apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i think it would look better with white trim, yes.

Yes! White trim all the way. And I say this as a person who is generally hesitant to cover up bare wood. I think the white will bring the whole space together and complement the new paint color much better.

Absolutely white, yes! And it should be glossy white. Your color scheme is beautiful and the white will show it off even more. Strong colors like fuschia need white to balance them.

Hope we see an after post!

White.

Your rug is awesome! Is that a Bakhtiar?

Nice Suzanis, too.

Oh - and you probably should get some lovely curtains. Target has a really nice globally-inspired selection.

White- no question. It will give that room a crispness and freshness.

Miriam -

You can also use rugs and kilims (or Suzanis) as wall hangings too (if you look inside a real Asian yurt (Uzbek, Kazak, etc) you'll see the walls entirely covered in textiles.

In a western home, one or two placed as you would a picture can are an exotic touch and would really add punch to that room.

I posted some conservationist recommended methods on my rug blog if you're interested.

http://vancouverrugguy.wordpress.com/

I wouldn't be as concerned about the trim color as I would be about pulling together that back room with a cohesive color scheme. It's a disaster!

you've got some major color problems in that back room. the hot pink chair and poof clash with the rug, the rug clashes with the sofa and everything clashes with the awful purple walls.

yes - definitely white...or maybe a really light cream color? but definitely on the light/white end of the spectrum.

somebody should come up with an online simulator for this, they've got one for just about everything else. :)

Miriam, I think the trim should be white. And dont listen to the negative color commentary. I think the colors are absolutely in keeping with that Middle Eastern thing you are trying to do.

I think the only issue in that room is a question of balance. The moroccan table and the blue side table are really low to the ground and look forlorn in their arrangement. Then there is the big bookshelf in the foreground. Then your sofa/futon looks really bare. I think it might be dressed up with some simple silk pillows or something. And not sure that the art above the couch is working for your color scheme or maybe its just the thickness of the frame.

Anyway what feeling are you trying to evoke with that loft? Do you want it to be like a cave ou go to hibernate (warm rich colors) or do you want to go there to chill out and dream (cool colors)? It all depends.

That was supposed to say : Do you want it to be like a cave YOU go to hibernate (warm rich colors) or do you want to go there to chill out and dream (cool colors)?

d*r at glittersmog -

There *is* an online simulator. :->

Behr paint has a feature called "paint your place".

They charge for it, but the cost is only $5 and you can have an unlimited number of pictures, so I think it's a good deal even though my current favorite paint isn't Behr (although I've used Behr and think it's great paint).

http://www.behr.com/behrx/act/view/shop/paintyourplace

Boomer, what ever happened to that Persian rug primer you were going to do?

Trumystique -

Ask AT:LA.

I gave them pages of info. Best links on the web. I said "don't make me part of of it". They said "we decided not to run it because we don't like you". So ask them.

That's one reason I started the blog. That and people always ask "can I vacuum a rug without hurting it", "what happens if I spill something on it", "will it fade", etc so I figured a blog with links to info that I found helpful would empower people and take the fear of the unknown out of the picture. That and I'm super passionate about them. I have kilims draped over an inside "balcony" of sorts even.

I submitted this at AT:SF, I hope they will post it seperately.

On August 18th, rug expert Barry O'Connell will be speaking in Seattle. For anyone in the area (I'm planning to drive up from the Portland/Vancouver area), it's a great chance to ask questions for a real expert. He's a nice guy, easy to talk to. Highly recommended.

Full details on his blog at http://www.spongobongo.com

Hmmm. Ok. I'll check out your blog.

White, definitley on the window trim.

Not positive white is the way to go for the loft details, especially not the ladder.

I don't think the trim is the problem... the whole space is a mess.

I think the camera flash might be making some colours look a bit off in that first pic. The wall colour looks quite different than the second pic.

And yes, I think white trim. But I agree with Patrick on the loft/ladder area, white might not be right there....but yet I have no good idea for what WOULD be good....sorry!

fabioazvd - that was kind of cruel and unfairly biased, don't you think. She likes it and that's what counts.

For example, Moroccan colors are often bold and vibrant. You're eyeing this with a western eye.

