apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Adam, it's great. No corners to bump into, either! But I need to know...where is that chair from? Fabtacular!

I think the chair (which is gorgeous, btw) blocking that (ginormous) doorway is the bigger problem. But if your living room doubles as a sort of throughfare then the coffee table being so large, in addition to the chair, would make it seem like it's *too* big.

i LOVE the chair and wait is that coffee table from ikea, really? i like it with the chair! What i would do, though, is do something to the wall behind or around the TV. one of my pet peeves is when a tv becomes the focus of a room, or even only the focus of one wall. so maybe a bold, mid-century-inspired print or two on that wall?

I would move the armchair out of the doorway and push the coffee table further from the couch, the objective being to help that space feels less crowded. You might feel like the table isn't so huge once you get more leg room and aren't squeezing around the armchair to get to the other room.

I have a great idea for this space... go out and buy a copy of STATUS ANXIETY by Alain de Botton and you will realize how pithy this post is! You can even put the book on your oversized coffee table...

For the love of god, the coffee table is not too damn big, your level of anxiety is. It's FINE. It works. In fact it's pretty nice. Now the next time you have someone who comes over and tells you that the coffee table is too big, go into the bathroom, splash some cold water on your face and repeat the following:

"it's only a coffee table, it's not me."
"it's only a coffee table, it's not me."
"it's only a coffee table, it's not me."

I guarantee you will feel better

i think that the chair and table are spectacular, but the dull colored rug and couch bring these two modern pieces down a bit. A brighter rug may bring some color into the room, or spray paint the coffee table because there are lots of different color woods in the room. Good luck!

I think the coffee table is great. I really like it! The room arrangement is most likely the problem. And I agree with Bobbycat5... your wall needs something other than a TV. Maybe something with color. ;) Best of luck! You're off to a good start with your furniture.

Like you said, "I have had the great luck of acquiring" furniture; now (please don't take it as an insult and like randy said, "it's only a coffee table, it's not me")... everything BUT the furniture's REALLY blah. Forget the table's scale, you've more than enough room... but be a little bit more worried about 1. the lack of color, which would be ok if you got the right light, but in this case it just makes it look sad. 2. the focus of the room's the tv and 3. all the unsightly things just laying around without any real composition. ie. guitar, dvds...

And I know... you just probably wanted to hear something about that damn coffee table and how you should stick to your small one... but you asked what should be done and I just gave you an idea of what can be improved.

@randylandd - um, wow. Anyway.

I agree with what I think some of the posters above are saying - the thing that really caught my eye in this picture is the combination of the huge doorway and the eye-catching chair. Maybe it's just the angle that the picture was taken at, but that's the only thing that seems a little off to me. When I imagine a wall behind it, your room looks great. If you're interested in some sort of room divider there, that'd be my suggestion. The table, however, looks fine to me.

Jeeze Randy.... this is a design blog and he's asking a design question. We don't come here to listen to people on their high horse tell us how "pithy" our design issues are.

If there's one thing designers know how to do is sweat the small stuff. And for many of us, that's the fun part!

but yes, I do agree that the coffee table works in both size and form. It plays off the chair very nicely.

I agree with Djluckyonline. The room is fine, the coffee table is fine - and killocallan - move chair and coffee table. do something above the tv, move the bookcase (way out of the way - say in another room) and put something more appropriate that addresses the corner condition, get a rug that harmonizes with the floor and chair and not just the chair .

OK, Adam, here you go:

1. The white walls are doing nothing for you, man. The room (or at the very least that wall) is dying for color. You've already established a color scheme w/ your selection of the carpet, so pick from there and paint the wall(s). If you're worried about paint, then art will work too.

2. As for the TV stand, it's the wrong scale for the wall. You need something longer. I suggest a credenza from IKEA that gives you more storage and a large surface for display. It will work nicely w/ the Danish modern aesthetic you're going for.

3. That gorgeous chair you inherited just doesn't want to be in that doorway. I'm not sure what's going on on the other side of the room, but maybe your chair wants to be there.

4. The coffee table is a nice pick. Let's start to introduce something on top of it. A large book of interest, a small vase of flowers, 1 or 2 pieces of glasswork. Anything really. What do you like?

5. New throw pillows for your couch. It's a neutral color, so you can pop anything off of it. A fastastic color, an interesting print. IKEA has TONS of these that you can slip then over your existing pillows.

That's just a start, but you"ll be impressed by what major impact a little intervention can have.

If that rug's FLOR, get a few tiles in a really hot color. Add a few pillows in the same, and some art in the same...you might find things really brightened up.

It might be interesting to turn the couch the other way, and perhaps float it, creating a walkway along the path the couch is on now. I would move the couch to a few different places to see if there's a good way to get that chair out of the doorway.

The furniture is fine - in fact the furniture is pretty great.

But the walls are drab and dull - Get thee to a paint store STAT with Debit card in hand and slap some color on those walls this weekend!

Orange? Turquiose? Lime Green?

DesignGod hit the nail on the head. A longer TV credenza would work well with the table (which is *perfect* with that chair), and yes, you need some color on the wall behind... prints? paint? something.

