apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Hey! I have that Ikea vase!

Anyway, I keep thinking like a light blue or pink - it won't make the frames pop as much, but it'll still stand out. Or a red even?

P.S. How was your experience on the show?? I've always been curious about it.

I can see a light blue working well with what you have as well. Like that Dante Beatrix banner on the right column above.

Another tactic might be to install a large mirror to reflect light. Just a thought.
And I really agree with the idea of putting art in the frames.

I have one orange wall that faces my living room and I must say, it's a very energetic color. Kind of hot and bright. Sometimes it bothers me--it's not very relaxing in my opinion (but it may be the shade we chose). What kind of mood would you like to the room to have?

Anyways, I love orange so go for it if you want. Be prepared to paint and repaint--it's hard to see what the total effect will be until you have the whole wall covered.

I totally agree with Alec about those empty frames. They are really pretty and would look more complete with art or photographs in them.

As far as the walls go, we have a small bedroom that is used as an office for my husband, and I was dying to paint something Chocolate when we moved in! I opted to paint only the main focus wall, the one with the cream couch on it, the rich rich brown color, while painting the other 3 in a linen/cream color.
That way the brown isn't overwhelming, and that wall receeds helping to make the room seem bigger than it is.

I can absolutely see a blue, along the lines of Robins egg or a light Aqua, on these walls too. Depends on which way you want to go.

A pale Aqua was also on my list. I would love it to be a peaceful calm, yet arty environment. (don't worry, I've already started pulling pieces back to place on the walls in addition to the frames)

As far as experience. It was very interesting to see how they interpreted my version of "mod deco". But as some have heard, the room was made to be a set and I've already had 2 out of three window treatments fall to the ground.


I'm afraid I'll have to do an all over color, as my walls are coved with an inset. Aqua just might be the way to go after all.....

thank you all, keep em coming!!!

I can totally see orange--like a creamsicle orange. Or you could leave one or two walls chocolate and do the rest back in white, though it is going to take a hell of a lot of paint to change that dark a brown.

Also agree about putting stuff in the frames.

I'd be careful of the aqua--one of the greatest things about the room is how the turquoise chair pops off the wall. I think a lighter brown, or as Alec suggested, "subtle gold and sand tones," would be a subtle yet profound change--this would brighten the room significantly while not robbing some of the smarter, brisker elements of their cachet. Also, since the unseen room is green, a blue living room might unwittingly create a Disney-esque underwater feeling. Just a thought.

I'd agree that the chocolate is way too dark--best used as an accent. Why not paint your walls white? The moldings and frames would create a nice textural element on the walls and any colored items (such as your vase) would really stand out. You'll definitely get back the brightness you've been missing.

Adam!

Just because you've been in that room... wait, correction -- just becuase that is partially your chair (your only love of the entire space). no wonder you dont want it to get lost on a blue wall!!

You crack me up.
HA!

It's the sofa that's too dark for the walls. However, since it's less expensive to change wall colors than sofas, your best bet is to repaint. Take a look at Andree's shopped pictures of the room.

It kinda sucks that there are two simultaneous conversations going on about this room, one here, one on the East Coast site.

Can some of these general interest topics (especially the contest finalists!!) be the same link destination?

What p(too) said.

I'm going to join the faction that suggests splitting resources by metro area, but keeping more general conversations in one spot that's shared by everyone.

The regional resources and style things are great -- it's so nice to be able to find West Coast-related material in one spot and to have so much of it, and I love what slipped out when the SF site was temporarily live in test mode -- but the habit of chit-chatting on the NY site dies hard.

(I already cast my vote for beige walls, though Curtis' paint-mixing suggestion was a way better idea.)

I love the white framing with the brown walls. How did you guys do the framing?

I had no idea there was comments on the NY page!

Thanks for the tip off. AND all the tips!

I'm overwhelmed.

Maybe it's all that primer i'm thinking about............

No wonder you didn't answer on N.Y. site, you were here in L.A.. And people laugh when I say I'm confused about how the site(s) are set up. "Hah!" I say in return. I'm not the only one confused! Yay!

It would be interesting to know the COST of what it will take to make your room liveable again after being made-over by a show. Which is a show, in and of itself.

I agree, I think there should be ONE MAIN SITE, with offshoots on very specific related events for the various cities. Like the neat stuff that's posted from Craigslist. No matter how much I like the steel-fronted dresser, I just can't pick it up in N.Y. when I am in S.F.. That's area-specific.

Meeting people at DWR or for a get-together, that's area-specific.

Is Kristen's room on Chicago and S.F. too? I haven't checked.

Kristen, sorry about what I did to the cowhide. LOL! Oh, it's sooo terrible. Like most of the pictures I do, some ideas are best never explored, because I'm just not artistic enough to get what's in my mind onto the screen.