Look at this Moroccan interiur, which uses very similar blues and purples as Miriam is using.

And I couldn't resist these, they make me drool.

Here's a GREAT picture of a hotel in Marrakesh where a big rug is used as a wall hanging (although I don't recommend hanging one this way).

http://www.world66.com/africa/morocco/marrakesh/lib/gallery/showimage?pic=africa/morocco/marrakesh/jacuzzi_by_night_i

This one makes me want to jump on a plane right now and take along about 10 grand in spending money (note the typical cost and then note that 300 Moroccan dirhams = 36.56700 U.S. dollars). I know where I'm going on my next vacation!

http://lexicorient.com/morocco/marrakech12.htm

Sorry!

Forgot to post the link to the picture showing blues & purples.

http://www.i-escape.com/hotel.php?hotel_key=MC002

Oh, and Miriam, if you want a hookah for an added accent piece...

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fur/385118638.html

I couldn't resist. ;->

White trim. leave the balcony unpainted. I'd run with the Orientalist theme -- but while the colors are more vibrant, they're not all over the color wheel either. Keep to a handful.

but my question is when you're on the sofa, where do you put down a drink or put up your feet? -- a nice north african tray table perhaps? a stack of floor cushions -- some are made from old kilims --

I personally believe if some of the trim is painted then all of the trim should be painted. However, I don't believe the ladder should be painted. It is, in a sense, a piece of furniture.

You haven't asked for this, and sometimes perspective can be off in pictures, but have you thought about moving your sofa so that it faces the windows and green stove/heater(?), moving the chair to where the sofa was and placing the stool and maybe some oversized floor pillows at the foot of the stairs? Just a thought.

Hey all, it's Miriam.

Thanks so much for all your comments. White it shall be on the window trim and basebords, but not on the loft ladder. I'm beginning to think that and all white oft might be nice, though. Especially if I fill it with dark warm colors.

Angie in Montreal (where I used to live- I got the pouf on Duluth!), you are absolutely right. It was really difficult to photograph the room, so no, it's not purple, it's dark brown and the colors don't clash. Benjamin Moore makes browns that have a lot of blue in them, so when photographed with a flash the blue tends to come out too much and make it look purple. But trust me, the room is a deep cocoa brown. It goes very well with magenta and orange and turquoise. Benjaminmoore.com also has a great color paint feature.

Hejiranyc and snot: I respectfully disagree. I think it's a problem with the flash. Yes the chair (not its real color- it's got a suzani on it) is a bit off, but the rug is a lot brighter and lighter than in that photo, the walls are brown not purple and the couch does bring out the bright blue in the rug and the blue in the brown walls (though I'm planning on recovering it with something warmer) But you'll just have to take my word for it!

Fabioazvd: you say the whole room is a mess. I agree with you- that's why I posted the question! I need to paint the trim, but I'm happy to take all other suggestions for improvement. Your comment is not a suggestion. Would you care to suggest something that would help me? I'm totally open to changing it around, save the color on the walls, which unfortunately my camera cannot capture (the best version of it is the bit below the loft but above the back wall in the second photo).

Also: I've been thinking about putting the suzanis on the walls, thanks for the recommendation! The green thing in the back is a gas stove (the room isn't heated) which cannot be moved, even though I despise it. And the daybed is 100% vintage Design Research, which I've been wanting to re-cover in kilims and warmer colors for a long time, so that's in its future!

Thanks for the hookah rec- I'm not really going to go that far, but then, you knew that anyway. ;-) I don't want it to be too "orientalist," just cozy and middle eastern (which is in part my heritage).

Good call, Boomer! Yes, the rug is a cheap 8 by 11 Bakhtiari that I bought on ebay, but despite the bleeding, it's very thick and soft and the colors are rich and bright. (My tortoiseshell cat adores it!). The chair underneath the red (not pink) suzani in the back left corner is a buff colored velvet vintage 1930s chair. I'll probably take off the suzani as it seems too much with the rug, and throw on a couple of suzani cushions instead.

