Hello AT,
I've never been the artistic type, nor have I ever had an eye for aesthetics - but after doing my "research" on AT and flipping through all my IKEA catalogs and the like, I'd finally come to finish the furnishing aspect of my little studio.
It's a square-shape and measures approximately 22x18 with 11 foot ceilings, excluding the 2 closets (yes 2 in the city - SCORE!), bathroom, and kitchen...
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I'd contemplated painting the place before furnishing, but decided against it then, having no reason other than being too lazy. Now that I've somewhat coordinated the colors and textures of the space, I'd like to revisit the idea of adding some much needed color to the walls and finally doing something about the horrid wall next to my bed (I have no clue what to do here). I was thinking about painting the focal wall (behind the TV) chocolate and the rest beige, but am afraid that the beige might wash everything out! I was also thinking about painting my kitchen chocolate but have no idea how it would match the yellowy cabinetry. I'd decided on painting the bathroom walls (above the white tiles) slate/olive. I really need AT's help and that of its readers and would appreciate any insight and suggestions on the rest of the space as well! Thank you!
Steve
Dear Steve,
You need A LOT of color!
We recommend you get yourself over to this apartment and pull your colors from there. Your style and your apartment are similar. These colors would work well. Also note the accent walls.
Anyone else?
I agree; that's a great apartment, in general and a great one to take cues from.
One thing I think I'd be tempted to do is possibly match up the color of what the TV looks like when it's off, and then paint the wall behind it that color, so that when it's off, the TV tends to recede. And yet, the darkness of that one wall would look great against the lighter walls.
And then when the TV is is ON, the TV picture really stands out against what would be kind of a dark wall.
That's the first thought that pops into my mind.
Looking at your furniture and man-style, I would recommend Benjamine Moore's Coventry Gray HC-169 and KitteryPoint Green HC-119 for the living areas and Yardmouth Blue HC-150 for either the bath or kitchen. These colors have been very sucessful in my past projects. And you can buy a small tester pot for $3 if you want a visual before taking the plunge.
Hi Steve,
Maxwell's example is perfect. I think really you're just missing colorful accents. Curtains would add an element of color and texture, not to mention exentuate that great ceiling height. You should choose a bright color that's still masculine, like a nice orange and incorporate it into pillows, curtains, wall art, etc. It would work well with the brown wall you are thinking about as well. Good luck!
I think your choices are great--lines are very clean and beautiful. With the addition of some color--a pop here and there--it will be perfect.
The apartment Maxwell suggests to look at is also featured on Small Space, Big Style. I loved the show's view of the space more so than these pics, so I recomend that you download it for $2 at amazon.com and watch it there.
Click on my name for the link to the HGTV.com synopsis, and some more pictures. The way that he set apart both the entry way and the sleeping area (without making it feel like you're entering into his bedroom) are really great. And the color is good too, not chocolate brown--close, but more interesting.
Good luck!
The link to the Amazon page to buy the episode:
http://www.amazon.com/Small-Space-Big-Style-113/dp/B000I3PIHE/ref=atv_srch_ep_3/103-0445418-1423022
maybe you could go with a bright accent wall.
Pratt and Lambert makes a gorgeous (and yet manish) red-orange called "Poppy," that would really liven up your place (truth be told, i've been eying this color forever, and haven't had the "juevos" to commit to it yet - but it's fantastic!).
Then you could throw in a few accent peices to integrate the color into the room... hot hot HOT.
thanks for sharing your space. You are incorrect when you say you have no sense of aethestics. You have a very fine aesthestic giong on. almost Scandanavian in its simplicty. Stick with your simplicity, if you go overboard with color, you will be unhappy. I know, I always decorated in all white, then I took a foray into bright saturated color. it was fun, but I was tired of it very quickly.
I also disagree with Maxwell, you do not need a lot of color. Color can be used in subtle ways (see for example, the winner of this year's color contest). Your apartment looks great and all you need are some pop colors in keeping with your simplicty. Take, for example in the apartment that Maxwell showed, the blue lamps.
What color do you like? Start with accessories. Whatever color you decide on, buy a lamp, a vase and a pillow in that color. Keep those accessories simple and then live with them for a while before you make any large commitment to painting walls.
The other thing of note in the apartment that Maxwell showed, was how he propped art on the floor. Art doesn't always have to be on the walls and sometimes empty walls can be a beautiful thing.
I really didn't notice the wall by the bed, I'll have to look again.
