David & Christina prove that those funky bulkheads can be put to good use to help define a space and add character (paint does amazing things!). Click above for the pics and head below for all the instructions. Give David & Christina a THUMBS UP if you find this project helpful....

BEFORE
TOOLS:
paint (Behr: Shy Violet)
brushes
tape
PhotoShop
STEPS:
1. photographed the space and used PhotoShop to try different colors on the wall
2. approximated the desired color and got similar paint chips
3. moved the furniture, marked up the space, and painted
4. put everything back and re-organized a bit
Give David & Christina a THUMBS UP if you find this project helpful....







Commercial Flour Sa...
How did this end up costing $65? That seems high for a quart of paint.
Perhaps they bought really nice brushes so they didn't end up with brush hair in the paint?
Looks fabulous, and is a great alternative to painting an entire space.
Looks great! I'm sure the sofa, rug, plant and bookshelf didn't hurt your after pic...
Something that seems so obvious but you don't think of, I like the color choice, as well as the idea, brings depth to the room.
The room in the first picture does not appear to be the same room as the one in the other pictures.
I have these, too. I wonder if I should paint it the same color as the wall below or the ceiling. Sometimes I see the bottom of the soffit the same color as the ceiling, but I think that creates too many lines.
A bulkhead is a wall, typically aboard a ship or an aircraft -
- This is called a "soffit".
Excellent color choice. Love the mid-century pieces.
Love it! Also love that twiggy sculpture!
I would usually try to ignore or disquise a soffit, but in this gorgeous space it's like a lovely frame for the room!
nice! house tour! house tour! house tour!
In theory it sounds like a terrible idea but in practice it's magnificent! What an improvement.
Cheaters! You've got no KIDS!!
Looks fabulous, great idea!
House tour please!
I call that a bulkhead. Maybe it's a Canadian thing, or used in reference to the entire compartmental structure rather than just the underside (soffit). This "it's not a bulkhead" business has stumped everyone in my office.
However, I will tell you that each time I showed the photo to the other designers, they said "Nice painted bulkhead!", so I'm going against Wikipedia's ship/aircraft wall definition on this one.
I second HLI ... house tour please... I'm in the middle of updating my mid-century apartment... need some color inspiration...
Looks great!
In reference to the person wondering why it cost $65, I'm sure that included the price of the painting supplies as well. The little things add up fast!
What a gorgeous couch! Gimme plz.
I love the new color! I'm actually looking for a couch and some dining chairs very similar to yours. Could you tell me where they are from?
I second all of the above. Great living room.
I'm looking for a rug exactly like that. (i know it's a rather common variety, but that one looks especially comfy). Could you tell me where you got it? Much thanks.
Thanks all for the comments! Yes, we bought too much paint (and other supplies) and in hindsight, could have spent less. Sorry that the pictures don't seem to go together-- I was limited to how many I could post. But the couch is diagonally across from the wall with three posters. The couch is from DWR and rug is from World Market. I'll have to have my fiance weigh in on the dining chairs. And sadly, this is all the color we've got in the house (except for a lovely green bathroom).
Yes, the rug is a Flokati rug. I just happened to get it on sale at World Market, but a lot of retailers have them. The dining chairs are Arne Jacobsen replicas.
We're happy to do a house tour in about a year or so. We know you AT readers have high expectations, and we won't let you down. The bar is set pretty high, but I know we and our fellow Washingtonians can rise to the challenge!
Thumbs up! Let me know if you need a model for the house tour -- you know, to lounge around in your lovely place, looking effortlessly fabulous.
in architecture we would refer to that as a bulkhead as well...looks great, not my choice of color but the idea is well represented
It looks great. Makes me think of all the color possibilities that can make this type of "problem" into a wonderful decor accent.
I think the place looks great. I especially like the use of the chrome bookshelves. As for the person who asked about the $65 cost, I ask, why does it matter? It drives me crazy that
readers get so caught up with details that are beside the point.
Same with the "no kids" comment. FYI: There are plenty of people out there who have children and live in attractive, neat homes.
Gorgeous home! You have so many beautiful pieces!
And 5slx, why so angry? I've read your comments on other AT posts, and we get it; you have money and like good design. But this is a site for ALL people to share and learn and have fun with beautiful interiors. If you are upset by the range of readers (those that with money to those on a budget) then maybe this isn't the site for you.
Gorgeous!