Trumystique: there is no bookcase anywhere in the room. Perhaps you mean the loft ladder? The red secretary? I agree with you that the picture is off. I am definitely trying to evoke a warm, spicy, comforting feeling in the room. I haven't done anything with the loft overhead except measure it. It is the length of 1.5 beds and the width of a double. I was planning on getting a futon or some foam cut, covering it with another middle eastern rug and filling it with throw cushions. It's also wired so maybe a hanging lamp or lantern too. Like what the victorians called a "Turkish cozy corner." It's too hot up there in the summer, but it would be a great place to curl up and read in the winter, and for guests to sleep.

I *love* the floor cushion and tray table idea JonathanB, although I've never been a fan of coffee tables (I'm much more of nesting tables person). But a tray table sounds like just the thing (I can already envision the gold painted glasses full of mint tea sitting on it!)

In which case you need a little hookah on the side....

LOL, JonathanB. You're probably right.

I'd love to move the daybed, retrotree, but it's backless. It has to be up against the wall. So it's either the wall it's up against, or the one across it (where I have a small television). Love the cushions by the ladder idea!

I should also mention that this is a rental. A 1920s craftsman bungalow in the rest of the house, but a rental.

And the room is really hard to photograph. The daybed looks much bigger and emptier than it is; the back suzani and pouf look pink when there are red and deep magenta, the rug looks dark when it is bright, the walls look mauve when they are deep cocoa. It's actually a very pretty color scheme.

So glad everyone agrees on the glossy white or ivory trim and leaving the ladder bare wood.

So what do I do with the loft? Paint it white (leaving the floor bare)? I hate the little spindly things, but don't think my landlady will let me touch them. Maybe I could drape another suzani or kilim over them?

BTW, I got my suzanis on ebay for a song. The folded up one on the ladder is antique and the one on the chair is vintage (1960s). They came in a sewn muslin bag stamped with sealing wax all the way from Uzbekistan.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I am honored that you are all spending so much time on my cruddy back room!

Miriam - For pillows, you can use old saddle bags. These are often 2 feet square. Stuff with a pillow and you'll have an exotic floor pillow.

Absolutely drape kilims over that rail. That'd look cool. My favorites are vegetable dyed Kazakh kilims, mostly made in Afghanistan these days, and of high quality hand spun wool, although sometimes you can find old ones from the Caucasian mountains if you're lucky.

And check Craigslist too.

Last weekend I stumbled across a 4x6 Azerbijani Kazakh rug at a garage sale for $35. It was appraised earlier this week for $1600. My plan for this weekend is to get it hung on the wall of my den.

Saddlebag turned into pillow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7878321@N03/908486080/

I don't have any helpful advice, but I love the color of your walls, especially the second picture!

As a long-time tribal textile collector, let me offer a few suggestions about getting a Middle-Eastern feel without going "Orientalist"

- add softness - pick pillows that are plump or rolls, add other things with sensual shapes. They don't need to be Islamic or even fabric - I can think of some things at West Elm that would work. Rounded modern shapes work well as part of the mix.

- mix textiles from other cultures the way a Middle Eastern trader would have. Suzani's are great - but too many will get boring. And there are are lots of other things available, although most would be new. There's not much on eBay but search for Syrian tablecloths, Indian block prints (NOT the cheap ones you see around), Turkish tapestries, etc. On eBay you can find things from other Central Asian countries and new paisley shawls, which make inexpensive throws.

- I mount a lot of textiles on a frame of canvas stretcher strips over which I staple an inexpensive solid color poly-cotton: black, off white, Asian red, depending upon the textile. I wrap it completely around the frame and fasten it to the strips in back. I then use map tacks to mount a textile to the front of it. Displaying textiles this way gives them a very different "presence" on the wall. It is inexpensive, at least for textiles up to 60" (after that you get into heavy duty stretcher strips, which cost more). All you need is a staple gun, needle nosed pliers (to remove incorrectly placed tacks), and a hammer. Art supply stores sell the stretcher strips.

- Saddlebags work well unstuffed - hung over the back of a chair or the arm of a sofa.

taureg -- I had been wondering about that screen name

JonathanB -

It is a mis-spelling of the tribe Tuareg, which I did once on a site and decided to keep.