Good look, thanks for sharing. I'd be interested to see a posting with whatever you decide.
Please do a re-post after you've "colored" your place; your furniture choices are very nice (you do have a good aesthetic!), and I bet your place will look fantastic after an infusion of color and a bit more personality.
I agree that it would be much easier to add in some small pops of color before you dive into painting walls. Why not replace that beigey rug with something bright? And then pick up some colors from it in the pillows etc? Also brightly colored dishtowels in the kitchen are nice and stay clean looking longer than white ones. This is a lovely space I'd just spend a little time thinking about accenting it. You might not love a bright blue wall but some nice blue bedding or towels might just be what you need. And even all of your vases and little art objects are neutral - changing some of those up would really be an easy way to add to your space. Which I am over here coveting right now. Very slick.
skywaykate, thanks for the amazon link. i've been looking for a way to get these episodes for ages.
i agree with all the above comments--for someone who says he has no aesthetic taste, you've done a really great job. the place is masculine without feeling like it's lacquered in testosterone.
i think going with a light/medium gray is a good idea for the main room, and accenting the TV wall with a darker color. get some curtains that have a muted palette but a really interesting pattern, as i think you need a little more texture. and maybe consider adding a few decorative elements on the coffee table and a colorful pillow or two to add a bit more pop.
Skyway Kate you are my HERO (ine)!! I had NO idea that was possible on amazon. thanks a bunch :)
Sometimes people focus on color when what they really need is visual interest, a larger category that includes color, but also texture, pattern, different materials, contrast, personal history, etc. This place looks pretty cool the way it is, I think. Maybe add some things that you like that didn't come from a store. Also, a sure-fire way to add color, texture, and sculptural interest in one pop: the ficus lyrata ("fiddle-leaf fig"), coolest houseplant ever:
http://www.hydrotec.net/.../ pflanzen/ficus_lyrata.htm
Thanks for sharing your place.
Be careful downloading videos from Amazon. Here's some info:
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/09/15/amazon_unbox_to_cust.html
This definitely kept me from using it.
Steve--
If you are the dude in the pic in the mirror, I'd LOVE to come over and help you pick colors. Or china patterns. ;)
ps: The color I used on my entryway and other accent walls is Pratt & Lambert's "Loam" #2105. An awesome color, like a mix of chocolate pudding, cola, and merlot. Dee. Lish.
Steve,
I don't know if that's false modesty, but your apartment is better put together than 95% of the places I've seen. It's a wonderful combo of slightly different styles that you probably bought individually because, well, you just liked them. I think people are right that you don't necessarily need a lot of color. Because you actually do seem to have good instincts, the first thing you can do is just walk through the apt. and get a sense of the rooms/walls where it just seems right to have color. When I looked at it, those seemed to be the kitchen and maybe one accent wall in the bedroom. With your somewhat eclectic taste and everything not being matchy-matchy, I think a couple of painted accent walls versus, for instance, painting the whole living room one color, would look great. When I painted my place the first time, I was trying to use colors that I thought were the "right ones." When that turned out disastorously, I just started looking at swatches based on colors that I thought looked "cool." Obviously, an orange wall wouldn't work in your place but you'll probably gravitate to the colors you've already got going on in your apt.
I really like your furniture setup. I have the same kind of studio although the entire space is a perfect square and a rectangular-shaped bathroom in the back. Seeing this gave me a good idea on how to organize the place so I can entertain and not feel like a wierdo.
fyi: I solved the monotony of the white walls and ceiling issue by painting an accent wall a great sky blue. It was a pre-mixed paint gallon from K-Mart for $5!
Wow, thanks a TON for all of the comments and suggestions! I'm very flattered that some of you think my apartment even shows hints of a good aesthetic. I really have nobody to thank other than IKEA and all of the hundreds of pictures I've browsed from all the wonderful AT readers!! =) Patrick's apt was actually one of the first spaces I'd felt compelled to "clone" mine after, but along the way, different bits and pieces just sort of fell into place to create what you see here. I've decided to leave the majority of the apartment white, but have since added green curtains (you see them in one picture) and a white rug to outline my bed. I've also added a few key pieces to add texture to the space (chair, misc pictures), which I will share with everybody soon enough. I'd decided to paint my kitchen light beige, and the wall in the middle (between the fridge and sink) caramel. I'm also sticking with the slate/olive paint for my bathroom. I'll post an update as soon as I finish painting. Again- thanks for all the comments!!