apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Right off the bat I see several items that should be tossed, as they don't seem to be serving much of a purpose - those flowerpots in the first and second picture, the two items on either side of the mirror (what are they?). Then there seem to be a lot of little shelves and speaker stands that could possibly be consolidated into one nice unit (with doors that close and the speaker put on top?)

I think the first thing is you should go through and get rid of anything unnecessary and see how things look after that. Lots of little pieces of furniture really make a room seem tiny.

I second Matilda. You seem to have a lot of tiny pieces of furniture and what you really want is one big, unobtrusive piece (ie, not panelled or embellished - something maybe that blends into the wall?).

And maybe mount your guitars on the wall or something?

like matilda's suggestions, but would like to add ditch the dining table and replace the coffee table with a hi/low. It might give you some extra space.

Take down all the curtain things. Get bigger cushions for those wicker chairs. Get a bigger TV stand (or a smaller TV). Get a bigger desk.

having 2 guitars and a bass along with all the recording equipment that follows, i would suggest to at least hang the guitars on the wall - you can take them down and play them when you want, but they're use as art as well so they don't cluttler. as much as i love the floor stands, if you're not displaying it in a room all it's own (or at least it's own corner of a non-cluttered room), it's my opinion that it should go on the wall. and is that music stand one that folds up? you could even just put it in a closet until it's time for use.

It also seems you have kitchen stuff scattered about the room--spice rack under the mirror, and what looks like a utensil caddy on the rack next to the black console. I would ditch the spice rack entirely and find another way to store your spices--on a wall rack, in boxes in a cabinet or pantry. Ditto for the utensils, can those go on the wall or in a drawer?

May seem like a small thing but in a multipurpose room like this, it goes a long way to keep stuff in zones--a kitchen zone, a music zone, a living zone, etc.--rather than having all of those functions scattered all over the room.

And Maxwell, you did not just tell someone to put a big sheet over something to solve a decorating problem.

Also, I'm not sure the black (or navy) valance is doing you any favors in terms of feeling "dark." Replace it with another sheer panel, maybe, or something bright and stripy.

I agree with the above comments - too many too-little tables and carts, and not enough "zones" in the room. Try putting all the media stuff together (maybe on that large, underutilized black shelf unit in pic 3), including the tv, speakers, etc.

And get rid of the folding beach chairs by the front door, the light bent-wood chair under the mirror... these things just seem to be in the way.

It's got potential to be a great space, though!

I agree with most of the comments above, especially the point that lots of small things make the place seem really cluttered.

I would replace the 4 small pictures on the wall with one larger one; the 2 small coffee tables with one; the multiple small shelving units with one, etc.

I think covered storage is the key here, as well as getting rid of some of the little knickknacks (sp?).

I also laughed out loud at Maxwell's sheet suggestion!

Your space looks cluttered partly because you have a lot of dark furniture and accessories against white walls -- so everything you own is competing for attention. Use high contrast to draw attention to focal points (so a black piano on a white wall is good, but a bunch of little black tables on a white wall, not so good). Use low contrast to make things blend in (beige sofa is a good call since your sofa is not your biggest style statement).

I agree with the others that consolidating little storage pieces into fewer big pieces visually settles things down. This is why god, in her infinite wisdom, created IKEA -- so you can have a nice, uniform wall of storage for cheap.

Get that black valance off the window! Keep the windows neutral.

Once you've decided what you want to highlight, think seriously about some refinishing and/or spray painting of existing furniture (wicker paints up pretty well). Unless you're committed to a bold black-and-white or black-and-beige scheme, I'd think about finding a medium color (gray? golden yellow? blue-green? not-to-bright orange?) and bringing it (or its analogous friends) in consistently as an accent color: pillows, lamps, art mattes, possibly those chairs. A well-chosen medium tone would brighten the place up without adding more visual clutter.

Think about reframing your art and hanging it lower -- it's looking dinky in relation to your furniture, and dinky-looking accessories sap sophistication right out of a room. If you have lots of small stuff, it needs to be grouped dramatically: tchotchkes should be clustered, at different heights, so the grouping reads as one big thing.

I would definitely mount those guitars. Having them up will make the room feel more colorful, and more a reflection of you. Plus, they'll be safer out of reach of the accidental knock-down. I quick check of Amazon will bring up some pretty cheap options, even if you're on a budget like mine, and I'm sure eBay would be even cheaper.