The Tuareg are famous raiders of the Sahara, known as the "blue men of the Sahara" because the men cover their faces with cotton scarves dyed with indigio, which comes off and dyes the skin. The motifs in their art bear no relation to those of any other tribe - they look like they dropped in from Mars.

If you're curious about my apartment (which was photographed for friends around the world and not for AT) or if you want to read my impressions of a few of the 40 or 50 countries I've been to, go to TribecaTribal.typepad.com.

I find tribal objects, learn about the culture that produced them - and then go to see the place they came from.

I had guessed about the misspelling, but not the rest. looking forward to checking out your site.

Taureg -

Very nicely done! You have some exquisite pieces. Hard to have any favorites there!

What are the hangings over your windows? And the long piece hanging to the right of your recliner?

I like the kilim in the last picture. Looks like a Qashqai but with an unusual border.

And your Kermit is a hoot!

Hi Boomer:

The windows are covered with 97% solar fabric, custom silk screened in one of De;oa shades standard patterns - AT posted her recently: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/window-coverings/delia-shades-026334#comments

The kilm in the last picture is antique Kurdish. The runner next to my bed is 19th C Kurdish and is my favorite.

The long piece in the living room is a commerical ikat from Sumba, Indonesia which will be replaced by an assemblage, as soon as I figure out what works on a huge wall - knowing I'll change it endlessly.

There's also a wall of Nepali/Tibetian masks - and, alas, a closet filled with the rest of my textile collection, which I add to with distressing regularity.

Kermit is an example of what I was talking about the other day - that a well designed space shows the owner's personality. Kermit is one of a number of things that let visitors know not to take things too seriously.

Are you a rug dealer or a rug collector?

I thought those window coverings looked familiar. They look better in your space than in the ads.

Kermit still makes me smile. What a riot. :->

Dealer or collector...a little of both. I had a change to buy several (meaning enough to fill a spare room) at wholesale last year when I bought my condo so I did, and figured I'd sell what I couldn't use on Craigslist. One thing led to another...I still sell only on Craigslist. The hard part is getting attached to one I can't use and then parting with it.

I always enjoy finding the odd steal at garage sales, like this gorgeous Azjerbijani (Ardabil) that I snagged last weekend (the flash washed out the colors). http://www.flickr.com/photos/7878321@N03/943711077/

Taureg and boomer:

I guess we're the tribal/ethnic caucus here.

Taureg -- great space, from the salmony wall color to the wonderful objects. Loved the wall hangings, but was particularly drawn to the costumes flanking your bed. Fantastic. As for textile collections -- I have my stashed in a glass fronted bookcase so that I can at part of them.

Boomer -- I'm somewhat jealous. After Moroccan rugs, Azjerbijani are my favorites. In the end though Morocco won out.

Here's an awesome blog dealing with Qashqai tribal life. If I ever make it to Iran, I have to see the Qashqai Restraunt in Shiraz.

http://www.behzad182.blogfa.com/

Thanks, JonathanB. My apartment is where my love of textiles, design and travel come together. It is eternally being tweaked.

I also love Moroccan weavings, especially flatweaves from Zemmour in the Atlas mountains.

Costumes are great, but a real pain to store - unless they're the flat cloths of Asia. The child's costume is Rabari, from Western India. The other is a Syrian robe with a Nuristani (Pakistan) child's hat, which goes down the back. Doesn't everyone have a size 4 display dummy in their bedroom?

Boomer: I saw the Qashqai migrating when I was in Shiraz. Unfortunately, they're not as colorful as in the past. And do visit Iran if you ever can - my blog has the story of my trip there in 2000.

actually, I wish I did. I wound up rotating my collection on hangers dangling from my bedroom closet doors

Wow, thanks so much for all the rug tips, Jonathan, Taureg and boomer! My parents recently picked up a *very* fine midcentury kilim for me in Istanbul (it has replaced the Bakhtiari and resides in my living room), and they have a beautiful and rare kurdish rug I've never seen the like of anywhere else, and I grew up with saddlebags in the living room used exactly those ways; but I don't know *anything* about Moroccan rugs and Syrian tablecloths. I only recently got interested in Moroccan decor because there are a number of shops in Montreal (where I also began to cook with a tagine). Thanks so so much. I can't wait to start looking.

