apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Definatly a rug and paint the walls! I think that will go a long way to adding some much needed color to your vanilla living room. Otherwise, I love your house and your furniture peices!

the room looks very nice. I agree totally with an area rug to tie the living area togetehr--but no bright color! The beige thing is working well and you should stick with it. So many people on this site are under the sad misconception that every room needs bright color.

Personally, the position of the couch--with one end against the wall--would drive me insane. I'd put the couch against the wall and place the two chairs facing it (at slight angles). I'd also try to remove the electronic stuff or whatever that is to the left of the fireplace--don't block the wonderful little windows.

I think adding some touches of red might be a good option.

A red rug would be a nice touch and walmart carries a red dyed bamboo rug that fairly cheap.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10730092

Red draperies would help the windows as well as maybe a red throw to drape over the chair... maybe some red taper candles in a cool candleholder.. or a vase of flowers.

im trying to think of other colors you could bring in but all I can really see is red... good luck

easy fix: get rid of that plexi chair in the back corner and put something bold there, like a large plant. try putting artwork in place of the mirror.

The basics of the room are great. Four things: Rug, Paint, Lamps, Curtains. You just need to finish it up!

Good luck.

Hi, neighbor!

In choosing an accent color, I recommend that you look in your closet and see what color(s) you already wear; chances are, those are the colors you like. Then, shop around (this can be a long process) for a piece of artwork, a print, or maybe even a photograph that you already have that you love. Pick out a color you like that is already in picture, and use that as the basis for your accent color. Small ways of introducing it are as a border around your beige or white curtains and throw pillows on the couch. Remember, you can add a border to your curtains using ribbon from the fabric store and a glue gun!

Here are my ideas:

1. A seagrass rug for the living area. It will add some texture and further define the space. West Elm has affordable ones.
2. A metal bowl with an arrangement of moss covered spheres on the coffee table . Get some moss at the nursery, some florist foam from the craft store. Shape the foam into spheres, cover with moss, add water.
3. Replace the canisters on the side table with something decorative from a thrift store, estate sale or discount store that you can paint grass green.
4. Botanical prints hung on both sides of the white mirror. Buy a used botanical book on the cheap from Amazon, remove the pages you like and mount in black frames from IKEA.
5. Place the star burst mirror above the fireplace. Add some mirrored objects and maybe some candlesticks to the mantle.
6. A small sheepskin from IKEA would be great slung over the ghost chair.
7. A few nice books w/colored covers stacked on the coffee table.
8. Pillows of woven natural fibers (i.e seagras)for the couch and armchair.

Rug in the living room - I also thought red. Art in the dining room. A plant or flowers would also be nice and not too expensive.

#4 I just realized that was a window, not a mirror. Still would look coold flanked with prints.

I'm feeling some teal accents would be really nice, but I'm a big fan of tan and teal together. It could be more of a muted teal/grey-blue if brights aren't your thing. A rug, pillows, curtains, even painting, maybe just one accent wall, would help this be a little more lively and cozy.

The dining table and the light above look really pretty, a nice classic look. Some kind of window treatment for the door/window/whatever it is by the dining table would give a little oomph to that room. Yeah, i just used oomph. I feel sad now.

My suggestion is to pick an accent color and use it for throw pillows, a blanket, vases, napkins and placements on the table, maybe in a rug, etc. I can see an accent of apple green or robin's egg blue.

If you cannot paint (or don't want to paint) add color with fabrics: curtains, pillows or a rug. Or instead of the mirror over the fireplace you could also add some colorful art. I think with the palet you have jewel tones, dark green, red, blue or purple, would look nice.

I think a dusty blue on the walls would look nice with the beige. Also, getting some patterned window coverings in a beige/brown/light blue (and coordinating pillows) would tie everything together nicely. These changes paired with a big white flotaki style rug would be fun!
Check out Marshall's for cheap pillows. They often have good rugs too.

I think it just needs some texture. Add a textured rug (natural fibre might work or a thicker shag). A large wood box or large basket holding firewood near the hearth. Anything with texture will bring your already nice place to life.

I'd love to see some plants in the room to add some color and life! I don't see this room getting much natural light though, but I think it would add something.

The room lacks coherence. Even though there are a limited number of colours, each piece of furniture seems to have its own style. I think you should begin with considering this. I would find a different place for the transparent chair and replace the coffee table with something that matches the side-table. A set of identical pillows could integrate the sofa and the armchair. Green perhaps, and then throw in a big green plant. Or make pillows for the sofa in the same fabric as the armchair and vice versa. Also consider the balance between lots of little knick-knacks and wide empty walls. There is plenty of room for some colourful artwork but what you have so far is itty-bitty and monochromatic.

