apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I say get a rug and spash some color onto those walls! if your boyfriend isn't for color, they go with something neutral like grey of taupe. Your rug can have thes same colors in them as well so it's not overwhelming for him.

Any extra accent colors can be on the table (ie. place mats, runners, flowers, or place settings).

Compromise: get curtains and more art for color, and leave the floor bare (it's easier to clean that way, and less of a hassle to find the right size, etc.).
I like the idea to hang a light over the table if possible.

Well, I'm not a fan of rugs on in an everyday eating area, especially in a kitchen just because they're harder to keep clean...especialy since it seems the dog stays in the kitchen? But, a rug would help. But, maybe a compromise would be pillows on a couple of the seats in a color or small pattern? And/or a table runner or more colorful accent in the center of the table? More, less brown, art would be nice too..next to the existing piece and in between the doors and windows and/or above the dog bed. Maybe you could make a more boxy dog bed that would double as a bench for you (like the dog would sleep under it) and bring in some color that way.

I think curtains would be a hassel in the kitchen too and the wall of windows/doors you have now is nice and seems to have a good view. Maybe just valances if that is your style.

I'd skip the rug because it's something else that will need cleaning/care. What about adding some more art to your walls?

Also, the plant in the corner is a little small -- you could get a plant with great big leaves to add an immediate splash of green.

The touch of oranges on the table adds to the color in the room, but the display looks a little on the small side. A tablecloth could be a good way to test some color in the room -- easily removed if he can't stand it.

I'm not sure the problem is so much that you need colour, but rather that the room looks so bare that it has a little bit of the display home vibe. What if you compromised and got a rug and curtains in muted earth tones like the ones in your painting? You'll add a bit of warmth and life but still have the neutral tones your boyfriend likes.

I also agree with replacing the lamps with a pendant light and putting up a couple more pieces of art on the walls.

Sounds like he's just afraid of color. That it'll be overwhelming.

You have the perfect opportunity to introduce color in small ways by painting under the chair rail. I would go with a deep red to reddish brown that you would pull out of the painting.

since your wood table is so much darker / deeper than any other wood in the room, you need a nice deep (rich) color to keep it from looking like a sore thumb in the space.

If he likes the rich color below the chair rail, then put a nice rich taupe or grey above the chair rail too.

I would go for curtains too.

And ditto on an overhead hanging fixture above the table.

im not sold on the rug idea only because if you spill food or something, its going to be a hassle.

i have a few ideas:
get rid of your current artwork. perhaps add three pieces across that wall. something impactful that doesnt scream out " i got you on sale at homegoods"

change the lighting...the lights in there now add to the plain jane feeling of the room.

re-upholster the cat bed... want to add color, start there.

if you are going to have a plant, get a big leafy one...adds volume to an otherwise sad corner

Ooh. I also wanted to add that while a rug would be nice for color - I don't like them under the dining table because it's harder to slide the chairs in and out while seated.

Plus you have a dog so it'll just end up one big hairy mess anyway.

add curtains--simple ones that can hang from clip rings. if you can sew, fabric.com is the best place to get dupioni silk, which is a casual silk, in my opinion. all you'd have to do is hem the top and bottom and buy clip rings at the hardware store. a nice taupe silk might be a compromise for your boyfriend's neutral preference.

maybe some brightly-colored chair pads, or a bright table runner in chartreuse?

lose the lamps, get a cool fixture from ikea.

i like a rug under dining areas as it protects the wood underneath from scratches. good luck!

Yes to curtains, no to a rug. I agree that you need color to cheer up the room, but I think a rug under the table would get gross (and the wood floors are pretty).

How about a bright table runner or tablecloth? Some colorful patterned cushions on the chairs would liven the area up and make the chairs more comfy.

Also, it looks like there's no light fixture over the table (but maybe it's cut off), but if you can add or change it that would help. You could get a pendant with a solid color or patterned shade (or decorate the shade yourself, just find some diy instructions online or in magazines).

The green in your pet's bed looks good in the room, so maybe you could go with shades of green. And it looks like there's some orange and yellow in the painting, so do some pops of those colors.

And I want to add that I've recently gone through the exact same thing after moving in with my BF, who would have only three pieces of furniture--all black--if he could. Eventually I realized that he has trouble visualizing things in the abstract and instead automatically refused any suggestions to add colour or design elements ("it's too hodge podge! I like simple!").

I find that a, "let's just try it; if you don't like it we can take it back" approach helps. Usually he ends up liking things once he sees everything together.

