Name: D.
Location: Brooklyn NY
Type: 1 bedroom apartment, Owned
Why I use color:
I use color in order to make my space more comfortable. Just like I select fabrics and pieces of furniture according to comfort level, I choose the corresponding colors to achieve both physical and aesthetic comfort...
Even the most luxurious armchair might end up causing discomfort if the color of it makes you wince every time you enter the room.
For my bedroom I wanted to evoke a feeling of opulence without being overwhelming. The room is large and receives a lot of sunlight, so I painted the walls a rich brown color (Benjamin Moore – Lake Shore Trail) in order to create a sense of warmth. In selecting furniture, I selected larger pieces with more intricate detailing but painted them bright white in order to create a contrast with the brown walls and to reduce their individual visual weight.
I chose other accessories with no color at all in an effort to keep the space from feeling too cluttered. When it comes to fabric I like to pair different colors and textures. A difference in material can completely transform the nature of a color; observe the difference between the subtle sheen of a silk and the smooth matte of velvet.
2 Good color tips:
1. The largest objects in a room will set the tone choose those colors carefully, but the overall look can be varied by accessorizing smaller, more easily changed objects in bright contrasting colors. Flowers, books, picture frames all offer the opportunity to vary the look and feel of a space with minimal effort.
2. Use color in conjunction with texture in order to maximize an intended effect, a muted color in a velvet or a shiny brocade finish might have as much impact as a bright color in a low sheen cotton.
Favorite type and brand of paint:
Benjamin Moore. I find it to have better coverage and less fumes. I tried the Home Depot and Lowes brand paints but found that it took weeks for the smell to completely off gas, as against 24 hours with Benjamin Moore. I am curious to see what other people have experienced.
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I'm not seeing enough of anything to be able to vote, sorry. :(
Sorry, what I mean is that I'm not seeing enough of the apartment/rooms to be able to vote. The first photo shows a bit more than the others, but all I really see here are a dresser, some frames, and a lamp in detail.
Too many close ups. I would love to be able to see the room as a whole.
I agree with the above comments, but would like to add that what I do see looks lovely.
Hey, I had that very same princess furniture when I was little! This one gets my nostalgia vote.
First photo is lovely.
We likey. Although not modern, not overdone.
Wow, you bed is so inviting. Is that a custom headboard? I really like your linens, too. Where are they from?
I had that furniture too, nice to see it all grown up. I would like more room pictures though it is hard to see what you are going for here.
This looks so calm and restful. I'd be interested in seeing more of it too.
The first photo is lovely. The other photos are too close up or too blurry. Your bed looks so classy and comfortable.
I love the colors. Love, love, love. This is the first calm entry I've seen.
My sense is that this entry won't do very well because of the furniture styles used. Most of the pieces wouldn't have been my choice; still, I adored the calm, I adored the lush curtains, I adored the sense of comfort and opulence.
Congratulations on creating a true haven!!!!
I still have three pieces of that same furniture and I don't know what to do with it. I was thinking of painting them the same color as my walls. I have a dark brown macho wood headboard. Agh.
i love this bedroom, it's like your own "bed and breakfast" type of a room.
Please post more pics, Im sure they are nice as well
I love the contrast of the white furniture against the brown walls. But again, I'd like to see more than just the bedroom - it's hard to make a decision with so little to go on.
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for the compliments (and the not-compliments too).
1. Photos - I really did struggle with the photos, I'm not quite happy with how they came out, I agree that they could give a better idea of the rooms overall layout. Taking some tips from other entries I would totally try some different angles and wider shots if I did this again.
2. I was going for opulence/overtly feminine/calm/inviting/comfortable feel, so I'm really glad that some people got that vibe
3. The headboard was actually store bought and pretty cheap too.
4. The bedding and curtains were custom made. With the bedding especially I think having them custom made was worth it because I was able to get a closer/smoother fit for the duvet to my down comforter. I found that with the standard ready made sizing the duvets tend to run large so I didn't get the fluffy full look that I like.
5. Furniture choice. I'm pretty much a constant lurker on AT so I know that my choices are far flung from the streamlined stuff that's on AT most of the time. But I really wanted the room to be the kind of space where I could feel like the entire world was built for my comfort - for me that screamed princess furniture!
I think your style comes across very well and is quite elegant. It's just that the photos are too close up and don't show enough variety to judge on.
When the contest is over, I'd love to see a Flickr tour!
I like the overall "feeling" of the room: romantic, comfortable, detailed and quality. It's a bit too neutral for me, but that's personal choice.
Question: is that a real ghost acrylic chair or a repro, if it's a repro, where did you get it? I would like not to spend $200 on the real thing. Thanks!!
gorgeous! i can't believe that headboard came from wally-world. i love the painting with the pink background (who is the artist?). i'm over the super-streamlined stuff. give me some glamour! well done...
i think i transposed that comment about the headboard from another post...the room is still lovely...
I love the Phillipe Starck Ghost Chair.
Hi again,
The headboard did actually come from walmart (trust me, I was suprised too). I don't think that they carry it anymore but it ended up costing under $200 incl delivery.
The painting is by a jamaican artist called Ken Abendana Spencer. I was luck enough to have my mom gift it to me. He has done a ton of stuff, but more landscape than portrait, some of which I know you can buy on the internet. I'm sure you'll find some work by him if you google his name.
The ghost chair is the real thing. I actually searched high and low for a quality repro but had no hits. In the end I was lucky enough to find this one half price and in good condition on craigslist.
Dude, you're supposed to show how your whole house has color. Not multiple pics of your dresser etc. Not good sorry.
Not enough of anything to see. A bedroom with a brown wall, and some closeups of dresser tops? Definitely not enough to be in the running.
i don't know why people dont like this! i think it looks great. loving colors doesnt mean it has explode in your face. this is very simple and elegant. brown is used as neutral with little punches of red and silver.
Chiming in because I also had that furniture. It's still at my parents' home and makes me smile whenever I visit!
Gosh, so much potential in that first picture. I love it...so relaxing. The other shots are just too-tight on your details, and don't say enough to me about the room or rooms you live in.