Griffin - did Mom ask for a style update? The place looks fine to me - not decorated to my taste, but then I don't live there.

If Mom did ask for help, then by all means. But shouldn't Mom's likes and dislikes be considered?

Woops, I forgot the fan! Make sure to avoid any with the multiple globes and choose something with a unobtrusive but classic look.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100578664&N=10000003 90401 501492 904

~Lorrie @ MyDesignSecrets.com

I don't think your Mothers Living Room is all that bad - I've certainly seen worse here from folks who think they have a sense of style...

I wouldn't put a light on that fan - There's nothing worse than overhead light. If anything, take your mother shopping and help her choose some end tables and lamps for placement around her sofas

I would paint those chairs red - but understanding how older folks are, she probably won't go for that.

Other than that - it looks like a comfortable room that reflects her style. I'd leave well enough alone.

I agree with those asking: Did Mom ask for your help?
Some things I have may make some go---EEEEKKKK--but maybe I love them. I might take some suggestions and go window shopping for some ideas with others but I wouldn't want someone coming in and changing it, without my asking them to do so.
But your heart is probably in the right place.

"As you can see, there is no overall "style." My mom buys whatever strikes her fancy .."

Well, over and over, here and elsewhere, I've read exhortations to buy what you really like.

"Whatever strikes her fancy" may imply that it's on impulse, which is different, but still.

The wall color is great and would show off additional artwork well, an area rug is an excellent idea, more color is needed. If the fan and the ship model are antiques or even just vintage, keep 'em, but get a display case the fan.

Get a display case *for* the fan. Work Internet is screwy today.

OP update:

I know it is cheeky to muscle my way into my parent's abode, but I know them well enough after 3 decades to know what I can and cannot do, and of course, the best way to approach them with new ideas.

The photo was taken in the 2 hours of light that the room gets. It faces west and is shadowed by a porch and truly, the room is pitch dark most of the time.

I know that ceiling fans/lights aren't the most popular, but the ceiling fan is used quite often in the summer to avoid the AC. As there are no overhead lights, I was looking for a way to get additional light into the room. The floor and table lamp provide excellent task lighting, but nothing else. If you're sitting in the room after 5 trying to have a conversation you're doing it in the dark.

I agree with Griffen etal. I hate my Mom's home, but she loves it. If she didn't, she'd have changed it herself. I'm sure my daughter probably doesn't like my "decor" either but then, she isn't living here so who cares??

While this isn't my personal style, I don't see anything wrong with this room at all. Especially if your mom likes it. If I had a room all set up to my taste and a family member came in and made unsolicited changes, I'd be pretty heartbroken.

I guess it's one thing if she asked you to make some changes, but the fact that you mention that you can't change paint colors and carpet because she'd notice makes me think not. Decorating is pretty personal, so unless this is something you've discussed and gotten her consent on, I'd leave it alone.

First off, I wouldn't do anything at all without Mom's approval -- it's her house. (If you have the yen to play interior designer for her, consider her your client -- not your victim! Give her what she wants as best you can, and persuade her if you think your taste is better.)

That said, I agree with the concept of adding some color. I kind of like those side chairs -- they have a vaguely Japanese aesthetic whcih goes nicely with some of the other decor. If they are in good shape, not all nicked in ways the photos don't show, I'd leave them finished as they are -- Japanese furniture is usually natural wood or else highly lacquered, a look that is hard to replicate. I would however recover the seats with a bright fabric, maybe a nice red Chinese brocade. I'd cover slightly smaller pillows in the same fabric for the seat backs.

Get a largely red Asian looking area rug. Paint the brass on the fireplace surround with heat resistant black matte paint (meant for wood stoves and like that. Sand the brass first.)

Put something red and Asian looking (I have the perfect antique carved lacquer vase, but sorry, it's mine!!) over the fireplace, maybe with an ikebana type arrangement in it ideally of black branches and red or orange berries or small white flowers. You could keep the clock and candle holders, but arrange the things asymmetrically.