Did you see a sofa with similar lines (not the exact one) on the Chicago site? It was from a show??? With the flowering branches lampshade and the flowering branches above the sofa. That's another look you could easily do in your place. And it looks good. It would be more serene, not too lively, and I wouldn't have the turquoise chair in there, then.

Maybe you SHOULD contact a local news station and see if they want to do a bit on your room. Everyone's seen at least one home or room makeover show, or seen pictures. Most haven't seen what happens afterwards. Or if they really take into account your NEEDS.

And perhaps that's what some of these shows need to do, is WAKE UP and consider the actual people living there. Geez, a dark brown room is never a sunroom color. I knew that. Just don't let me design a rug for you.

Don't let me do wall art either, I call this addition to your new aqua room "Night fall and go boom". I lightened up the blue, tried to make it look more aqua, and got rid of the Martian cowhide.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96179754@N00/

Oh poor you!! What about this color? (pale bluish gray)



(featured in NY apt therapy a while back).
It's called Siberian Snowflake.

Oh Andree, You really crack me up.

I think the NY board had some excellent ideas. I've started mashing them together to make the perfect room.

light Aqua walls, keep cream frames.

Inside frames put a nice wall paper (at last! I've been hoping for a moment to use one of the new fantastic breeds of paper - maybe even those adorable wall paper posters by Hanna Werning: http://www.byhanna.com/wallpaperposters.html or maybe something a little less busy)

Removing large white picture frame and hanging teal guitar

move/adjust shelves -- add Japanese plastic toys / hot pink

tear down horrid drapes. Drapes?! *what am I talking about, they already half fell down)

just a few ideas coming in... I think I should have someone to document this a la mocku_makeover show. Hell. That's my new gig. Kristin: Making over Make Overs. Move over Martha.....

Thank you EVERYONE for your suggestions. It's been amazing and inspirational. I guess DOD was worth it just for these posts.

Now what to do with the other 3/4 of my empty bowling alley......

The link didn't take in my previous message. Here it is:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-whats-that-gray-in-the-pic-005641

Kristin, give us more photos (use Flickr, if I can use it, anyone can use it, really).

I spent years over on the BHG Decorating boards, and so many people would come asking for advice on how to HIRE a decorator/designer.

I asked that they give US a whirl first. "Us" being people that have ideas and have browsed a bit so we can provide some links for pictures to view, articles to read, rooms that are similar, our own home photos (not mine, LOL), creative ideas.

First, that gets the person who actually occupies the room involved, and gets that person to start considering different looks, and ya don't have to pay anything (not even a dime) for personal service from umpteen dozen people.

Sure, there will be lots of things/ideas you won't like, but that's a GOOD thing. Because then you KNOW and can SAY (before the tv show starts) "This room must not be brown."

You get ideas from do-it-yourself (I-filled-old-beer-cans-with-cement-and-reattached-the-plastic-holder-thingie-and-mortared-them-together-to-make-this-garden-bench) to things you didn't know existed (like the dadgum Rainbow chair made from fused plastic that costs $10,000).

You can post in a variety of sites too. Get a smattering of ideas from all kinds of people.

This is a friend's place...friend from online...who uses color EVERYWHERE and creates what she can't find. The valance in the kitchen? That's not a patterned/striped material. She SEWED those solid colors together to make the stripes. Oh, click on TN house to see the various colors:
http://tinyurl.com/p5bb8

I begged, pleaded, demanded that she enter a Colorful Room contest awhile back. Or any contest that has to do with color. She didn't. Dang. It's a home that looks mild-mannered-Clark-Kent from the outside.

Yes, there IS a reason I'm posting that. LOL! She used a lot of bright aqua, purple, and pink. Along with some bright lime green. There's NOTHING dull about her home. The master bedroom is LIME GREEN. My favorite room is one of the guest bedrooms, done in Behr's Marmalade (orange).

Pay attention to details. She did a flip flop bathroom. Those are REAL FLIP FLOPS hanging all around the top. Yes, I was pushing her to start a line of decor, and now you see Flip Flop stuff everywhere.

Check out her Trash To Treasure and Crafts areas too.

Here's another bonus about putting pictures online, Kristen. I've had Connie and her colors and styles in my mind for a couple years now??? ANYTIME I see something in those colors, those styles, I send it to her. Links, that is.

So maybe we get your pictures to view, and we don't know what to do with the rest of your space either. Right now. But what if I see something next week or next month? A magazine layout with similar colors and here's what THEY did with that space.

Two pairs of eyes are better than one. Three better than two. And who knows how many people visit this site and would view your pictures and have ideas.

Unlike these TV shows that do everything practically overnight, you don't have to do that at all. You can wait for the right look, the right items that are REALLY what you want (of course, you have to know what you want).

Anyway, check out Connie's colorful home, and pay attention to all the details. There's a WOW factor in all those colors and it can draw your attention away from the details. Like painting your candle holders in the colors you like. You can see what an impact it would make in your home!

Wow! I was shocked to see this reposted today after nearly a year!!!

Let's just say lots have changed in that room....