apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

This is cute. Maxwell's suggestions were good ones and if Diana implements them, I think her space will be much more inviting.

One of the things that I do (that I have to constantly stop myself from), is placing too many things of similar size together (like having (3) 6" plants on a surface instead of one large one, etc.). I have found that this is my key to a less cluttered and more refined design in my home.

I like both your rugs... just not together. If you're thinking of pruning, you might consider starting there.

Not only editing the pictures in the living room, but putting them in a more imaginative grouping. You have some fun stuff on your walls! You can keep more of it up if you group it. I'd put favorites in groups in addition to the 57 rule: A 57 rule group that does not span the whole wall. It appears more like its own picture, but with parts. Maybe look through past AP blogs for wall picture displays?

Perhaps a bit of repainting, including the far kitchen wall... However, I agree: what a great personal statement!

Yeah, def. get rid of at least one of those rugs and everything Maxwell said. Consider getting rid of the ottoman or something a tad more sedate so that it's not fighting against the art.

Oops. Forgot to add that the back of your Hawiaan print chair looks like a great place to pin a piece of fabric "art" for display.

FWIW, I Like your crazy, colorful home. But, that's because I have one of my own! It's hard to 'weed' out the extras when you find so many cool things that you want to display. I do vote for the changes in paint/touch-ups and the lowered artwork.

The first thing that caught my eye was that dead deer. The second was that dead thing on the floor. I get really freaked out when I walk into a home with dead animals. It gives me bad vibes.

I actually like the front door and closet, but if you want to stick with that look, you should coat it with poly so you don't have flaking lead paint around.

Oh wow. A makeunder is definitely needed. I think if you make your progress slowly and focus on one area or one object (like photos/art) at a time, you'll start to be more inspired and more motivated to makeunder every other aspect of your home.

But I really love your kitchen!

yes this is awful. i hope u find some useful ideas here. sorry i do not have any to share b/c i'm no expert and have no idea where to begin. well one suggestion i have is to paint the trim white.

This will sound snotty, but straighten the crooked frames. It makes me anxious. :)

I'd do some regrouping of your artwork. Take a larger piece and put it centred over your couch (and yes, much lower) and then group smaller works around that. Take the artwork off of the window walls. Perhaps move the bull horns under the antlers for a different kind of grouping?

Those two rugs do not go well together. Its an either-or situation (pehaps the hide in front of the couch? If you do that, change the pillows to either texture-only or solid colours - bring in some of that red and orange for the pillows. Your couch will look much better then).

And yes, paint it out so that there is one colour on the walls, not two.

The room has a lot of character but could be uncluttered. Books look great on a shelf. However, shelves also end up being a dumping ground for random stuff. Add bins/boxes to toss in the random things so the book shelves look less cluttered and give a sleeker look.

SD913, then why bother posting unless you have something constructive to add to the discussion? Sheesh.
I actually rather like the dark green stripe in the living room, and if anything, it should be used as a guide for hanging the artwork at a more appropriate height. Also, the smaller bits in picture 3 near the closet (?) kind of get lost in the shuffle. Maybe you should incorporate a curio, or do a shadow box with all of these things grouped?
Otherwise, its refreshing to see an apartment with a very particular point of view that's not sterile or super-sleek on AT. Thanks for sharing!

What a cute little kitchen!

I agree with all Maxwell's suggestions and raise you a few more:

do a massive pruning of the art work on the walls. focus on a few large pieces and maybe on or two small groupings. maybe host a party giving some of the smaller pieces.

definitely get rid of the animal rug.

move the deer head somewhere where it can really shine instead of sitting in the middle of clutter.

reupholster the chair (or get a new one) so it matches the loveseat or something in the room.

what's going on with that blue and red entry way?

I think Diana has a wonderful collection of art! I would paint over the two-tone green walls with a solid warm-ish neutral. With all the exciting colour of the art and furniture, even a creamy white would be nice and still not make it look "apartmenty-y". Her accessories and window blinds are all warm in tone, and while green would be a nice accent colour, there's too much of it on the walls.

The two-tone effect is a cool idea, but it reminds me of the 60s style racing-stripe paint effects they used to do in schools and public spaces... sorry! :-P

I don't at all mind the green walls. I agree with regrouping and lowering the art, but I like this space.

this reminds me of those old sorority rush skits about "in-di-vidualism!" ;)

My mother's home is like this. If she has 6" of free space on a wall, she goes on a quest to fill it. She wanted to keep everything (about 40 hanging frames and art pieces on 7 walls), but wanted less clutter, so I took it all down, then rehung almost everything so that there were more stretches of open wall, with tighter groups of frames and art. It worked very well and she was glad everything had a place.

But she is starting to revert...so if that's what happens to you, try to take something down off a wall if you bring something new in to hang. You can always bring it back again later. Good luck, your stuff is very interesting, just needs a little more open wall space.

