apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Of course painting would be an option. But if you do not want to go that routte, perhaps add some colorful or light curtains, hang up some favorite art pieces, reposition the furniture to create a more airy space.

uh - get that enormous chair out of the way of the window? if you let the sun hit the floor it should reflect a considerable amount of light throughout the room that appears to be currently getting absorbed by that chair.

Replace the rug with something in brighter or richer colors. And get one or a couple of good-sized art pieces on the wall over the sofa, as well as other pieces on the other walls. Pick a favorite brighter, bolder color and really play it up.

Replace your throw pillows with something brighter too. If you like the green & rust colors, keep those (I happen to like them), but I'm not sure about the black ones. It would depend on your artwork.

Then, I'd look at furniture placement -- do you have to have the two chairs side by side like that? And do you have to smoosh the ottoman against the couch? I'd try to at least relocate the ottoman.

P.S. - without knowing your color tastes, I could see you really working the green and rust color theme well. Maybe think about a liberal dose of yellow if you like yellow.

I vote for a bright pillows and a big bright piece of "art" above the couch. Said art could even be canvases of different sizes painted the same (bright!) color.

I'm always amazed at how one single element can brighten up a whole room. I moved a bright yellow vintage chair into my living room (where everything else is neutral) and whoa! Big change.

Or you could do curtains around that window in a material that picks up light (say, silk) in a bright(er) color. There was a post on AT recently where someone replaced unnoticeable curtains with blue ones, and a rug of some sort with a yellow patterned one, and the difference was amazing.

Also, flowers can't hurt.

The room looks wonderfully bright already... i suspect it's the not-in-miami-anymores getting to you.

Simple idea: hang a long mirror over the sofa. you'll certainly increase the light and visually widen the room to boot.

Also, i'd change the patterned carpet to something similar to the sofa color and unify your throw pillows. This will also make your room look larger.

Hope it helps.

Thanks for your opinions. I did get rid of those 2 pillows and got bright yellow and blue ones from West Elm. I also put something in between those 2 chairs to spread em out. I will have to get rid of one of those chairs later. I just moved and were given to me. They are the most comfy chairs ever though, so thats good!

Oh and I did move the chair diagonal from the window, but there is also another window on the other side you don't see.

Ill post a follow up in a week or two when the whole apartment is done! (not that you guys really care) haa

Bright Art on the walls hung gallery style.

Paint the walls, get curtains with colour, and swap out the black and white throw cushions for ones with colour. Oh, and art on the walls. All that, and the neutral couch and rug will be a good softening anchor.

I would recommend replacing (or just removnig) that rug- it doesn't seem to work with the seating very well. If you post a floorplan or some measurements people might be able to give more specific advice.

I think you can achieve a lot by swapping the ottoman with the chair under the window. I would then put the side table on the other end of the couch, put a laquer tray on the ottoman and it can also serve as a side table, or the tray can be moved if there for extra seating if you have more than 5 people.

The post Marisa T is referring to was a makeover of some kind. It definitely had the word makeover in the title. I think this might be it
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/blogging/before-and-after-step-by-step-room-transformationo-at-home-045172

The only element I might consider removing is the coffee table? Its visually a big block in the middle of the carpet. The fact that its a similar colour and texture to the couch makes it kind of blend in the picture (although it may not in real life).

Also try moving the couches and chair forwards so the front feet sit on the rug, so it unifies them. (I love that rug - if you had a lucite coffee table it would provide even more pop!)

Art on the wall is a given, and plants are always nice too....

leggsly, we love follow up pics !

I recently painted my living room an icy, frosty, bright white, with the exception of one accent wall, and it has done wonders in terms of increasing the feeling of brightness in the room. Also, I agree with moving that chair out of the way of the window.

THANK YOU Clairpetrol, your ideas were key for me!

the fact that your sofa and chairs are so boxy does not help your situation. You migth want to consider replacing the club type chairs with chairs that actually have legs or anything that will light pass under and around.