Not to be snide, but it looks like the best feature of the space is the big window. So I would definitely NOT hide it with curtains. As for the rug, I never undrstand why people put rugs under tables--they look silly and collect food. So I'd say no to that too. On the color issue, I think that's totally personal. I like the neutral tones you have and think color would just muck it up. I do agree with the above that the space is too bare and show-roomy. You need to add a bit more to the walls. Also an interesting small corner table with something on it (a vase with twigs or dried flowers perhaps) would add a little more interest and texture.

bellankollie: " i got you on sale at homegoods" that made me chuckle

I'd agree on the lamps and on the plants. One thing I've tried to do is actually add multiple plants of various height and foliage in one corner, that way it fills up an unused corner.

I would also try to put a plain table clothes on. That can bring the colour, and right now there is too much wood for me between the table, chairs and floor.

pet rug= pet hair.

get felt round tips for the bottom of the chairs

I like the wood on it's own and I'm never one to put a rug under a table because, at least in my family, it always becomes a dirty mess. But I agree that the lighting situation needs to be addressed and I personally would paint those walls - at least the bottom half. If that art above the table is staying, maybe you could take one of the bright yellows from there and leave the top half of the wall white. That might be a workable compromise. There are plenty of pseudo-neutrals out there that he would probably be comfortable with if he actually saw them in action.

some men ( my boyfriend included) aren't much into the thinking out process. so either you do it ( paint the walls the color you think is best) or sketch it out ( like i do) then they agree.

cushions on seats like this make me kinda cringe. unless you get really cool ones.

We have an indoor/outdoor "faux sisal" rug under our dining room table. It doesn't collect dust and hair and you can rinse stains out with water.

Pottery Barn has some nice, neutral options: http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/rugs/rugs-by-material/synthetic-outdoor-rugs/index.cfm

I agree with others who suggested picking stronger or warmer neutral tones. There are really beautiful, warm browns that are much less blah than what you have right now. A deep, warm brown would also bring out the beautiful tones in your table and chairs.

Having a decor-phobic husband, I also agree with the "let's try it and we'll change it if you hate it" approach. Sometimes people just can't visualize what it will look like.

For the window, a simple, non-froufrou roman shade in a color/pattern that complements your new, more fabulous neutral wall color, would be nice. You can get an outside mount shade and mount it slightly above the window, so it won't block the light when it's pulled all the way up.

My boyfriend is he same way: he likes everything plain. Loves the wood. Ruins all my fun! He usually comes around though, after the fact. Go with your gut, and keep the receipts!

As another woman with a boyfriend who refuses all attempts at accessorizing a room (yet he also refuses to allow me to take anything OUT!), I sympathize. I think that he probably thinks of himself as a minimalist, and feels like rugs and curtains are Mom's House territory.

What I think he doesn't realize is that it's not just about color. It's about making the room look finished. Accessories make a room look "done." Right now it just looks like someone stuck a table in there. You need texture and visual interest. Currently you have two textures: wood and drywall.

I would compromise: add curtains in a neutral color but a lovely textural fabric. Then, try adding tiny spots of bright color in very temporary treatments: flowers, napkins/tableware. I am betting once he actually sees the particular color, he'll be less resistant. My boyfriend thinks he wants everything beige and black, but even he spontaneously commented on how nice the bright flowers I brought in one day looked.

I love the idea of a rug and pendant- it would help a lot with delineating the space. Food droppage isn't THAT big a deal, you guys look VERY tidy anyways. With a muted but colorful rug - perhaps in soft blues or oranges - anchoring the space he can get used to the idea of color and you guys can use it as a base to work up from. I also think using a light to make the space more specific will help a lot with the 'floating in beige land' feeling you have going. A circular rig would do even better to soften the space.

The walls and windows then get treated using colors from whatever rug you use. I would think less SPLASHES of bright color then an overall subtle variations on a soft color scheme

http://www.orientalrugs.com/oriental-rugs/blue-rugs/nourisonheritagehallhe16orientalrugaqua.cfm
or
http://www.westelm.com/online/store/CategoryDisplay?storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&identifier=WE-SH1RUGRUG&retainNav=true

either way ....

I think you need to figure out if your boyfriend (a) loooves the plain look and would redecorate the whole world like that if he could or (b) couldn't be bothered putting the thought and effort into it because it's perfectly serviceable as it is and he has other things to fill up his brain with.

If it's (b) you can say "Don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of it all, I won't do anything you'd hate" and you may actually pick up points.

Your situation reminds me of my aunt who, with a decorator, wanted to redecorate her powder-room. They asked my uncle what colour he would like and he said "blue". Both my aunt and the decorator agreed that, for whatever reason, blue would look terrible in that room and pink would be much better. The decorator advised my aunt that she had been in this kind of situation with clients before, and they should just paint the powder-room their preferred pink and say nothing, my uncle would never notice. And unless he's reading this now (some ten years later) he never has :D

Add a huge mirror to the wall where the artwork is hung. Move the artwork to the wall opposite the windows.
Get rid of the torch style lamps and add a sparkly chandelier.
I just guessing. I don't really know, as I'm trying to decorate my place, and my place looks like $%^&.
:D

huge mirror...brilliant!