Oh, I've also been coveting the Delia shades for months, but I'm afraid they are WAY over budget for a single assistant professor like me, especially since this is a rental. Any ideas how I might make my own? It shouldn't be too difficult to stencil something onto some vinyl roll-up solar shades, right?

Miriam - personally I think mid-century tribal weavings are the best. With the recent wars and Islamo-fascist takovers, there's been a lot of disruption. The Iranian government is afraid of the Qashqai and have been forcibily settling some of them, from what I've been reading. I think that's at least part of the reason that recent Qashqai weavings are nothing like those of the 40s and 50's. If you can find a Qashqai rug in good condition from the 40's or 50's, grab it. The new production of Qashqai rugs has been terribly disappointing.

Afghanistan has been a rug production leader of sorts lately. Khal Mohammed was instrumental in bringing back vegetal dyes after the Soviets left, and his looms have aided the economies of several Afghan towns and the rugs bearing his name are just gorgeous. I had a small Khal Mohammedi last week and it sold before I could list it, they're that stunning. Rugs with Kazakh designs are being made very well in Afghanistan today also. Stay away from "Kazak" rugs made in India...they're horrible.

If you get a chance to see the tribal rugs coming from Tajikistan today, those are insanely gorgeous too. The Tajiks use a really interesting combination of flatweave and pile weave all on the same peice, so the design pops out in a 3D relief - combine that with the gorgeous luster of the wool and you end up with something destined for walls rather than floors for sure.

MIriam -- Pickering wrote "the" book on Moroccan rugs -- Moroccan Carpets -- a few years ago. Don't know whether it's still in print or not. Pickering herself used to -- and may still -- deal in Moroccan textiles from a shop in the Hudson Valley.

Love tagines myself and keep looking for the "perfect" one here in New York. Fortunately one doesn't need a tagine to a make a tagine.

boomer -- I used to get a kick out of the Afghan carpets with guns and tanks and helicopters on them. I suspect by now they're expensive collector's items.

JonathanB-

It depends. Soviet era ones yes. Those are rare these days, most in the hands of collectors.

You can find Baluch rugs with rows of tanks, cars, RPGs and AK47s still being made.

There's a whole new series since 2001.

There are newer rugs that celebrate US and Allied help in routing the Taliban. They have saying like "Long Live US". They feature the Afghan and American flags with a dove carring an olive branch between them. I've seen a number that depict the bombing of Tora Bora. A more rare design expresses condolences for September 11th. It shows the twin towers being attacked and depicts moth the new Afghan flag and the US one with dove & olive branch between them.

It's ironic that when you get past all the 80's propaganda, the thing that pushed to Soviets over the edge and led them to invade, was the same as the US - atrocities against the Soviet people by pre-Taliban fanatics. They had beheaded Russian civilians for the crime of teaching Afghan women to read. The Soviets saw the Islamic fanatic movement as a threat long before the west did. And for the record, no, I don't condone the Soviets' actions. But I do think the only good Taliban is a dead Taliban.

By the way, things like this, the drive-by media doesn't want you to know about, but are a huge success of the post-Taliban era.

In the remote town of Maimana, there is a radio station run by women. It's hugely popular. This would have been unthinkable a few years ago. It's one reason why the average Afghan is glad the Taliban are gone.

http://portal.unesco.org/ci/photos/showphoto.php/photo/4239

If we leave, there will be consequences that will make Darfur look timid.

Please write your congress person in support of keeping troops in Afghaistan. They need our help as much as Darfur does.

JonathanB -

By coincidence, here's a news story posted today about Afghan War Rugs (a New Zealand TV station has a video piece - no politics, I checked ;->).

http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/Story/tabid/209/articleID/31978/Default.aspx

Worth watching in my opinion.

Another war rug article. Worth reading for the comments about how Afghans feel about Americans. This was posted just 3 days ago (I have a Google News search that gives me any news story about rugs).