I'm really bothered about that white molding detail between the fireplace and the mantle. Hopefully it looks better in real life than in the photo. Assuming it has to stay, I think I'd look at those rectangles as picture frames. To tie together the Asian theme with the nautical one, I think I'd look for some Japanese woodblock prints which have sailing vessels in them -- I know some exist. I'd trim them to fit the rectangles and attach them like wallpaper. If you can't find or don't like the nautical wood block prints (reproductions, obviously) you could go with something like a flowering branch motif in a Chinese brush painting, cut it into three chunks and do the same thing. Possibly put an antiquing glaze over the prints when done.

I'm not sure about the bentwood rocker -- it makes the room seem a bit cluttered to me.

I think swapping the glass coffee table for one with more of an Asian flare (including some Mission style, Shaker, and even really plain wood tone or black contemporary styles) would help, and adding some colorful sofa pillows to the couches.

I'm not bothered by the giant "cheap touristy" fan -- if Mom likes it, that's enough for me. (If it turns out that she isn't that interested, that she just put the fan up because she kind of liked it and it was a good buy or something, a more sophisticated way to get a similar feel is a Chinese folding screen or a print based on them. I have seen some at Overstock.com that were not terribly expensive. Saw one at Big Lots once for $50.)

But I do see a style there -- Mom has the look of the heirs of an early Victorian era shipping family -- boats and Asian imports. If there were some era-appropriate antiques, they would fit fight in.

As others have said, I'd be wary of making changes without your mom's approval. But one thing you could do is offer to update things like those dining chairs *with* her, like a mother-daughter project. You could re-stain them or even just staple a new fabric to the seats and make throw pillows. That way the focus isn't so much on what you dislike about her style as it is on spending time together and making her house more welcoming for visiting family members and guests.

Although a rug is a nice design idea, depending on her parent's age/mobility, it may be dangerous.

a light on the fan? nasty overhead lighting? talk about making a lighting problem worse. Find some nice floor lamps. perhaps a pharmacy type lamp at each end of the sofa. anything but ceiling fixtures!

SherryBinNH,

why do you care? I dislike my mom's taste, but I don't live there. Who are you trying to help? yourself? or her?

I agree with most of the other replies. The space is clean, uncluttered, and could use a pop of color. And maybe some rearranging. Accent lighting is the way to go, not a light on the celing fan.

Since this seems to be an intervention, I would only do things that are impermanent and can be returned - save your receipts. Major suggestions (such as wall color or new fabrics) could be made via photoshop.

As such, I would buy some dark red, oriental influenced throw pillows for the 2 dining chairs and a couple more similar (but not necessarily matching) ones for the sofas. Some people are against the rug on carpet thing, but I could also see a couple medium sized oriental rugs - one between the sofas, the other in front of the dining chairs.

And for a non-permanent 'suggestion' for the area just above the fireplace, a decorative metal wall piece - in brass so to match the fireplace? Or wrought iron, carved wood, or painted white...

I have to say I would never take this on even as a gift. I've never like my parents style, but they do ask me for decorating and design advice which they then almost always ignore. And in the end, I don't think this room is that bad - just a little bland and thoughtless.

Why not just focus on improving the lighting since that's the only real issue here. Everything else is personal preference. If your parents are happy with the room - let them enjoy it.

As for the lightening situation - why not look for a lighting consultant - perhaps someone affiliated with a big lighting store? Lighting can be something difficult even for design professionals to deal with - going to an expert might help you find a good solution with little impact.

"Although a rug is a nice design idea, depending on her parent's age/mobility, it may be dangerous."

Good point - as our elders vision diminishes and mobility becomes more limited, they need wide/clear spaces to walk and don't need area rugs to cause trip hazards.