OK, to unblock the window, I'd move the TV to the wall where the sunburst mirror is now. Put the sofa where the striped chair is now so it faces the TV but still can see the fireplace. (I twill form a room divider with the dining area.) Put the striped chair where the lucite chair is now. Put the black end table under the window next to the sofa. I can't see your media stand, but the components are too conspicuous, so you might want to get a small media stand that holds them underneath and out of the way.

Paint the walls a semi-neutral color. (Depending on the light levels, which you seem to say aren't great, maybe a golden yellow, warm moss green, tan, or warm cream. Warmer than what you have now.)

Add one or two plants -- big leaves, simple shapes. (Not fussy viney things.) (Maybe under the window.) Add a throw and maybe two pillows in an accent color that you like, and hang some art in the dining room area -- the biggest most colorful thing you can fit into the space! (Just about any jewel tone accent color would work with your stuff -- red is an obvious choice: maybe too obvious! I'd pick some art you love for the dining room and choose an accent from the art.)

Your living room is small and has a lot of furniture in it -- too much and the scale is oversize for the space. Assuming you need to hang onto it, I'd lose the coffee table and do without one or get something smaller, and move the lucite chair to another location, even if you pull it back in for extra guests...

And Open the miniblinds to let more light in. (Pull them up.) You could frame that window with floor to ceiling drapes in the accent color you choose to add more color -- hang them just past the actual window to block it the least. (In my floor plan, the TV will sit in front of the right hand panels.)

A newspaper article on fixing a beige room is at http://www.azstarnet.com/athome/285260

Window treatments and throw pillows are cheap, easy, and a fast way to add a tasteful splash of color to the room without being overwhelming. I second the call for plants, too. They add a certain sense of life to a room without interrupting whatever color scheme you're playing with overall.

I'm completely impressed- I think your upholstery choices work together really well, and your taste is very concise.

And, I like the neutral scheme that you've set. I think that adding a bright color like red would be a mistake- though your space looks very comfortable, it's not huge. Adding bright colors to your living room could make it feel a little tense.

I think I'm with SherryBinNH on this one. You need more light- and you need to air out your space. Review your furnishings carefully and make a cut- or simply move something into another room. Open up your floor plan to make it one big room instead of two rather squashed "areas." And add more lighting! How about a ceiling fixture over your gorgeous coffee table? That would certainly add some sparkle.

Also, review your tabletop items in the living room. Are those canisters on the table? Cute, but move them to the kitchen. For your living space, stick with metallics- the more shiny surfaces, the more light.

Most importantly, your walls are screaming for some color. A very pale, soft color- but not a greige. I think a faint lavender would be amazing.

Is that navy blue on your arm chair or hunter green?
Whatever the color is, I would use that color to anchor the space together.

As someone above stated, I agree that although all of your pieces really nice, they have different styles so it's kind of making it harder to tie the room together. When you have the budget, I would consider swapping some items so that they will look more coherant (tables, credenza etc).

Furniture Reconfiguration
-Swap the location of the couch and the armchair.
Couch facing the white window, armchair facing the fireplace.
-Sunburst mirror goes on top of the fire place.
-TV goes infront of the covered window, maybe with a simpler credenza.
-Lucite chair doesn't belong in this living room.
-Side table goes to the left of sofa, next to the fireplace where the TV is currently located at. If possible, get a similar table and put in on the right side as well. With lamps on both tables.
-Coffee table stays in the same location.


Decorating
-Rug under the livingroom area.
-Paint the walls. Greyish light blue or dark navy, depending on how much drama you want.
-Swap the white fabric with a fun print for the covered window so that it becomes a cool backdrop for your TV.
Actually it would be really cool if you could find a poster that fits your windowframes. That way it looks like framed art, not a covered window.
-Cushions. Think in terms of blue and cream/yellow.
-Take the canisters away.

Bright colorful rug, maybe a kilim? Some large colorful artwork, and pillows, of course. Even a richly colored tablecloth would make a big difference.

I second lavender!

Bright rug. Lose the striped chair. Open the window & frame it with a ceiling to floor curtain that is bright/your accent color. Move the TV to a different room or wall -- it's competing with the fireplace & adding darkness to the area. Hang up the mirror, don't lean it (if you want more color, paint its frame your accent color). Get rid of at least one piece of furniture -- there's too much crammed into that little space -- I'd start with the black table -- might be nice next to the couch instead of on the wall?