It looks like the room is long and narrow, so if you're going to hang a mirror you should hang it opposite the windows, to make the room look wider rather than longer (it will also bring in more light that way)

As others have said, I think the problem is not the lack of color but the lack of texture or visual interest. I prefer neutrals and simplicity but this room seems to be missing something. People have posted some good ideas - now I'm picturing some sort of slim console table where the pet bed is, a large pendant light (could be plain but big, like the cb2 eden or equator lights), a simple but bright table runner (maybe yellow linen).

Are you attached to your table and chairs? You can definitely work with them, but a different table might fit better. It looks like the table is pushed against the wall? I found that in my own small dining area, it was better to have a smaller table pulled out from the wall (even just a little). And something like a Saarinen table would look great in that bright, small space.

I love the idea of painting a warm color under the chair rail.

Someone pointed out that you would not want to hide that great window -- get lightweight curtains that showcase the window, rather than hide it.

It seems to me that the two-toned walls break up the space. I think you should paint the entire wall one color. Even walls with chair rails are fine painted one color (leave the chair rail the same color as the trim, of course).

Other than that, a new overhead pendant light and artwork that fits the size of the space would help tremendously. (The current art is too small--it would probably be most affordable to have several pieces to fill the space; or, ikea lack shelves look great in dining areas. Buy 3 or 5--odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye.)

I don't think a rug or curtains are necessary. Your money could be better spent in other ways.

Please post "after" pictures!

You could stay with neutral colors, but it could be graphic, or you could go with one or two of the colors in your artwork. You need something to absorb sound. When you actually have a dinner party, all the noise bouncing around in that small space would not be very nice.

If you stick with all neutrals for the major pieces, use bright flowers on your table, or add a splash of color with your table linens.

Nothing wrong with your room. It is just bland & looks like you are not finished with it yet.

Two cents:

I think you need a substantial vertical dimension to this room. It could be in the form of a china hutch, a buffet with a "top" to it. I also agree that a chandelier over your table would help too.

The problem is that the painting is out of scale and too strong for the place you are hanging it. Swap out the painting for a larger, softer neutral wall covering. A soft textile would be nice but finding the perfect one might take awhile...you could also do a grouping of posters in light white/neutral colors...the lighter they are the bigger they should be, for example those vintage ads would be cute in 20x30 poster size...if you do black and white photos they should be a little smaller...16x20 tops? because they're going to be heavier, but they should all be portrait-oriented...at least two and probably three with one theme.

I would get an indoor/outdoor rug for this area. If you spill on it, you can just vacuum it or at worst, take it outside and hose it off. You can find these all over the place right now, stores are getting ready for summer.

I also love the idea of curtains.

Some little chair pads would be a cute way to add color. Maybe pull some color from the painting you have on the wall.

Lastly, not that you asked, but I don't love your symmetrical torchiere lights. In a perfect world, I think an overhead light would be better, but if you don't have a jbox there to install a chandelier, you could put something like this in one corner:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p12264/index.cfm?pkey=cfloor%2Dlamps

or this:
http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Float_Arch_Floor_Lamp/450/

http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Eclipse_Floor_Lamp/210/

Any of these could ideas could be done with a punch of color or in neutrals just introduce texture (or a mixture of both).

Instead of colour, you could play with texture. I just put a cowhide rug under my dining table and it looks fantastic - it's a neutral colour but its outline and surface are anything but neutral, which introduces some more interest into the room. Also it's much easier to clean that a woven rug.

Some bigger plants might also help this room.

Leave the walls - they look nice and there is no use painting if you don't need to. My suggestions would be buy a rug large enough to fit your table and chairs on, buy some placemats and other table decor in a corresponding color, find some nice seat cushions, add some nice prints or art to the wall, and voila enough color to suit anyone.

I agree with the previous advice: no rug (the room is too small, it would need to be wall to wall to be underneath the chairs when in use), add drapes (maybe textured, either physically or visually), add a plant with large leaves, eliminate the painting (which looks exactly like the ones at my local Ruby Tuesday restaurant) and replace it with something larger and nicer... I think a basket texture would be a nice addition, maybe you could find a basket style pet bed?

My "domsetic partner" was one of those beige guys until I forced bright yellow walls on him in our finished basement -- by promising to repaint if he still didn't like them in six months or so. (We repainted only to sell the house years later...) In our new place, HE insisted on orange walls in one area, dark red walls in another, spring green in his office... you, too, could create a "monster"! ;^)

Oops -- "domestic"