First of all, I say change everything. You and I both know how much your mother has sweetly pushed her way into your life, using her motherly charm to force you to get rid of that crazy ex from college, to stop hacking up your beautiful hair, etc. They do it 'cause they love us. Love them back.

Since at some point, you will become her, try to imagine what you would like to have the room feel like. To me, it just ain't cozy. Warm it up a liitle. Add a pair of full drapes, ditch the valance. If you must have a fan, pick one that adds an element of style to the room:

http://www.csnceilingfans.com/Fanimation-FP4120BB-kw1000.html

You know she would die if she saw that hanging from the ceiling!

I agree with someone above me, add some red: curtains, throw pillows, etc. You can easily re-upholster the chairs.
Keep the urns on the fireplace, center a nice picture/painting between them to scale. Add a feels-good-to-the feet rug in between the sofas, toss a soft throw on one of them, light a fire and relax.

Look, my mom has style but sometimes she just doesn't know how to reign it in, like when her peach cobbler runs over the side of the pan; it's still delicious, just a mess! Slowly switch up the pieces until the style is cohesive and coherent.

If you follow up every change with a hug and a kiss, she'll still love you.

I would be furious if someone wanted to restyle my house. I'd probably start yelling "butt out!" at them. JoanneM

Buy a big rug like everyone else has said that will tie all the colors together. Also, Home Depot sells light kits that can be added to an existing ceiling fan. I know, overhead light blah blah, but I also HATE dark rooms. If there is no other option, do it!
I would start with just buying those two things that can be returned if your mom isn't happy, and then rearranging what she already has. Don't remove or paint, or you may make poor mom cry. Like in "What about Bob?" BABY STEPS. If mom is happy with the small additions and rearranging, then you can be brave and do more.

A simple solution is, "Mom, I'd really like to redecorate your living room. Would you let me do that? Let me try some stuff and if you don't like it, I'll return it to its former look." You have to mean that last sentence, though.

i'm not sure there's a lot you can do to help her, unless you're a carpenter. your mom has very traditional taste and her choices, though not yours or mine, are charming. the room could use more color, or less color. it's stuck as is, with a little red but not enough to make a point. it's almost as if she'd want a monochromatic space but threw in two red chests.

as for lighting: i'd go with more table and floor choices. an overhead here is a bad idea (lowish ceiling in a nice sized space). recessed lights would work, but unless you are really handy, are a professionals job. the mirror between the two windows could be moved to a place where it will actually reflect light. the window treatments could be removed, raised, and/or simplified; valances, if they aren't set above the window, are guaranteed to darken a space. pull the blinds up.

i think the biggest change would come from knocking out the little framing walls of the fireplace and lowering the mantle. not a small job. those wall block a lot of light flow (from the adjoining hall, from a fire when lit, and from the table lamp pushed against it). a lower mantle would also allow the mirror to go above the fireplace.

What bothers me about the fireplace is the white around brass. I think it should be black or charcoal. The Japanese boat print is also a great idea.

Other than that, updating the chair upholstery to a nice Asian silk in jewel colors and also drapes in jewel colors, would go a long way and be rather minor changes. Maybe you could also change the lampshade to amber or another color. The loose pillows on the chairs are too dull and should be upgraded or dispensed with. Some nice silk or velvet pillows, perhaps with an Asian theme, wouldn't come amiss on the sofa. The Asian theme certainly gives one a lot to work with. One could put blue and white china vases on the mantle instead of black, for example.

It's a pleasant room, all around.

i'm a little torn here. one on hand i can understand wanting to improve your moms home, i would love to give my parents a full on makeover as well. on the other hand if shes happy and your purchases are going to be a waste, why bother?

my mom used to be into country decor (ie wooden bunnies from craft fairs all over, country blue couches etc) then a few years ago she decided she was over it, that was more her moms style and she just kinda went with it. so she bought new sofas and furniture- but is living in a sea of beige and brown. so i'm trying to help by injecting a little color and really trying to find out what my moms style is. she has a hard time expressing it. so i bought her a few red velvet pillows because she wants a warm living room, and red tends to be an accent color older people are safe with. this christmas im getting her a few more things for the home.

your moms taste seems to be traditional and a bit eclectic. i'd just start with maybe a few pillows and updated curtains like others have said (you could even diquise them as christmas presents) and see how she likes them. why dont you go shopping with your mom and point out a few things you like FOR HER HOME, not yours, and see how she feels?

