apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I have a question that perhaps AT readers could help with.

Just painted my living room decorators white, departing from a taupe-ish gray. We wanted our objects to pop more, and the gray seemed to be swallowing everything up. The challenge I am facing is with the trim, which was painted pior with straight-up BM white. plain white and decorators white aren't looking too hot together.

any suggestions for the trim? i'm open to all sorts of ideas.

What is the accent color in your furnishings? You could use that. Or what about a glossy black. That could look cool with your decorator's white.

Hi, I also have a question. A while back a saw a wall panel treatment that also was a light source.

The shape was something like this:

http://www.popartplastic.co.uk/assets/pages/tile_descriptions/single_ball_description.html

But with a light.

Anyone recall the product?

Need design ideas! Blank slate!
The only items I have purchased are a media console table from C&B (http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=994&f=26557) and a wall mounted LCD which is a mounted above it to the wall on the left, which can't be seen.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28729776@N08/2674580242/

I should also say the room is 13' x 15' and I'd like to have a little desk/secretary for my laptop.

The wall lamp...I don't necessarily recall seeing the wall panel treatment, but was it made with this lamp from IKEA?

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40018574

Could be cool

Alexman - you could also go neutral on the trim. Choose a sand or linen color .

ccullo5 - what kind of feel do you want? Are there any other light sources in the room. What is your style aesthetic?

I'm moving into my first apartment next week and I was wondering what if any shade of blue walls might work with the beige renter's carpet. I really want something cheery to brighten up my first Chicago winter, but all the advice I can find for dealing with beige carpets steers me to browns. Anyone have any suggestions?

Here's a photo of a room in the same building / same carpet, though not my specific unit.
http://picasaweb.google.com/wc2386/ApartmentFotos/photo#5219222851212882034

chilledsoup--

I think blue will absolutely go with your beige carpet. First thing I thought of was a medium sea-blue, and then I saw your apt. overlooks the lake! Definitely take your inspiration from that. My parents (in cold-wintered Michigan) have a beautiful blue in their den, which also has beige carpet. I know it was from Martha Stewart's Everyday line, but can't remember the exact color. The closest color I found on Lowe's website was 'sun print blue', except their blue isn't quite so dusty. Good luck!

Brett-
The only other light source is a small ceiling light... I will need additional / mood lighting for entertaining in the evenings.

Good questions about my style... I'm pulled so many directions... I like urban glamour, mixing soft & hard lines... not too much of one thing... I want conversation pieces, but I need the space to be functional as well. I would love to incorporate a rolling desk, secretary to store my laptop and provide some workspace but I'm limited with height on one of my walls... here, opposite the sliding glass door.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28729776@N08/2680221663/

I'm still open for suggestions!! & a color palet too!! I can't decide... picking out a sofa has been so tough!

chilledsoup, blue can definitely work with that carpet (especially since it looks to be on the lighter side). For something tranquil, try green or grey-blues (like BM's Slate Blue, Flora, or Serenata). For something brighter, try warmer and richer blues (BM's Atmospheric or Blue Echo, depending on how deep you want to go). Get samples, and paint big swatches close to the baseboards. See how each color reacts to the light, and the carpet, throughout the day.

And is this Lake Meadows? It looks so familiar.

Good luck!

Oh I love that BM Serenata color! It's actually Regent's Park in Kenwood/Hyde Park, but yeah it's definitely generic apartment looking, which is why I am interested in painting the walls. I like the idea that catiaelizabeth suggested of drawing inspiration from the lake! Given that I'm moving to Chicago for the first time from the east coast, I would really like "Chicago" to be a big theme of my decorating. I wanted to do blue walls because I love the sky reflecting off Cloudgate (so much that it inspired this painting for my room, http://bp3.blogger.com/_t65OzeBpHl0/SGcSw6YrM0I/AAAAAAAAAVg/R5iZyMoky_g/s1600-h/IMG_0178.JPG ). I also want to get one of those posters of the Chicago neighborhoods from Ork. If anyone else has ideas for Chicago-oriented decor, I'd love to hear them! Maybe some prints from the art institute or the Frank Lloyd Wright stencils...

hello everyone! i hope someone can help me. i have a set of lamps pretty similar to this one...

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1220&f=5099

but i am in need of new lampshades. the ones i have are more like a hexagon shade, and i would rather have a simple modern square shade like the one on the crate and barrel lamp.

does anyone know of a site that sells these- hopefully not super expensive! or a store (near the northern suburbs- gurnee area)???

Thanks for the suggestions on trim. We were thinking of black, but I'm too afraid - partially because our trim isn't in pristine condition (old apartment, not always treated with kindness over the years) and I am concerned it would bring out all of the imperfections.

Thanks everyone!

chilledsoup, check out the great L art at citizenshay.com (he does them on both stretched canvas and prints suitable for framing). And come September, make sure to take in the Renegade Art Fair. Lots of local artists. Good luck!