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2007/08/02/in_woven_wool_images_that_leave_some_floored/

thanks, I'll take a look at it

Miriam:

Send me an email at Ikat48@gmail.com and I'll send you a bunch of links - including to sites in Canada.

I would also tell you to look at textiles from the last quarter of the 20th C - they can be surprisingly affordable and are still authentic. A lot of the Central Asian material sold on eBay is from the 70's and 80's and is still authentic.

The Textile Museum of Canada in Toronto just had a wonderful exhibit of Western Indian textiles - I don't know whether you can still access it through their site - many of which are 30 years old.

The thing about a collection is that it takes time - both because financial resources are ALWAYS limited when you start (and even later) and because you need to educate your eye. Find art books on regions that interest you and then poke around Half.com, Amazon etc. for used copies. Also, if your eye is consistent, you can pick up interesting things from anywhere on earth and get them to work together and to create a room with the right spirit and feeling.

As for the shades - Delia was really nice to deal with, so I won't tell you to copy her - but I can think of other ways to fake the feeling. The easiest is to find what used to be called "casement" fabric in white or off-white and make a curtain/shade. Casement curtains have areas of more and less translucent weave, so the light comes through in a pattern. Another option, if you sew, is to create a quilted arch over the windows, with squared off edges (I could draw this but can't quite come up with the words to describe it) - you could use "Orientalist" fabrics from India (saris), Syria, etc. Also, there are new Uzbek ikat fabrics available by the meter on-line which you might also find interesting.

Miriam:

Ask Delia for a quote - she's probably not as expensive as you think - your windows don't look very large. You could do just your central window and then cover the flanking ones in plain solar shades - or see whether you could get a single shade to cover all three windows. Or have the center one come down as low as the bottom of the other two, which would clean up the window wall a bit visually.

boomer - curious as to why you said you didnt like Behr, but was good. I've only used Behr, and found it to be my favorite (for flat matte's).

s

JonathanB:

Angel Street Thrift shop on West 17th St sometimes has dummies - but the tiny sizes needed for tribal costumes are hard to find. I got mine from a showroom that was going out of business.

If you look on line, you can buy new ones for under $100, if I remember correctly - but I'd look at child sizes because they may be the only ones that things will fit.

Until then, get padded white hangers so you don't damage the costumes. You can buy archival padded hangers on-line, which is the minimum you should use for storing/displaying costumes. They're not expensive.

Taureg: I do use padded hangers. I'll check Angel Street. Not all the costumes I have are that small, but most certainly are. Strange as it seems, I never thought to look for one online.

Miriam: Always visit the Textile Museum in Toronto myself. They have some nice, but contemporary, textiles for sale in the gift shop.

There is an antiques mall which used to include a Tibetan shop that had some wonderful Chinese and Himalayan textiles and costumes for sale.

There is also a shop in a mall on the water front that specializes in contemporary crafts pieces from Nunavak (sp?) as well as a lot of touristy junk.

In addition (and on the subject of crafts) there is a contemporary crafts center nearby that, while a bit short of textiles, has some wonderful hand worked pieces in wood, glass, and ceramics.

sanriofreak -

Oh, sorry if that was confusing. I only meant that right now I have another "favorite" paint - I like the smaller palette of Devine, for me fewer choices is better. ;->

I do think Behr is great paint. It covers well, doesn't smell bad when drying, reasonable price, etc.

JohnathanB:

A curtain rod with brackets hung on a wall is another easy way to display many types of costumes.

Because paint, wood and plastics leach chemicals which will harm textiles over time, cover the rod with something archival or at least safe.

You might buy a 2" or 3" archival tube, cover it with neutral fabric, and put it over the rod - that way, you also reduce stress on the garment. http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=24005 or http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=17535

Miriam, Taureg, JonathanB -

You might enjoy and find inspiration from this article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution "home" section:

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/homeandgarden/stories/2007/08/06/hsfulford_0809.html

Be sure to click the "see more of this home" slideshow (or use the link below)

http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/living/homeandgarden/hsfulford0809/

Try this color for the trim

myperfectcolor - Peanut Shell Benjamin Moore

http://www.myperfectcolor.com/Benjamin-Moore-2162-40-Peanut-Shell-p/mpc0005155.htm