My mother is very sweet and frugal -- she rarely spends on herself, and initially gets VERY upset when others spend money on her. After the initial surprise she is always thankful... or returns it! Starting with just one or two things will allow her to not only give you some input on whether she likes things, but perhaps later you can work on bigger tasks together.

I would suggest....

- Get them an overhead light. This may not be the most hip thing to do, my parents would hate having to navigate the whole room to flip on every lamp vs flipping one main light switch and one reading lamp by their favorite chair. Although, I'm sure there is a way to flip on all the lamps with one switch if you are handy enough.

- Richly colored pillows. Small change, lets you gage her reaction so you can prepare for some bigger steps!

- Rearrange what you can, but try to keep the integrity of the furniture as it is. My mom would be pretty mad if I tossed out some of her furniture or did a "surprise" restaining that couldn't easily be turned back!

- Long, drapey curtains instead of valences. Seems like your mom likes neutrals with a pop of color, so maybe incorporate this idea when you're out shopping. Look for lighter materials so they won't attract as much dust/dirt and can be easily tied back

- Although a rug could impact the mobility, it would really help tie in some of the scattered color in the room. If you anchored edges away from walking areas this could help.

Granted these suggestions will not be "small" budget-wise, but KEEP RECEIPTS and have your mom to pretend she is on "Extreme Home Makeover" :)

I think curtains instead of those valances would make a huge difference. And get rid of the rocking chair. The fan could also go, maybe put that painting between the chairs somewhere else.

I think you should concentrate on decorating your own space. It's possible your mom doesn't like YOUR style any more than you like hers!

If light is the issue, buy her a nice lamp as a present and leave it at that.

P.S. If your mom's anything like mine, she'd be mortified that you've posted her home on a website for all to critique.

no no no to overhead light.... no no no no no no

more lights, all over the room

try to get them on a central switch so yr mom doesn't have to go all over the place to turn em on and off

you see we all like yr mom

and we love you for sticking yr neck out on this

we do

it's just play

Echoing the NO to ceiling fan lights!!!

The room seems to only have two lamps and any room would be dark with only two lamps. I would add on to the red table between the windows, to the other side of the sofa, and maybe a small uplight behind a new plant in the corner. The Tiffany lamp probably doesn't give off much light, so move it to a part of the room where it can be an accent appreciated for the shade, not the light it gives off, and get a brighter lamp for the previous location.

>>SherryBinNH,

>>why do you care? I dislike my mom's taste, but I don't live >>there. Who are you trying to help? yourself? or her?

I don't quite follow your question, but advice was requested and my suggestions were offered. That's all. I happen to like similar things, and I'm just guessing that Mom might like things the way I might like them (except for the boats), so I went with that. Why? Do you think it's important to subvert what she likes just because you don't like it?

As for why "I care", I don't. This is just a mental design exercise. So I'm trying to help you give your Mom something she will like, not help you make over your Mom's house into a shrine to YOUR taste. (Assuming you are the person who posted the initial request -- I didn't go back to confirm, so that is based on your phrasing...) How giving this advice would help me, myself, is beyond me.

Hey -- MY parents have Robert Kinkade prints in their house -- and I taught art, and collect originals. But I wouldn't mess with their house uninvited for anything.

Actually, I have a bit of experience with this subject. My mother-in-law once rearranged my furniture while she was visiting. Not appreciated.

Hmm... wasn't there a post on AT a while back about how a Mom took over a guest room as 'hers' and started buying things for it, and someone asked how to deal with that?...

