apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

oh definately sell it if it's not your style unless you think you'll dad's feeling beyond repair (chances are he'll be fine with it). As I understand it, silk is pretty delicate when it comes to cleaning stains - so unless it is the perfect rug for you, it won't be worth the work. Someone else will love it and think it's worth all the effort it deserves.

I think the carpet is fine - It's the futon and coffee table that need rethinking. It's trying painting or restaining them a darker color (more like the bookshelf on the right of the picture). I'd also see about recovering the futon cover.

Or, hell, just throw out the futon and coffee table and get something new that matches.

Can't it fit in another room? Like under your bed, so only a little is poking out around the sides? That's kind of a way of keeping it, storing it and showing it off, all at the same time.

How would it work hanging on a wall, either in that room or in some other room.

Ask yourself this: if you had a nice chunk of change that you felt comfortable spending on furniture, would you (a) go with a more formal, traditional look (club chair, darker woods) or (b) upgrade in the light, contemporary feel you now have, possibly with some Danish Modern-type MCM pieces?

If (a), price how much it would be to store the rug. If (b), sell it to someone who will love it.

Sorry I have no advice but I just had to say that I am enraptured by your beautiful smile.

I agree with J it's not the rug it's the furniture that's off. If you can afford to replace all of it do even if its one piece at a time.

I agree with changing the furniture. I'd start with a new couch. Ikea has nice ones for really cheap. You could replace the coffee table and rug at Ikea, too. I went through a big purging of furniture a few years ago so I understand it might seem daunting at first. I woke up one day and looked around and said, "It all has to go!" Good luck! It was really fun!

Even without spending big bucks for new furniture, I think the silk rug looks better in your space than the old one, which is a little messy-looking and doesn't define the space as well. But the colors might be farther off in person - can't tell from the photo.

I say keep the rug and ditch the furniture. The rug is a classy item that the rest of the room should aspire to. I say, that of, course, assuming that you actually like the rug. If not, go out and get another one -- but one that's of comparable quality.

If you like the rug, it's your first step toward leaving your college, futon store furniture behind. It looks great with the dark brown bookcase in the photo.

The rug is beautiful but the browns are definitely too dark and too cool in tone (based on the photo you've provided) than the warmer wood in the rest of your furniture and your floor. Hope this doesn't come across as mean, but your furniture does appear to be a bit in the serviceable grad-student mold and I'm guessing you plan to upgrade that as well in the future.

Accordingly, if you like the rug I would store it and use it as a starting point for a new decor scheme, either in this apartment or the next. I would suggest that you move next to a nicer coffee table that's not in this color of wood - maybe something that's primarily glass? You could then get a different cover for the futon that will match the rug better; putting a throw over one arm will make the wood even less noticeable.

Thanks for the feedback, AT and AT readers! If I keep the Chinese silk carpet it seems like I would have to ditch not only the futon and coffee table, but also the curtains and the wall color, since they are warm colors that don't go with the silk carpet. This would be a major investment. Another problem is that we need to keep a futon or something in the living room for guests to sleep on.

Does anyone have experience with smaller futons that fold sideways instead of lengthwise? If we could get a futon that's the length of a loveseat (60") rather than the standard futon size, then we could add two chairs in the living room to achieve AT's goal of having three seating positions in the living room area...

I've been looking on-line but can't find smaller futons anywhere so far.

i think the new rug looks fine as is. and, in fact, i think the old rug is both too small and too 'matchy' in the space.

the real question, though, is what your style is. if you feel like as you gradually acquire protein furniture, you'll go in a more traditional direction that will work with such an old-school rug, then i would definitely keep it. if you're a bunch of modern minimalists whose ideal home is the antithesis of such a piece, i would consider getting rid of it in the most polite way possible. if you're somewhere in the middle, why not keep it for a while? it's an improvement over what you have now, and it doesn't look all that bad in the space.

i certainly wouldn't pay to store it -- either keep it or don't. if you're not sure, looking at it in your living room for a while will help.

a simple bold solution: stain your floor dark and your room will come together.

the orange color of your furniture is rather unappealing, you might want to change that as well, or upgrade your sofa and coffee table.

good luck

If someone gave me a gift that I did not want or could not use, I would consider telling that person before just selling the item. Wouldn't he wonder where the rug was if he visits? Perhaps your father could return the rug for something you need more?