Less is more! First of all you should get rid of 75 % of the stuff you have in the room...for me that would be at least one of the chairs, the rug, the coffe table, all the pillows and whatever it is hanging in the corner on the right side. Then you realize that the room has a good quality already: nice wooden floor, friendly wall color and nice light. And with that you already have your main color theme, cremy white, taupe/gray, and the light wooden color. Now think about the room like if you apply makeup to a face. I am sure you heard about how to use highlighter to brighten up a face, so the same you gonna do with your room! Get some white candles, white candle holders, white frames, pots (shiny white porcelan), white cofeetable (small), some white pillows, maybe a mirror with a white frame, a white blanket. Now to accentuate the room choose two or three items (the same color) for example pink, maybe one pink book, one pink pillow and a pink orchid plant on a white side table in the back on the right. Voilá!

Did you mean brighter as in "punchier" or brighter as in "lighter/airier"?

If punchier, yes, add brighter accents as suggested.

If airier, limit your palette to the sofa/chair color and the color of the rug (like for example, walls a pale dover gray version of the main slate of the rug) and white/ivory.

Consider chairs of a slightly smaller silhouette with legs. My current favorite is the Brno chair in ivory leather from Room & Board.

A coffee table of glass and metal would help light bounce and circulate, too.

Lucite, mercury glass, mirror, glass and silver metal finishes will all also help bounce light and give you a more airy feel.

But make sure you are just not homesick for Miami's BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT before you try to turn your DC home into a surrogate South Beach! :)

paint your walls...the taupe sofa with what look like taupe/ivory walls is blah. yellow would work (as will a ton of other colors, hopefully this won't turn into a crazy color post), must be the right shade, not too saturated, not too pastel. change the pillows.

I want your rug to be much bigger, because the way the wood floor is peeking out is making a dark little square that isn't helping the brightness issue.

Add some color.

I know it's drastic and contrdicts rational thought, but I suggest darkening the floors. This will make the furniture and walls stand out - almost floating. And rearrange the furniture. If there is room more the sofa slightly away from the wall and position the two side chairs opposite one another or opposite the sofa. Create an airy environment. Good luck!

Get rid of the seating, all of it, sofa, ottoman, arm chairs. Put it on Craigslist. Granted they look comfortable but the whole matchy matchy look is so surburban.

Use the money to put into a smaller scaled sofa... and two interesting (not matching to the sofa) arm chairs for a more sophisticated look.

Ah, yes, and with the TWENTY DOLLARS you make off your Craigslist sale, you will be able to afford a LOVELY new set of furnishings!

Yeah, honestly...I know what needs to be done for it to look "unreal" but at the moment I am trying to make some money to eat. Thanks!

I would try to edit your furniture if you can. Getting rid of everything is not the only answer. But, you may need to re-arrange a little bit. Can't see the whole space, but looks like you're ottoman is tucked to the side like it has no where to go-possibly because there is not enough room.

Aside from that, I think a larger rug to define the space will center your furniture into it's own domain. I love the rug you have now with the lattice pattern. Something like it but larger. And, I'd brighten the walls with a vibrant paint color.

Don't knock Craigslist.... I have sold a sofa there for $750 (I paid $1300)... and furnished entire room of George Nelson, Eames, Herman Miller, DWR cowhide, and even very high end Janus et Cie Dedon garden set. Granted I live in LA where the Craiglist selections are pretty good.

You can easily fetch $500 to $750 for this set on the DC Craigslist if the condition is decent... Recycling is the better than buying new.

Don't knock Craigslist.... I have sold a sofa there for $750 (I paid $1300)... and furnished entire room of George Nelson, Eames, Herman Miller, DWR cowhide, and even very high end Janus et Cie Dedon garden set. Granted I live in LA where the Craiglist selections are pretty good.

You can easily fetch $500 to $750 for this set on the DC Craigslist if the condition is decent... Recycling is better than buying new.

Here in NYC, no matter what I seem to be trying to sell on CL, no matter what pricepoint, I get a total run around, endless emails culminating in no-shows or last minute cancellations, and absurd offers of pennies on the dollar. Not to mention scam emails and generally rude email exchanges.

I am seriously not a fan (as a seller).