I would capitalize on your beiges/neutral color scheme - and paint your walls the palest shade of blue - then choose a large cream rug with a taupe/brown pattern for your floor - such as the Maze Crewel Rug or the Natural Ikat Patterned rugs from WSHome:

http://www.wshome.com/products/p1468/index.cfm?pkey=chand%2Dknotted%2Drugs

http://www.wshome.com/products/p1478/index.cfm?pkey=crugs%2Dbraided%2Dsisal%2Danimal%2Dprint

Now - Why is that giant TV next to your fireplace? Why is the end table and lamp away from the seating? Why is the sofa blocking the room from it's entrance? It's time to do some rearranging...

Sofa belongs under the window which will have floor-to ceiling draperies installed to making the window appear wider and taller. Cocktail table in the center, and chair next to the fireplace at an angle to the seating area with the end table & lamp placed next to the chair in the center. The Ghost Chair goes away - it's scale and material is all wrong for this room - it's replaced by a small scaled Lolling Chair which is placed on the other side of the end table with it's back to the dining area. The TV goes on the far wall in the area near the dining area - opposite the fireplace/french door wall.

Sunburst mirror goes above the fireplace & the rectangular mirror goes over a table near the entry so you can check your hair and grab your carkeys before walking out the front door.

The only colors in this set of rooms should come from artwork on the walls, flowers in the vases and the people in the room - everything else should be beige, creams, taupes and browns with some gold and silver metal finishes - including the throw pillows and accessories.

I agree that the furniture configuration is not optimal. Perhaps place the sofa in front of the small window to open up the space a bit. I know the rule about moving furniture away from walls, but in a small space that's not always possible.

Also, the two tables right next to each other are awkward, the empty corner is screaming to be used.

Color: I would go with greens and teals, not too bright. Some curtains on that plasticated window and an area rug to anchor the space. Because the furniture is already so traditional, I would choose a rug with an oversized, asymmetric floral pattern.

Some rug ideas I like:


Conure rug in grey

Coqo floral in green

Mantadia rug in multi

Arcadian rug in green

Those were all links to Anthropologie. They should be easy to find based on the names.

You have nice stuff, but it's a bit like furniture detention over in that corner. I'd swap the sofa and chair and put the tv in front of the thing that looks like an interior window. (What is it, I see shiny glass with blinds behind it?)

But I like the colours and the neutrals.

For me your use of this space could pay more attention to what is already great, its architectural elements--the handsome windows and beautiful wood floor, and especially the fireplace.These convey an old-school craftmanship and honesty that's well suited to the elegance of an essentially monochromatic palette (I like your choices and wish I showed that much taste while under the influence--and not just taste in furniture). What doesn't work as well with the room's architectural elements, as people note, is the furniture arrangement, with the television distracting from the charm of the fireplace (and the front door opening right into the living space, is that true?).

I wonder if you could swap the living and dining areas and put the round table and chairs in front of the fireplace. The shape of the table would then contrast nicely with all the right angles of windowframes and fireplace, and having the table in front of the fireplace would suggest intimacy in dining and conversation (plus make for romantic dinners with the fire lit). The ghost chair could stay in that corner, and soft curtains would further enhance the intimacy. If I'm right about your front door opening right into the space, then do something to acknowledge the transition between in and out--a cool antique coatrack (because the room could use a dose of vintage), or small landing-strip table.

In this reconfiguration the sofa would go where the striped armchair is now, but facing toward the space with the double doors and maybe moved closer, with the t.v. on its table at an angle in the corner that now holds the console with the vase of reeds on it. Try the mirrored coffee table in the center, and if it worked you could switch out the light fixture with something more whimsical--playfulness would make a sweet contrast with the overall restraint. The striped armchair, which right now competes Leo-like for attention, could get a corner to itself where it would come across as visually strong and quirky, and make for a conversational triangle with the sofa. A vertical stack or some Lack shelves of books would add personality (and say the room isn't all about the t.v.), and their jackets would subtly enliven the palette. I agree with everyone who has said add texture--rattan, seagrass, velvet, driftwood, pewter, mercury glass, chunky wool knits.

There is a lovely sense of attention to harmony and comfort in the colors, textures, and furniture you've chosen, and I think that by working with what you have (and working against it in the form of contrast/whimsy/wit) you can take these rooms where you want them to go.

If you are looking for a wall color I'd say choose anything from Restoration Hardware.