There seem to be two contrasting styles in this room--perhaps pieces from two previous apartments? The wicker chairs, wicker lamps, the light-colored, comfortable-looking couch, the natural pine dining table, the flowers in the galvinized buckets, and the white bookcases beside the dining table and the couch (are those built-ins?)--those are all one style. It's a comfortable, relaxed back-porch style. Then you have these dark, dramatic pieces: the piano, the Lack coffee tables, the dark dining room chairs, the black edged picture frames. High-gloss, high impact items. I sense that you, too, can see this divide--that's the disconnect you're trying to bridge with the black and white curtains. And there are some pieces in here which can bridge that gap, like the wrought-iron mirror.

In the first picture, I notice that you have a desk and chair setup. If your office is in the bedroom, do you need this anymore? I also agree with other posters that you could really open up the space by reducing the number of side tables. Anything shin-height that you have to navigate around is going to make the place seem smaller, because you always have to be looking down, trying to focus on what's under your feet.

You can't fight black. If it's there, it's going to be stealing focus--and I highly doubt you want to get rid of such a nice looking piano. After you pare down a few things, I'd look at laying out the room so that the majority of the black pieces are in one corner (alright, guys, you can start making the "separate but equal" cracks), so that they pull the eye to one corner, or one wall, instead of scattering attention across the room.

That dark, low bookcase in the right hand corner of the last pic is beautiful--what about putting the TV on that? If you want to avoid letting the dark pieces dominate the room, I'd try to tie the wicker shades in with the curtains. Good things come in threes: you already have the chairs and the lamps, why not some soft brown curtains?

I would get rid of the valances altogether, and extend the curtain rods so the curtains, when not covering the windows, sit on either side. This will open up your windows considerably as well as give the appearance of larger windows.

And yes, edit down. If you can get a shelving system or floating shelves in a light tone, you'd be able to organize things better and lift some of the heaviness.

Jaci, you have a lot of small things. Small bookcases/shelving units all over the place, plants/bowls/candles/vases, even the prints above the sofa are small. The wicker (chairs and lampshades) and many items that have think metal or wood frames (lamps, dining chairs, wall mirror and the pieces on either side of it, shelf/storage units) are contributing to the visual clutter. Even one of your sofa pillows features a thin, curving line. Obviously this is a design element that attracts you, but I think you've gone overboard here.

I recommend you toss the small storage pieces (although the white bookcases are nice, they defines the space and feel almost built in to the wall, since they're the same color). I would get a large, simple, solid storage unit with some open shelves and some closed cabinets, as well as your tv/stereo equipment. You can have that storage unit where the desk is now. Is it crucial to have a desk? Can you store everything in the storage unit, and work at your dining table when necessary? Something like this: http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=17071&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&langId=-1&parentCats=17071&productId=76517&chosenPartNumber=S89837826 Then you can get rid of the desk chair (and the bentwood chair, there doesn't appear to be any purpose for it).

Why not hang the guitars over the sofa, treating them as art when you're not using them?

I would also get a shallow piece of furniture to put near the front door, instead of all the small pieces you have there now. You can get something dresser or counter height that has storage for all your dining accessories, etc. Check out the Bonde series at IKEA. There are various configurations, closed and open storage, and you can put them on legs to help clear your heating unit. Or, look for a secondhand piece at flea markets or yard sales.

You do need better lighting. How about sconces (if you can put screws into the walls), that have cords and plugs instead of being hard-wired? I just bought some from West Elm for out bedroom and love them. If you're going to get a big storage piece, you can put inexpensive uplights on top and the light will bounce off the ceiling.

I would also get a rug to define the seating area - large enough that the front legs of the sofa and the chairs sit on top of it. Don't be afraid of color! Everything is very neutral right now. Pick a color you like, use it in the rug, a couple of throw pillows, lamps, artwork - you can even just frame a piece of fabric you like, for a big, bold artwork.

Hope you find some of these ideas helpful!

You like IKEA, so I'd suggest some Expedit shelves to consolidate that entertainment wall. That or some other entertainment center to organize and compartmentalize all your components. Then get rid of the little tables everything is on now. One coffee table would be better than two little ones. Move that shelving unit away from the sliding doors (plants). No more table btw the side chairs. The coffee table is within easy reach.

