apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm plagues by similar issues, large art work creates a focal point and draws your eye away from such things.....even just painting a huge canvas a solid color or something

It could be large art work in an oak frame so that the whole thing looks intentional.

Could you fasten some fabric or contact paper over the trim that most bothers you? You could cover it in a solid to resemble painted trim.

Sorry you can't paint, but artwork and floor to ceiling curtains will make a huge difference.

I love the idea (originally featured on apartment therapy, I believe!) of using a few nails and some supermagnets to make an impromptu "tapestry" with your favorite print or solid fabric. You can cover a ton of space relatively inexpensively, and play with textures to complement or offset the wood.

Also, as a BIG fan of wood detailing, I'd recommend decorating in jewel tones--it will really make the space warm and beautiful. Best of luck!

Personally, I like the oak, but I also agree that some artwork (large & bright) on those wide white spaces would add a lot to the room.

For the window wall definitely do floor to ceiling curtains starting at the left window and bringing it all the way to the corner. When the curtains are open there will be some hanging to the left of the left window, inbetween both windows and then to the right all the way to the corner. If possible, hang your blinds from the ceiling height as well to hide the wood.

Tracy @
http://www.dailydecorator.com

I would try removable wallpaper. If you go with a wallpaper with a natural tone and texture it will take emphasis off the wood.

Seconding helgel's suggestion -- with additional note that if you don't mind the potential for damage (because it depends on the fabric) using a glue gun is a good non-permanent way to stick fabric to the wall. When dry, you can peel the glued-fabric off, with a bit of a hard steady pull, and some fabrics you can then peel off the glue (helps if fabric is shiny and/or v.smooth). But if you don't want to put holes in the walls, test out the glue gun idea and see if that works for you.

As for what to cover that really bizarre wood panel along the ceiling, maybe several Tibetan wall hangings (which come in a variety of gorgeous jewel colors, at that) or maybe the Arabic version of the idea, but there's a proper name for the second linked and I can't recall what it is. Sometimes that kind of banner is hung over doorways, some over windows, traditionally, but maybe someone else here can point you in the right google-fu direction.

Regardless of originating culture, the embroidery and colors are often rich and gorgeous, or maybe it'll give you ideas of coming up with a version of your own. Either way, hang the banners all the way down the wall and then guests will be too busy noticing the gorgeous banner and won't notice the world. Or go all-out and do the banners all the way around!

(although if you go the Tibetan-hanging route, you might not want to glue-gun those, I'd guess. Heh.)

erm: "won't notice the world" --- WOOD. I meant WOOD.

(it seems I am all about the fluent typo, today. le sigh.)

Please don't take this as a personal criticism, Kelly, because that's now how I intend it... but the oak trim is the least of your problems. You have no art, anonymous furniture, a clunky television, a heating unit bulging out into your living space, misaligned windows and beige carpet. On the list of interior design faults in your studio apartment, oak trim is somewhere near the bottom.

I don't think that you can hide the oak trim per se, but you can draw attention away from it. A simple floating box framing the heater and the place where the bookcase currently sits, and something similar under the two windows, would reiterate the theme of strong straight lines that the oak trim creates, making it look more intentional. Bold but sophisticated colours, like the green in the vase already next to the TV, will give the eye something else on which to focus. Art will break up the white expanses, especially if it's hung at unexpected heights and spacing. All of this will tone down the visual impression of the oak trim.

Could you get permission to paint one wall with the agreement that you paint it white when you leave? There is an aerosol spray adhesive that is light and can be easily washed off when you're done. I've used to put artisan papers on some windows. A couple used white glue (elmers type) diluted with water to glue fabric on their walls. Again, very washable aferwards. Lastly you could buy a large piece of foam core and go to town knowing you could change it all the time and take it down without much trouble.

k02 - I never thought of a glue gun! As a renter, that would make hanging things (like fabric) 100x easier.

Kelly - I can see why the oak would bother you. While I love wood, the wood detailing there is a little... overwhelming. And I dislike the colour of oak. I don't think it's possible to truly make it disappear, but once you get some colour in there (new lampshades, new throw pillows, new bedding? ...something for the walls) the oak will be toned down a little. It's granny-esque, but maybe some sort of valance curtains combo willl help, even if it's just draped fabric to hide the oak. Temporary wallpaper along the top of that oak bar/half-wall could look really nifty, too.

I think the problem is compounded by your brown couch. Recover that and inject some colour into the room and I don't think you'd focus on the trim so much.

I agree with @Blandwagon ...... just didn't know a "politically correct" way to say it... :P

If you extend curtains across the length of the whole wall, you can at least hide that the wood stops suddenly. That might be enough. And I agree about other focal points. What about some dramatic area rugs? That green vase really compliments the oak. Maybe think about other earthy/tropical tones that appeal to you?

You could also try making or commissioning a floor to ceiling oak bookcase to fit precisely into the corner where the wood ends. It will look like a built-in and make the oak seem more intentional.

I know it's terrible when a rental home doesn't match your ideal, but I think you'll get better results by working with what you have instead of fighting it. Sometimes a decor challenge results in a moment of true genius.