Does anyone else find the sofa out of scale, too? It seems clunky to me.

I also think the problem comes from the TV and the TV stand : they don't match anthing else in the room and attract all the attention. I agree with Bobbycat5 on diminishing the visual importance of the TV in any room.

One thing I hate is when you look at an empty room and have the feeling that the sofa, chairs and all the rest of the furniture are watching attentively the blank TV screen.

Maybe you could (later on of course) place the set in a closed credenza, same for the shelf.
You should try placing things at an angle (I know some people hate this, but I do it), like the sofa, or the TV. You could even place the chair on the same side as the TV, facing the couch : this encourages and evokes friendly conversations, rather than everyone eyes fixed onto the screen. That way you also get the chair out of the doorway.

I think that coffee table is to be lived for. For one thing, however long it may seem, the width is great for being about to walk around it, and I love having that has no corners to tear into your kneecap. I have an oval coffee table, and that's one of my favoriate things about it.

But speaking of ovals, I'd like some kind of premeditated way of emphasizing that as a motif. For instance, there are hooks that are especially made for hanging guitars on walls, and I'd like to see that guitar and that mandolin (?) to be hanging on the wall to our right of the TV. Otherwise, some kind of paint treatment on that wall that involves ovals? Something.

-Paint an exact copy of the floor tiles onto the TV wall.
-flank the other walls with an accent color (rich tomato red or burnt orange)
-get a "floating" credenza for the TV to mount on the wall in high gloss white. That clunky thing is killing you
-leave the chair, it's fabulous. Maybe put a sheer curtain in the same color in that entryway, an element of space break without a huge effort
-bright pops of pillows in red or orange, and ...

you're all set.

I think the furniture is great, and have no problem with the colours (although I'm not one of them, I understand that some people prefer a quiet, neutral palette). The problem is placement--I would lose the bookcase, put the TV on something skinnier so it doesn't stick out from the wall too much (and that is a lighter colour, so it's not so contrasty with the other pieces in the room), or even hang it on the wall, and then move the (beautiful chair back toward the corner the bookcase is now in. That will open up the room, leave space around the coffee table, and take some of the focus off the TV (avoid that whole everything in the room is centered around the TV dynamic).

The coffee table not only is a great size/scale but the style is fab with your new chair...

Your coffee table's fine, but your Feng Shui's appalling! Get that armchair out of a high traffic passageway!

(No, I'm not a believer of 'Feng Shui', save for the very sane advice to NOT block high-traffic areas with furniture.)

Did you ever consider a wall hanger for the guitar? I love them, my hubby plays and I enjoy how they look (and sound of course). :)

Lovely coffee table- the thin polished wood really complements the beauty of the guitar (and mandolin (?) on the bookcase.

To gain some space, try removing the bookcase- place it on the other side of the wall where it is now. Angle the white chair into that area, but NOT wedged tightly in the corner, give it lots of room to float visually.

A nice advantage is the thin tv, but the stand has more depth than it needs. With a very narrow stand, you gain (looks like) a whole extra foot of "footprint".

And because the wood element really adds to the mid-century look, the prominent guitar stand is a good feature. Add to this by hanging the small mandolin- maybe hung (not too high, and centered) on the wall where the bookcase was.

The rug and the paint are making the room too cool. It needs to be warmed up think of the colors in the halo around the lamp on the bookshelf?

Also how many inches is that TV? That seems like a not to overwhelming size.

With just one photo, I have trouble determining scale. I think, though, the table is great. $279, though . . . I dunno. Sometimes IKEA baffles me with its price-structure. Some items seem out-of-whack-expensive.

All,

Thanks so much for the comments! I'll try to answer some questions...

(Here's the room from the other side (Flickr))

I have no idea where the chair came from. It had been in my grandmothers living room for as long as I can remember, so at least 27 years. There aren't any labels on it either.

I would really love to paint but I rent and sometimes it just seems like a hassle. I should probably just man up and do it, though that means agonizing over what color to pick. I have been slowly acquiring and framing art but have yet to hang anything.

I think it's kind of funny that many of the comments are about the lack of color and the drab carpet. I just bought the carpet (yep, Flor). The rug I had before was plain beige. I very much trend towards understated colors so this new rug and the orange lamp were huge steps outside of my "comfort zone."

The comments about the TV stand... wow, totally spot on. I never really liked the stand and have always regretted buying it considering it was sort of an emergency purchase after a compulsive TV purchase (it's a 37" TV by the way). It will definitely be next on my list to replace.

I purchased the coffee table at the Woodbridge (Potomac Mills) IKEA and it was only $179.

Thanks again everyone! I really appreciate the constructive feedback. It's what makes this such a great community!

I think the first thing that needs to go is the media cabinet.

There were two pretty cool examples on this site very recently, or maybe on unplggd, of great Ikea media cabinets. Both were white, and I think one was actually two media cabinets.

I love the chair, love the coffee table!

Oh, and get rid of the mission bookcase and build shelves in the same wood as the coffee table into that nook.

personally, I think your lack of super bold color is fine. some people just want a mellow space. I think the rug is nice and have no issues with plain white walls as long as lighting is done well.