A chrome bakers rack to handle all your kitchen stuff in one spot.

Let the lawn chair live on the deck.

First get rid of the Peavy combo and replace with a Marshall stack. *kidding*

You have a lot of stuff. Clear the clutter. I would replace the desk with a desk/shelf combo. I would put more shelving along the walls and get rid of all the little smaller units. (Is that a spice rack?) I would replace the sofa with something modern and sleek. I would hang the guitars on the walls. Get rid of anything that is not serving a purpose. I would probably cut down on the window treatments as well, however you do not want the windows to give a clear view to all the guitars hanging on the wall.

i suggest figuring out your style & sticking to it. sometimes we are attracted to things & buy them b/c they look nice in the store, but all of that ends up making thing appear cluttered.

cant be done... rearranging is not the answer.

The first thing I thought was that the TV/desk/amp, etc area should all be one piece of furniture. Then I read Maxwells comments so now I feel like I had the right idea :)

Hanging the guitar on the wall would be great as long as you can access it easily. There are hundreds of unobtrusive guitar mounts out there.

The frames on either side of the mirror don't seem to be doing anything, as well as the (what looks like a) tv stand under the mirror. I've always been of the mindset that in a small space, if it doesn't do anything and it's taking up a lot of space, it should be taken out or turned into something else.

All the kitchen stuff could be moved toward the kitchen, which I'm assuming is where the pictures were taken from. Perhaps better utilization of the low bookcase could be employed, it looks like there is some space in there. Also the top surface could be home to some cool boxes or what have you, which could also hold things.

as maxwell put it you must edit, a nice way to say toss it.
and as maxwell said tonal is the answer keep it light; meaning all the furniture is light , the black must go.
fewer, larger, key pieces of furniture to hold things, hang those beautiful guitars, they will act as wall scuptures.take down the dreary curtains, and treat the room as one, don't try to divide it with bookcases and such. Keep it simple and light. good luck!

If you could manage it so that the only black thins were the piano and the nice low bookcase with a black TV on it, and make the rest all light colours and neutrals (whites, light greys would be my idea) it would nicely focus the drama and calm things down. I agree with all the other posters that you should get rid of the back valance, spray paint as much furniture as you can -but not the piano, please!- and get one large (light coloured) piece of storage to house all your music stuff. I personally would get rid of the whole mirror-ladder corner, either that or just group the mirror with the four paintings over the sofa.

Second every suggestion of declutter and get rid of small things. Try and buil passage at least visually by removing the dining chair in front of the window just put it in front of the other one and removing altogether the loose chair near the white shelving which is also blocking the entry.
Just start again.

Thanks for all the help guys! So, a bunch of little stuff is gone--the little flower pots, the useless whole ladder-black tv stand corner (which was going anyway), the little table between the wicker chairs. The spice rack is definitely gone--it was an engagement present from Grandma for a wedding that didn't happen. I think I can let it go now. ;)

I'm going to mount the guitars. Should I mount them by the music table or over the sofa? I'm going to IKEA today to get a small computer desk with a shelf above, and consolidate that monstrous black hole table. The amp will go below. That stuff is all the boy's and he wants it out so I figure that's a pretty good compromise. :)

Also, I'm on the hunt for blue/white/maybe green cheery curtains and a lighter colored entertainment center-type piece.

And one last thing, definitely gonna consolidate all the kitchen stuff on/in/around the black Expedit bookcase; that piece has to stay because I have no kitchen, just a wall of appliances with no counter.

I'd rotate the sofa so that it faces the wall with the TV and the piano. Pull the two wicker chairs over so that they form a seating group with the sofa. When you rearrange the seating group of sofa/wicker chairs, the color of the dark wicker will balance better with the piano.

Get rid of those black frame things on the wall. Also get rid of the shelf and the extra chair.

Take the two small white bookshelves and put them under the mirror in place of those black frame things. Then you can put the chairs on the ends of the dining table. You'll lose the cramped feelings of the dining chairs and you'll still be able to eat in front of the window. I'd also stain or paint the dining chairs so that they're a lighter color -- more in balance with the dining table. Or, get a longer dining table so that you can put four chairs around it. You might want to get one with a leaf so that it can close to seat only two. Then fold up the extra two chairs and stow them in a corner or in a closet. A glass table with four lighter chairs would be lovely there also.