I'm not actually a huge fan of oak, but I am definitely a fan of not trying to hide or draw attention away from something you don't like. YOU will always know it is there & it'll gnaw away at you.

I actually don't think the oak is 'overwhelming' -I've seen much worse. I would actually say (especially since you can't paint), that adding something more in oak might help, thereby making it intentional and coordinated (and adding more warmth). You could add furniture or (easier) a simple frame for that fabric or art stained to match. I don't know... right now it just looks like pesky little pinstripes of oak. You need to anchor them either with a bolder/on purpose/you like kind of oak or with some strong jewel tone.

Of course, if you won't be there long, you'd be better off "trying to distract" from it... but you'll always know it's there bothering you.

You can always try giving a nod to the color of the wood, like with an area rug:
http://www.target.com/Home-Lockwood-Rug-Collection-Chocolate/dp/B001VFUUQC

Or bedding:
http://www.target.com/Home-Suzani-Bedding-Collection-Gold/dp/B001MAUNXQ

Something that has a little to a lot of golden tone in it.

I keep finding things on the Target site that say "unavailable", grrr, but this is solid gold:
http://www.target.com/Wyndemere-Bedding-Collection/dp/B000RN3F8O

Now is the PERFECT time for you to search, because the autumn items are in stores.

Orange things might work well too, like wall art:
http://www.target.com/Pines-IV-by-Miguel-Paredes/dp/B001UJJ3US

Or this kind of light with mica style orange...
http://www.target.com/Mission-Style-Mica-Accent-Lamp/dp/B0000E55DB

You don't always need paint to change the color of the place. You need color to change the color though, color via other objects, which light bounces off of, or light emanates from, to create a complementary color for your home.

Sometimes it's good to just keep looking while living where you are, looking for something that is more in tune with what you want, or where a landlord is generous with painting.

Make a "pros" and "cons" list of things you don't like and things you do like. Because sometimes you can end up staying in a place a lot longer than you thought you would. And if the prices go up, you could end up being stuck in that one place for a long time. Sometimes this apartment of mine feels like a prison, because I can't afford to move anywhere else (thanks to rent control). It's something worth considering.

I also agree with Blandwagon.

Even though I always prefer white, your room needs alot more colour.

Don't use a glue gun on the walls. There is too much potential for damage. To adhere fabric to walls, use starch.

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/how-to/how-to-make-fabric-wall-silhouettes-052419

I've seen this done to an entire wall where painting was prohibited. Removal was a breeze and required little clean up.

Definitely bring more color into the room that will play to the wood. There are a lot of great suggestions here.

The oak doesn't seem too horrible - why not some floor length curtains for the living room? For the most part embrace it while you live there - make it tacky if you have to.

Try using sign vinyl cut into stips, applied to mouldings, then trimmed down with a razor blade.
Here is the important part. Before applying the vinyl to the trim, touch the sticky size to a towel or piece of fabric (felt works well). This picks up enough lint so that the vinyl will be easily removed, but leaves enough adhesive to stick to the surface.
This whole process can be very time consuming if you are going to do it right - you cant just slap it on.
This technique also works for applying sign vinyl to walls.

Wood trim and details once always carpenters' logic to them. The design of door panels and window mullions grew out of how wood was milled and assembled. They had a practical purpose as well. When pasted upon metal sloding windows, that trip looks out of place (plus too narrow.) That 16th century front door next to those windows is obsurd.
I sometimes love out of context mixtures, but I get the feeling that this architect/contracter/client were oblivious to it.
My serious advice: Ignore all of the rules of "good taste" and fill this temporary dwelling with all the fun, color, and inexpensive junk that you love. Develop your visual sense of humor, and save your fine design talents for your own place.

Blandwagon is completely right. The oak trim is a little weird-looking, but it's not such a bad little place at all. You just need more color and texture to draw the eye away from focusing on the trim.

You need art on that wall next to the door and perhaps above your bed, textiles (curtains, a rug to cover the bland carpeting, perhaps a simple slipcover for your sofa), a colorful throw for your bed to add some contrast to the white, and a plant or two. I'd sell the torchiere lamp next to the bed and get a small bedside table and table lamp (or do a simple floating shelf). The little black shelving unit is an awkward size for the wall. If you can drill, I'd replace it with floating shelves that stretch all the way across plus Blandwagon's suggestion for the heating unit.

Since the oak trim at the ceiling doesn't go all the way across the room, I'd hang something like this Suzani to conceal it.

@OnlyCheryl: starch! I had no idea! that's awesome. I've used starch for plenty of fakery -- add a cup to a gallon of water, soak cotton, crumple, and then let dry and it'll look like linen -- but I never thought of using it to put stuff on walls.

The glue-gun notion works best, admittedly, on glossy surfaces: high-gloss paint, poly'd wood, glass, metal, laminate, things like that. I first used it out of desperation when I had a glossy-painted wall o' concrete block that made it impossible to install curtain rods. So I just glued the fabric to the wall above & around the windows, then went a bit bonkers, swagging like crazy with the gluegun working as a tack-button wherever I wanted.