In many cultures fancy rugs were meant to hang on the wall. Find some wall that doesn't inact with too much of the rest of the apartment (entryway? bathroom hallway?) and hang it there.

i second the request for suggestions on a loveseat sized futon.

Dutiful Daughter -- Those futons that trifold the other way are GONE, except for in the cheapest pine-slat models. For various reasons, we've looked for them several times between 2000 and now. No dice. Gone, gone, gone!

On the other hand, sleeper sofas are rumored to have improved substantially. Consider going that route -- and that's where you get down to what style really speaks to you. The wall color is $30 for a can of paint, and curtains go on sale. But a sofa is virtually always a big-ticket item in relation to one's income.

(It's really okay to decide that something beautiful in itself isn't for you, too.)

This may sound really strange, but nice persian/Asian style carpets don't need to match the room. I've lived in China and India and Turkey, and I was amazed with how they decorate with the carpets. I've been in houses and at the embassies (sp?) where the carpets were of different styles and colors and were placed on top of each other to create this patchwork of quilt. I've always been amazed how they never matched, but still worked with the room.

If you like the carpet as a stand alone, then keep it. If you don't, get rid of it. Don't worry about it "matching." A great rug is like great art. You don't pick a painting 'cause the colors match your throw pillows - you pick it 'cause it evokes a great feeling. If it takes hanging (putting on the floor) in a bunch of different rooms in a bunch of different places, that's ok!

Dutiful Daughter, how many guests do you plan on having sleep over at a time? Would it normally be limited to one, or do you need space for two?

If you typically only have one guest at a time, maybe you could look for a sofa or sectional that's quite wide and at least 6' long. These can make comfortable beds - better than many futons - for a single person. A small sectional could also provide a lot more seating while still offering 6' of sleeping space.

I'd rather sleep on an Aero bed than on a futon myself. Don't limit yourselves to futons or sleeper sofas - there are alternatives that work just as well or better, and can actually cost a lot less. (They can be easier to move, too - sleeper sofas can weigh a ton.)

I also think the silk rug is a keeper, unless you hate it aesthetically. I thuroughly agree with Emily's suggestions. "Ethnic" rugs can look striking and personalized with a contrasting decor. Hung on a wall, it can work wonders to sound-proof against loud neighbors or on a wall separating a bedroom and living room (that's how rssians survived in those communal apartments!)

Rather then focusing on finding a seating sulution that doubles as a bed, I would recommend a good inflatable mattress for home use. They are usually more comfortable than sofa-beds. That way, you can get a regular sofa that you really love. You have many more style choices if you don't need a sleeper. Room & Board has some gorgeus ones that are not outrageously priced that I think would look great with the rug. I also think a coffee table with a glass top would feature the rug very nicely. I bet you can find an inexpensive one somewhere. Maybe Ikea or Pier One.

Ikea has a huge selection of great super cheap curtains.

Congrats and good luck!

To me the new rug instantly makes the room seem more substantial & "grown up", rather than transitory & dorm-like which the old rug does. Ditto the futon. I would invest in a really nice couch which takes its color from the less dominant colors of the new rug (if possible) and some more tailored curtains.

apologies for the dual postings -- i keep having problems with that crazy posting code system!

As an interim step, you could paint or stain the futon frame and coffee table (dark brown, to match your other bookcase) and see how you like the look -- maybe try a new futon cover that's a closer match to the color of the rug. This would be one quick and inexpensive way of getting your furniture to look more coordinated with the rug. If you're thinking of upgrading the furniture in the future, this small investment would give you a chance to see what different color combinations would look like in your space while you save up $ for protein furniture.