I'd move that tall plant off the top of the plant stand and put a smaller plant in its place.

I'd get something longer and lower and darker to put the TV on. Hopefully there would be some storage area under the TV where you can hide some of the musical stuff that's taking up so much room.

I'd take the desk and office stuff and move it out of the living room and put it on the wall where you have to half-empty credenza and the tea cart (those two pieces you can get rid of).

I'd bring some more color in the room too -- something floral-like to enhance the flowers/plants that you already have. Maybe pillows. Maybe a small quilt for the back of the sofa.

I'd get rid of the dark valances in the room. I'd hang the curtains on the windows by the TV wide and high so that they mirror the shape and definition of the patio door.

Put some pictures on that wall next to the small window to balance weight of the window.

You might want to put a very narrow high sofa table in back of the sofa when you move it so that you have a place for the lamps and maybe so more flowers and tchockies could go on that table also.

It's a really gorgeous room. But, it's too dark. Getting rid of the dark useless things like the credenza and the frames and the valances will lighten it up quite a bit. Bringing in some floral colors -- green, pink, yellow, blue will also lighten it up and make it more reminiscent of a garden which goes well with the view and with your plants.

Barb

Please post "after" photos!

Such great suggestions before me, however, I'd like to offer a few more:

1. reduce the clutter as much as possible. Then move the remaining to one side of the room. Place the necessary large pieces first, then fill in with accessories. This will keep you from getting overwhelmed.
2. I suggest moving the piano to the corner on the right side of the small window and make that your "music" zone. Hang the guitars on the wall over there and perhaps even your music stand. If you can't afford a piece with doors to house all of your electronics, try to use what you have and cover the shelves with simple fabric and velcro.
3. Try putting the wicker chairs which are now in front of your couch...under the window where the piano was. This will open up the floor space and allow everyone to see the TV and the view. I like the idea of putting the TV on the low black console. That is great because it eliminates misc furniture.
4. A nice rug under a new coffee table would anchor the seating area. After moving the piano, you may now have room to use the Lack tables as end tables. Put your lamps on these.
5. I agree about putting a large piece of art over the couch. A large mirror would also reflect more light. The small pics might look nice in the entrance hall or over the black console.
6. If you are keeping the dining tablek, try moving it to the right to open up the sliding windows. A lamp will add light to it for paperwork..or a scone...or chandelier.
7. NEW IDEA: hang the bikes on hooks on either side of the windows on the porch and your view will be even more pleasing and unobstructed.
8. Neutraling the color palette of the furniture by painting or covering will allow you to gradually add color to unify the room as a whole.
9. Definitely agree with eliminating kitchen utensils/spices or at least put in a covered cabinet.

Man I would love to get in there with you! Good luck and enjoy your hard work!!!

You don't have to throw away all your furniture. I put together your room with a couple of buys and configurations to make what you have work for you. About the lighting, I also marked where your lamps could go to maximize energy consumption and aesthetics. Also I marked suggestions of things to do to your funiture and new purchases (yes, you're getting rid of some, but you get to buy new inexpensive things that'll make your place look like a million bucks) Check the new arrangement pic and here's your shopping and mod-ing list:

1. Join your lack tables in the middle, take off the legs and upholster the top in a light fabric (I love pleather, it's inexpensive and you can go crazy with color without worrying about fading, wetting, etc). Total cost, about 10 dollars. 18 if you've to buy a stapler gun.

2. Area rug. IKEA. 17 dollars.

3. New desk chair, flat back, space saver. Depends on what you want to spend. Ikea... 15 bucks, easy.

4. Two more dinning chairs that match your set. You might already have'em.

5. White sheers or white drapes (again, from IKEA). White will make the room feel so much gentler on the eye, specially with all your dark furniture. Sheer = soft, Drape = substantial. About 40 bucks (the priciest purchase)

6. Desk lamp. 5 bucks.

7. Lack Shelf. (You know you love those clean lines). 8. Either tealight holders (no cables, inexpensive) or the prettiest lamps you can afford and you completely love. All up to you.