I think there is a little too much furniture in that area - I would remove a couple of pieces and do some repositioning to make it feel a little less cramped and heavy.

Angle the TV/Electronics in the corner where the Ghost Chair is. Then move the stripped chair over near the wall a bit more.

Remove the table in front of the window to open up the space by the couch a bit more.

An area rug would definitely help anchor that spot.

Flank the mirror over the fireplace with 2 small lamps and place some pillar candles on the mirrored coffee table - the lights will reflect off the mirrored surfaces and help with the lighting problem you mentioned.

Is this a dark blue stripe on the accent chair? I would ditch the red carpet/drapes ideas and tie more blues and greens into the setting. Maybe a blue/gray paint to the wall or a buttery yellow?

I don't know how you feel about Pottery Barn - but they always have larger neutral pieces tied in with accents of beautiful colors - check out their site where they have paired with Benjamin Moore for seasonal paint colors. They have great ideas!
http://www.potterybarn.com/stylehouse/bm_fall/index.cfm

I'm so glad you posted this! My new living room is almost the exact same configuration, and I've been trying to decide what to do with it.

Unlike my living room, however yours has great windows flanking the fireplace-- I'm jealous!

Everyone else has great suggestions, but I would recommend paring down the furniture and playing with the arrangement before adding color or texture. You may not need that much more to make it comfortable.

You haven't said what sort of light you get in the room...? Is it an eastern exposure, only bright in the morning, and dull the rest of the day? Or maybe a northern exposure -- evenly dull all day long?

I suspect it is one of the two from your tone...

I don't think you need to embrace colour in order to make your room work better; as bepsf and a few others have pointed out, the subtlety of your instincts is great -- don't change just because everyone else is craving lots of colour.

You do need to rearrange things, much along the lines of what bepsf has advised (I know it is painful, but that tv just doesn't fit, and must go).

I think a key part of your problem is that your wall colour does not work with your lighting... probably (from the sounds of it) makes everything greyish. Well, do what the Scandinavians do in low-light situations -- go brighter. In fact, you have almost a Scandinavian palette going on here... Also, apart from going whiter (I'd suggest a warm white), go with full spectrum paint. Yes, it is expensive, but I think it really makes a difference (I have full spectrum paints in my own home). In my experience, the colours don't get grey or dingy on you; they change into other colours, very gradually. Donald Kaufman is reknowned for formulating the best whites in the business (he does many museums, galleries and stores) -- so my best piece of advice would be to check out Donald Kaufman Colors (you can buy sample pots and colour cards online at coxpaint).

I would remove the Ghost Chair, as well as the table with the canisters in addition to the big screen tv, and move the furniture round. Once you get rid of those items, you will have room for another seat -- perhaps a leather wing chair. A natural texture and colour will work well in your space.

AT had a post today that could provide you with some inspiration, at least colour- and texture-wise, although personally, I would love to see you mix up the styles a bit more (you need some more modern pieces).

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/inspiration/city-apartment-by-phoebe-howard-080007

I like the room! Nice house! I think the only thing dragging down the look/color is the dark stripe of the arm chair.

For color/life, I agree with some other comments: art, some plants, pillows or throws, a rug, window treatments, accessories.

Have fun!

It's not bad!

I like the idea of switching the function of the two rooms like rusted2 suggested. This would work if you have an eat-in kitchen, but I suspect that if the dining room is your main dining area, it would not work b/c it's (presumably) not convenient to the kitchen for everyday use.

If switching the two rooms doesn't work, remove the table under the window and move the round mirror to above the fireplace. Move couch as others have suggested.

I think the black stripe on the chair is very eye catching and should be balanced. You could add floor length curtains (light, neutral) with a black border along the top (6 inches-ish). A natural grass rug with a black border could help too.

A nice light neutral green could work on the walls.

Post pics of what you decide!

Saw your room and thought RED:

http://www.flor.com/service/flor/shop/item/Coir/P0009025XX-P00009.html?bcreset=1

or GREEN:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/main/search?q=color with plants

Both these rooms are basically neutral, like yours, just polished with bold accents and/or plants.

I think a rug and lighting would be nice. I don't think you have too much furniture, I think it seems cozy, but I think you should consider some of the arrangement advice given by the other posters.

You are really lucky to have such wonderful architectural detail, and I think you have some great pieces to work with. Can't wait to see the "after."

bah humbug. posted the wrong URL for my GREEN idea:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/living-room/adding-color-with-plants-074521

this room wants orange