Also, as voted and as has been said over and over, the coffee table scale, shape, color etc is fine. roll with it.

Regarding arrangement, I agree with the suggestions to relocate the bookcase to another room, float the guitar on that skinny bit of wall, and angle the new (amazing!) armchair into that corner.

A long, low unit for the tv would be great, and if you placed the tv more towards your radiator, it would still be totally watchable, but not the owner of the room.

The only other thing is having your armchairs flat against the wall creates a bit of a waiting-room vibe, take them a couple inches off the wall and angle them toward each other and it'll feel way more friendly.

awesome start, looking great!

I second the suggestion that you relocate the chair. One option would be to move it closer to the couch, so someone sitting there can put a glass on the coffee table. You may also want to consider creating a little reading (or guitar-playing) nook to the side of the tv. You could put your chair there, and maybe a small stool that would serve as a wee little side table.

If the guitar is played everyday, a floor stand is better than a wall mount.

Otherwise, yes a longer credenza for the TV -- no chair backing on the archway. I think the color will be less overwhelming with some art work on the walls. vintage guitar posters perhaps. or vintage guitars if you collect them as well as play them.

Hi. Another yes vote for the coffee table. Another person who thinks your furniture placement could be better. I think it would work better with the couch on the wall that the TV now occupies, and the large white chair angled in the bookshelf corner. Perhaps the bookshelf could go where the coat rack is, or in another room. The new long, but thin, credenza/TV stand on the wall where the couch is now. I also think you should take a row off the length of your rug, and add a row to the side, making it square. And pull the two chairs away from the window a bit. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

This room looks very tidy and comfortable. You should lie down on your couch and watch tv,

My advice is to step back and give your new found taste time to grow. The fact that you recognized how great the chair is and the imbalance in the room means you've got all you need upstairs to make this place yours. Don't rush, a finished room is boring to live in, always ask yourself if you're buying too much into a trend, be choosy to the point of madness and have a blast.

This is a great room and a great start.

I second all the ideas about hanging the instruments, and I would also consider replacing that bookcase - at least in the photo, it feels very Mission-y, which doesn't match the vibe of the rest of the room.

Also, I think you need more light! A lamp next to the couch might work.

I love that Law and Order is on the television. It's on any hour of the day!

The pieces you have (excepting the TV stand, a friendly amendment you've already accepted) are all fine. What you need is lighting- that'll help set the mood for you. Rearrange as many times as you can stand it, then think about what paint to put up on the walls.

And what's going on in that adjoining room? Could you move the various musical instruments into a grouping in that other space? If so, that'll make it easier to find a focus in this currently multi-tasking room.

I like the bookcase, it's just too overcrowded now.

Have fun and post back when you're done!

I think what your room needs is warmth, not necessarily color. I would bring in some artwork, more lighting, and you wouldn't go wrong with some texture. How about a couple of fuzzy white or gray pillows? Or some accessories that reflect light, or are made of some kind of stone?

I'd like to see a slightly longer tv credenza, but more importantly, get it in a lighter wood, to better go with the coffee table and shelves.

I would switch the positions of the chairs, too. That gorgeous armchair is too big for the doorway. Put it on the other side, angle it and move the sofa a bit if you need to. The smaller armchairs can flank the tv credenza.

You're well on your way to a great room!

I love what you have done so far and you are off to a great start. Your grandmother's chair is awesome and so is the Ikea coffee table. I think that a new tv stand would make a huge difference, as well as some color on the walls, perhaps a color taken from the floor rug to help pull it all together.

Taking everything into account, I have a great suggestion to spruce up the room...go back to Ikea and get a red rug. Really, it will enliven the white chair, the teak table, the black tv stand...and eliminate the need to paint when you're only renting. Seriously, it will look GREAT!

Too many styles are competing... that's my opinion.

I agree with the suggestion to get a red rug!! Absolutely! The coffee table is the perfect size and it's beautiful---the only real "trouble" in this room is the media table. I think something like this http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/zip/782674209.html
would prove very functional for you and pull your room together. Who cares if it's an old stereo and doesn't work--you just need a new place to rest your t.v.--and $75 bucks--how can you beat that?

Hold on--sorry--I provided the wrong link! Here's the one I intended to share:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/ele/788127306.html

I would just put a coat of blue paint (similar to the blue in the rug) on the walls, ....and move the chair over. finished.
What I wouldn't do, is put a mid-century themed print on the walls.

Adam, I came across a Danish mid-century Greta Jalk coffee table recently. To me it looked massive compared to my old coffee table. But the teak was so beautiful, I had to try it out. Now it is hands down my favorite piece. I decided to work around the table and took some pieces out of my living room to declutter. I don't regret it and I get tons of compliments on the table. If I didn't come across this piece of furniture, I would definitely consider the one you got from Ikea. It is beautiful. Enjoy!! I love your white chair but I think it would look better in the corner where you have your bookcase. Please send an updated picture soon with your changes.

I think you could mount the TV to the wall and then have some 'breathing space' between the tv and its credenza/media unit -- that might give you a little 'air' between dark parts of furniture in the room.