Here are the pictures:
www.deliciousrepublic.com/ApartmentTherapy/1.jpg
www.deliciousrepublic.com/ApartmentTherapy/2.jpg
www.deliciousrepublic.com/ApartmentTherapy/3.jpg

As you can see, if you create different areas for different tasks, your room won't feel so crowded and it can "breathe". Don't cover the windows by putting furniture or bikes in front of them. Plants go outside or if you want them inside, find really pretty, bold, indoor ones that don't require much light, so you don't have to cover your windows with them. I hope I helped. If you've any questions contact me. Yahoo IM: djluckyonline.

I agree with the comments regarding consolidating your storage - (except i do wonder if you need both a desk and a dining table in such a small space.) I'm going to skip comments on the clutter that is fairly well documented here and focus on your concerns about how dark it is. You need better lighting and more of it.
In your photos I count three lamps - that's it. Of course your place is dark!! I assume you have some overhead light fixtures that came with the apartment and that you are relying on way too much. Most overhead lights (IMHO) should be turned on only when you are cleaning your apartment. You should have 5-7 light sources in a room - this is difficult in small space living, I know as I'm still working on this for my place. Every new light fixture dramatically changes the quality of life in my place.

Here are my thoughts ...
As you have no side tables, install wall sconces on each side of the sofa - there are lots of these on the market for a good price and can be installed with a plug in. Get a cover for the cord to match the wall.
Now you have two table lamps that can be moved to better locations. I would consider swapping the rattan shades for good white paper or linen shade that will project more light.

You have no lighting at the dining table -- you could move one of your table lamps here. I like the look of a table lamp on a dining table but if you don't consider adding wall sconces (to match the ones at the sofa) on each side of the sliding glass doors.

I'd revise the curtains so that they no longer cover your windows when open - yikes! I think all white curtains (to match the walls) are the right move - w/out a valance - setting the rod at the ceiling (paint it white?) and having the curtains fall to the floor. The rod should expend beyond the window opening to hold all the panel off the glass when open. Also, there is something unfinished about the style of the tab top that adds to the clutter. Perhaps simple clip rings on a panel would be better.

Try to find a lamp for the small table between your chairs - this is complicated as you have no where to put the wiring - but even a hurricane with a large candle would improve the seating area with the reflective glass during the day and candle light at night.

Add task lighting at your desk (if you keep it) and piano. They sell lighting specifically for pianos in a range of styles and finishes. I recommend buying one of these. Move the little lamp on the desk to your bedroom - it's too small to do work - either on a bedside table or dresser.

General room lighting can be very useful - accent lights on the tops of bookcases (see Ikea) or small can lights set in corners to wash up walls would have a huge impact.
Hope this helps.

i really agree with turning the couch around to face the wall and put the tv there on a low peice of furniture that you can put all the applianes in and close it up. further on the guitar haning - in regard to location - i think it would look nice (you have four, right?) to get a corner desk (that is if you decide to keep the desk where it is) and have one guitar on each side of the corner above the desk hanging vertically. then, if you were to move the dining table over next to the couch (if it is turned around) and you get two little sconces on either side of the table, hang one guitar vertically in between them. then, above the tv, and i'm not sure how to do this impermanently, hang one of the guitars horizontally.

if you did (and can, since i'm not quite positive about how big your space is) put the table vertically against the wall (you could pull it out if you had more than 3 over) next to the couch, you could potentially use it for counterspace in your kitchen.

although it might not work because i'm having a hard time visualizing...

but where the black thing is (that you said you need to keep for kitchen space) you could get a white bookshelf that is taller (to separate it from the kitchen) and then have another table on the other side (in the kitchen) to use as counterspace without it transferring over into the living space.

just looking back at what i said - when i was talking about putting the table agains the wall near the sofa - i meant get rid of the black (expidit you said) and replace it with the table and THEN it could be used as counter space, as well. sorry for the double post!

Hi, Jaci, I like your place (and all the suggestions are very good.) It looks like you do alot of living there-and that's the most important thing!

I'd say:

-Get a sofa with a cleaner line.

- Get rid of the wicker chairs (who really likes sitting on wicker?)

- Get rid of those framey things hanging against the wall, as well as the wire rack thing.