I later did the same on plastered/latex-painted walls and had no issue, but in all cases we're talking about significant weight of drapery (which was what I was thinking when it comes to a valance of some kind, if it's just along the top, with or without extending down into curtains). It really does take a good chunk of hot-glue to hold the weight of swagged/rippled fabric in place, and a bit more fabric on top to hide the stiffened part (where the glue dries against the fabric).

To cover an entire wall, if the fabric's weight can be spread out evenly, you're right that a glue-gun wouldn't be the best application. Starch definitely looks like a better (and more even) pseudo-adhesive when you want a mostly-flat(is) kind of wall covering.

@slowdown: suzani. thank you! now I know what to google, myself. XD

Blandwagon is right - The Oak is the least of your problems...

...look at the things that you can change easily such as adding nightstands, quality lighting and window coverings, a smaller and lighter sofa, artwork on the walls, area rugs, etc.

I agree. The oak trim is tacky and dated. All the places around here have that as well. I disagree with the other posters, I think your furniture would look classier with a painted wall behind it.

i don't know how this will work on oak... but my grandma use to decorate my parents dorm rooms back in the day with different colors of painters tape and duct tape. so i just recently used black "duck tape" from target in the hardware section to decorate a small boring empty wall in my rental.

http://tinypic.com/r/uqwix/4
pic of it here^^

As someone with a father who loves his oak as much as your landlord seems to, I can guarantee that any of the suggestions people have made re:covering the trim will give your landlord fits. I think my dad is getting a twitch right now just from telepathy. I think your best bet is just to own it and make the best of it. Getting a sofa cover in a color that is neither white nor brown would help tremendously, and would give you a substantial presence in a color other than those two that would help balance out the room. Then you can go from there with a completely different palate.

As long as you don't touch the oak, would he be okay with you painting the walls? I would go with a contrasting color rather than a wood-/neutral-toned shade. More beige will only depress you.

I think I'm the only one on this thread who actually likes the brown sofa.

I agree with Blandwagon. Focus on working out your own design style and creating a cohesive room - it will help you in your future homes as well. Many people are suggesting that you add more colour, but given the lack of it at this point, I am assuming that perhaps you are not particularly drawn to colours. Neutrals can look great when done right. Artwork and adding texture with soft furnishings can make a big difference.

this is a similar problem to what i had in my guest bathroom (see recent, "rene's bright and sunny artistic home"). the multi tile solution came from the fact that i hated the pre-existing blue boring tiles in the shower, which i could not afford to rip out and start over. so rather than taking AWAY what i did not like, i ADDED to, and therefore distracted the eye from the yuk....so, following that idea i might add more "lines" to the space, patterns in textiles eg. you could find a very cool patterned fabric for the drapes. or throw pillows. or even bedspread. something geometric that echos the geometric of the oak lines. maybe something retro. how much light are you trying to block with the drapes? if you want light still passing thru the fabric, i might keep them white, and use pattern elsewhere. also, i like the white with all that oak. it gives the eye a place to rest. and since the space is small i would keep alot of white, but add pattern/textiles to distract and simaltaneously play with the oak for accent. a "repetition of theme". i agree w/the others on need for some color. i personally like lavender, or pinks, or celadon green with brown. black and white patterns could work too for fun punches with the color. wondering if that little bookshelf could maybe be replaced with something that fades into the white wall....either a white one, or something with doors. it seems a bit extraneous or out of scale. i have lived in studios and guest houses too, so i can relate. in those tight spaces, every bit of furniture should be absolutely necessary as not to be a needless space eater. and i am totally not saying books are not necessary....but in a small space every "thing" that takes up any space, should add to the theme or fade into it. good luck and have fun.

i just looked at your photos again. how bout storing your books under the tv shelf?....and losing the bookshelf altogether on that existing wall. instead, that wall (w/the heater unit) would be an ideal spot for a great piece of art, or even a cool poster. check out www.20x200.com....they have very affordable artwork/and photography. something dramatic. it will also distract your eye from the heater unit.

hi. me again. (sorry) how bout a patterned area rug?. one that has the color of the oak in it. (something like my tv rug...which i got from ikea, and everyone seems to love).
that could tie in the color of the oak trim and also give a punch of color and fun, while bringing in a whole new plane....the floor. then you can get some fun pillows that have a little pattern to play off the rug, for the sofa.....:)
that way, the "browns" i.e. the oak trim, the couch, and the existing beige carpet all become related/tied in via the patterned area rug.

I appreciate all the comments! I have a lot of projects in the works such as artwork, window treatments, new pillows for the sofa, a headboard, nightstands, and table lamps for my nightstands! Before I went forward with my redecorating, I mostly just wanted some ideas for the wood along the ceiling. Getting a new couch is not an option; I don't have the money. Getting rid of the odd bookcase is definitely something I've considered because the scale is odd. Again, I thank you all for your comments! Maybe I'll post a before and after shot once all the work is done.