I also second the thought (posted earlier) that painting the walls and hanging new curtains could be a relatively inexpensive proposition -- $30 for a can of paint, $15 for supplies, and cheap curtains from IKEA -- and really pull the look of the room together.

I don't think you need to redo the wall color to match the rug, I think it looks lovely and fills the space much better than the old rug. I hate to say it, but I think it is time to invest in a better couch, futons aren't all that comfortable to sit on or sleep on. How about a sofa you love and an aero bed? There are some comfy sofa beds out there and I know Jennifer makes some that start at around $300 but I have no idea if they are comfy. I agree with everyone else that the dark wood of the shelves looks great with the rug, is it maybe possible to stain the coffee table and futon frame so they don't look so orange?
I get the feeling though that you don't really like the rug and are looking for permission to get rid of it?

Maybe you could consider a daybed? West Elm has some very chic, quite affordable options that would look great with the new carpet...My favorite is here: http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODf215&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1FRNSOF&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1FRNSOF.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Yes, I know the futon and coffee table aren't ideal. They were purchased by my fiance during a transitional period, and I am just out of grad school so don't own anything nicer. Upgrading furniture will have to happen slowly and piece by piece.

Staining the floor probably isn't an option since we are renting, but I am interested in the idea of staining the futon and coffee table a darker shade. Since I'm brand new to DIY, does anyone have starter tips for the clueless? For one thing, since I live in a small one-bedroom apartment, do I have to go up on the roof to do the staining or risk getting asphyxiated by the fumes?

DD

Forgive me if this has already been said before. Why don't you just rotate the large Oriental rug by 90 degrees? I think the proportions would work... I think the smaller rug is too small.

If you don't mind a trip into NJ (or buying online) and would like a loveseat-sized futon, I bought one from White Lotus at www.whitelotus.net that I really like.

the rugs do not work. Ok, I said it. They are ok if you have to keep them but they look like someone graduating from college, not much style.
sorry, but you asked. they are not good. no

Why not ditch the futon, find a couch you love, and buy an aerobed? They're actually really comfortable and you don't have to let guests dictate your room. Plus it's something you can use in this apartment and beyond.

The photo with the striped rug looks like students live there - the photo with the silk rug looks like grown-ups live there - its a beautiful rug and I say keep it and work your decor around it - a softer colour on the walls (a pot of paint is pretty cheap) and a throw for the sofa (again pretty cheap) until you can upgrade to grown-up furniture

If you really love your furniture then you're going to have to ditch the rug as it really doesn't go - I'd sell - storing stuff is always risky

Does anyone have any experience with using tinted furniture polishes or waxes to tint wood darker? Could it work, or do you really need to strip and stain. (I have a feeling you need to strip and stain, just hopeful that there is an easier way).

did you try flipping it over? Sometimes the matt backing colors are more muted and work well.

Otherwise I'd just sew a new cover for the futon in a deep rich color like chocolate velvet.

The real problem here is that your futon and coffee table wood color are the same as the color of the wall/floor. If anything, the new rug brings more additional contrasting colors - the old rug just accentuated that everything was the same color.

I agree with many people above - new furniture!

Even if you sell the rug. Both rugs.

I couldn't help but smile at this situation. I myself am a daughter as well as a mom. I have received gifts as well as given. I am also changing styles whenever something catches my eye. Taste does evolve and change. You may or may not regret selling your silk rug. You will have to be careful where it is placed. I don't think your ready for this piece but could be in a couple of years from now. This to me will outlast a new screen television. This will have special meaning one day spills and stains included. Think about it. Don't rush - store it if you can afford to (if storing space is an issue) ask your dad or other relative if they can store it for you temporarily. One day you may tell yourself good thing I kept it. It also makes a great story to share one day with kids, grandkids. Oh, one more point, you can also try and remove the futon and replace that. But, again I don't think your ready for the rug yet. Good luck!!

What type of paint are you to use if you are painting 100% cotton rug. Do you apply the paint with a brush, sponge, cloth, ??? I want the rug to be lemon yellow & lime green striped. Right now it is navy blue & beige striped. What color paint do I use to get the results I want?