"My mom buys whatever strikes her fancy; hence, I've decided to intervene."

Now here's the crux of the problem - why _shouldn't_ mom buy whatever she wants? It's her house, after all, and she should like living in it having made choices for herself. And why on earth would someone just decide to intervene. That shows a huge lack of respect for the other person. I hate my parent's place; it's not at all my cup of tea. But it makes them happy, and that's all that matters.

They probably dislike many of our choices as well. But who care? They're our choices made because we too, like this mom, 'buy anything that strikes [our] fancy'. As we should. Some things turn out better than others, but at least we've made the choices.

"As you can see, there is no overall 'style.'"

"I've decided to intervene."

"I can't change any of these things (she'd definitely notice.)"

"I want a shallow light to maximize head clearance, but I can't decide on a style. (I'm hoping this will negate the need for that faux Tiffany floor lamp, which I hate.)"

This is what I'm hearing: "I hate the way my mom's place looks--it's not my style--so I'm going to change it. I don't want her to know that I'm doing it until it's too late to change it back because I know she'll stop me otherwise."

If indeed you are doing this without her permission, you are definitely in the wrong. This is her space. Her things. Child of hers or not, you have no right to do anything here unless she gives you that right. And it definitely sounds like she has not.

Oh, and for the record, she does have a style...just not your style. She clearly likes things that give her the sense of the "old world." How she chooses to represent that is up to her. NOT YOURS.

Maybe they are just being polite to their decorator minded daughter.

I leave my parent's places ALONE. My father's is a hovel and my mothers is like the posters. I decided long ago that it is rude, even if they don't mind, to offer to "fix" something about someone. I wait for my mother to ask my opinion.

...can you tell by how angry this makes me that I have been in your mother's shoes before? I was not pleased.

To me, your moms room is missing a focal point. In this room the natural focal point seems to be the fireplace (hard to tell with out seeing the floorplan). I am not usually a fan of painting walls an accent color, but I think painting the fireplace wall and the surrounding wing walls a deeper shade of the wall color will draw your eye in. I would change the accessories on the mantle to something not so symmetrical or dark. Does the ship on top of the armoire fit on the mantle? I also don't like the brass around the fireplace. It could be tough to convince your mom to replace that. Maybe use brass in the accessories on the mantle and in a few other places through out the room to make it seem a little less random.

Removing the throw pillows from the leftover dining chairs would help them. You can't see the detail of the back, which in my opinion is their best feature. I think the seats could be reupholstered, maybe something that adds additional pattern to the room. More pattern could be used throughout the room, everything seems a bit bland. Throw pillows on the sofas are a great place to start. A patterned rug would also be nice, although some people object to the rug on top of carpet thing.

As for lighting, I think you should get both a light for the ceiling fan and some more table/floor lamps. That gives your mom the option to light the room based on her needs, although if she ever sees a photo of her self taken with the overhead lighting on, she may never turn it on again!

Add some more personal items (photos of your family, friends and favorite vacations spots). Accessories are a good way to tell visitors about who lives in the house. To me the accessories right now all look like they were purchased at Marshalls or TJ Maxx as space filler not things that are meaningful to the owner.

"This is what I'm hearing: "I hate the way my mom's place looks--it's not my style--so I'm going to change it. I don't want her to know that I'm doing it until it's too late to change it back because I know she'll stop me otherwise.""

My aunt felt the same way about my grandmother's yard - and ended up pulling out prize winning rosebushes. To this day, we don't know what she was thinking, but my grandmother was pissed, to say the very very least. My aunt's feelings were hurt, she stopped her little project, and my grandmother left her yard barren the rest of her life, probably to goad my aunt every time she stopped by, or maybe because of how long it takes to grow rose bushes. A simple conversation would have saved everyone a lot of grief.

Good lord, EM asked for advice on how to make improvements to the room, not a bunch of pseudo-psychologists advising her on relations with her parents.