- Put doors on that cube bookcase, so you can get more storage out of it. And I'd say paint it lighter too.

- Hang the guitars on the wall- like art.

- Get a bigger, more storage/useful desk.

- Get rid of all those little plants and the things they're on too. Get maybe one or two nice plants.

P.S.- I'd get rid of those dark curtain gtops as well.

As an overall suggesting, try adding bookshelf/storage space for the music with some height. You've got a lot of little pieces that are low to the ground. Visually you've got clutter up to about 3 ft high everywhere and then nothing above that. Mixing up things vertically will really help.

Add one more vote for removing the valances. If you need something up there, replace with a simple upholstered cornice box, in whatever fabric you do to-the-floor panels in. And just let them hang, and get them as close as possible to the wall color for the least amount of visual impact. And there's no rule that says your curtain rods or cornice boxes have to end where the window does, so I'd extend rods past the windows.

I'd replace the square dining table with a round (glass topped, perhaps) one, and center it on the glass doors. Round will still let you get past it, but symmetry and alignment will go a long way to give your place a sense of order and calm. (That's why your "living room" is working the best so far.) Hang a simple rattan drum pendant over the newly centered round table to relate to your lampshades, although I do like the above odea of doing wallmounted lamps, though positioning may be tricky, given built-in ledge and piano.

If you don't or can't ditch you stuff, just group it all closer together.

I think the art above the sofa is fine, I wouldn't replace it. It reads as one piece to me already.

Consolidate whatever is on the small white cart into the black bookcases and ditch the cart. Or use it for storage in a closet.

I'd replace the two wood leaning frame things and the ornate mirror with one black framed leaning wall mirror. Or fill that wall with simple black floating shelves, almost to the floor for the lowest one. Get as close to the door with them as possible (without obstructing it). Hang your two guitars horizontally in the space between the shelves... they will read like big musical notes on sheet music... but not in a weird theme-y way.

Or hang the ornate mirror behind the piano, since its lines work really well with the shape of the piano, and it would allow the pianist to see behind her/him.

You also have a lot of things that read as "lines": black frames or art, linear design mirror, lamp bases, leaning frame-things-- even that one pillow design... so any new introduction should be more "mass" than "line," if that makes any sense.

And, except for the one sofa side lamp, I'd resist the temptation to use the top of those built-in ledges as display space.

You might consider an easy to manage folding screen, to sit between the TV and desk to block off the office/music studio area when you are not over there working. Will knock down the visual clutter, give you an opportunity for color if desired, and further "zone" the space. I can see a simple three panel woven fiber/rattan screen working really well there.

I'd second - or twenty-third - nearly all the suggestions above. But what I really want to say is:

Please post 'after' photos! Might take a few tries before everything settles down the way you want... but even 'in progress' photos would be interesting.

Thanks for all the continued help, guys. I'll definitely post "after" or "in progress" photos. By the way, the white bookcases, are NOT built ins, they're freestanding. So I can juggle those around too. And I'll picture of the nonexistent, appallingly ugly kitchen, too. Then you'll understand why we really enjoy having the dining table at the window. :)

Jaci

Jaci--

That's cool that those are freestanding cases and not built-ins, but I actually really like where you have them. But still, try not to use the tops for storage or display, although as noted, the lamp is absolved from that!

I also vote to keep the wicker chairs.

And I am always TOTALLY jealous of anyone with the slightest musical inclination, btw!

I vote for hanging the guitars over the sofa - make them the focal point. I would also get a new sofa, don't think I mentioned this in my other post. The roll-arms are a waste of space. Look for something more streamlined.

Love the dining table by the sliding door, would love it more if it were centered and the whole table were useable. I second the suggestion of replacing it with a round, glass-topped table.

If you get a large entertainment/storage piece, you can display there all the small items you have scattered around the room now. It will look more polished, and make the room feel more calm and spacious.

Definitely give us some 'after' pics!

the detail is overwellming, the eye collects dust like the object it desires.
the grand canyons feature is not time, it is the water.

rent a storage unit or a pods, remove everything from the space, spend a few nights living in the space with nothing but what you desire. want and need can be very deceiving.

then after sometime, consciously move things back into the space.
simply a healthy workout for the mind and body and might just help your inquisitive neighbors.

dinner and sex on the floor, helps to not over indulge.