- donate pink lamp and the "Hawaiian" chair (it looks horribly frumpy)

- pick a rug (i prefer the hide, because i am obsessed w taxidermy)

- organize your bookshelf (i know sorting books by color seems lame at first, but i really is very soothing when presented in a room with lots happening. try it)

- paint the room one shade (that light green seems nice, though i'd go with shell-pink) and either paint the chair rail and mouldings the same color as the room or paint them white

- re-organize your art. hang things lower and closer together above the couch, consider editing a few things out. for example, why in gods name is there a CD on the wall?? that cluster of little "things" presumably taped to the wall is pretty unsightly. you clearly live in a nice apartment, not a dorm.

- i actually kindof love the unfinished doors and window frames, but the red/blue hallway HAS TO GO. seriously. i can still see roller marks in the red paint.

your kitchen looks cute.
good luck!!

Its got lovely bones!

Maxwell as always has good suggestions - What about slipcovering that one chair in a boring white or plain cover? (or tossing a neutral throw over it) It looks like some work went into creating it, but theres so much interesting stuff on the walls, and floor, that it is a little overwhelming. Ditto on the rugs, can the skin one move further away, or live in another room? Perhaps theme an area with it and the antlers. For now, you could perhaps put it close to the unfinished closet door, and play up a western/ditressed theme in that one area (until you get it painted)

frontiersperson, it was constructive! it was tough love. want some? get some.

I think you would get a lot of mileage from getting sofa pillows that matched. And definitely get rid of the occasional chair; it's just not worth salvaging. The red wall is awful... I think yellow or orange would tie that assemblage of objects together nicely. I agree with all of the other comments regarding the artwork and the dead animals.

Something I read in a mag. long ago stuck with me. I try to implement it since I have tendencies to overdo it as well. Keep a rotating collection (ie) everything you own (and love) doesn't have to be out all the time. So I have allowed myself one box to store the "extras." Perhaps you can try this?

IMO the hide rug rocks. I agree that the two rugs don't go well together tho.

Maxwell's initial comments were indeed right on the mark and many others' comments were helpful as well, but I have to admit (I cannot believe I'm writing this...) I really like the kitchen just the way it is. It's so not another-granite-countered sleek Italian cabinetry exercise in taste ,but is instead so evocative and layered with character and charm. If you make Diana change the kitchen - can I have it, please?

I think you need to group the artwork so related collections are closer, and leave some space so it doesn't all moosh together. I bet the rugs look better in person. Love the kitchen tile. I don't like the red wall/blue trim, and the greens don't work together for me. I'd use the same colors to tie all the rooms together.

i have read in a feng shui book that one should never obstruct access to their windows. it had something to do with allowing energy to flow. i don't subscribe to feng shui per se but i do believe in that one basic. move your low bookcases away from your windows and don't allow anything to take their place. that one change will help make the room feel bigger.

move your tv to a side somewhere. don't make it the focal point of your living area. it makes it seem like the only reason for that room is to zone out and watch the boob tube. instead, center the ottoman in front of the sofa and place the side armchair on the sofa's opposite side (although the space looks tight) or slightly to the side. that kind of configuration would encourage intimate conversation. at least try that the next time you have guests over. that way, you all won't be turning awkwardly to face each other but can look at each other directly. and the round ottoman in the center like that retains that circle of communication and togetherness.

if budget allows, replace that big tv and media stand it's on with a smaller flatscreen tv and smaller stand. a brighter-colored stand. the heavy dark tv and stand create a heavy 'thunk' of color and energy in the room which really does have an otherwise cheeriness.

you may think you need everything in that big media console below the tv but since you have to pare down on almost everything in your place, i'm sure there's lots in that console that can go as well. so downsizing on the console is totally doable.

please, let's keep a 'what not to do' forum going, i love it!! :-D

forgot - how many people live in this apartment? you may not need such a large sofa. you could downsize the sofa. and with the armchair closer to the sofa, there wouldn't really be a lack of seating.

In addition to the sugestions about, you might also consider painting the dark color around the windows something that coordinates/matches the wall color. Also, if you're going to keep all the art and re-hang it, consider having the framing and matting match for as many of the pieces as feasible - ideally with simple mats and frames.

In addition to the deer, you have mounted horns and what looks like something on a slice of wood - why not see if you can group these "nature items" on one of your smaller walls?

Glad to see a "real" kitchen - and such a nice one!

very cute i do the same thing with overdoing it and also with wanting to try a bunch of cool things i've seen forgetting that together it can be too much.

these things jumpe dout at me in this order:
-the green wall/green stripe was a little kindergarten classroom/hospital though the idea of creating interest was nice. maybe just a different color combo
-the stripe rug, definitely get rid of the multi-stripe rug. rugs can be expensive but even a dhurrie or jute one in a neutral or toned down pattern would be great
-the pics are too high and with the green line and the couch chopped the place has a weird sense of being squished. thats an easy fix with the 57" rule and the grouping

send pics when you've made your decision and changes!

Where did you get your sofa?

Okay, the key issue is that your accessories/art are very noisy and also very nifty. They deserve to be the stars, but they're competing with the rest of the ensemble.

1. Paint all the trim (and doors) white. White always looks classic and tailored for trim.

2. Choose ONE wall color per room. I like the top green in the living room, but it almost doesn't matter which color as long as you pick one and stick with it. Your walls are part of the matting for all the art -- they do not need to be interesting in themselves.

3. Choose ONE frame style for most of the art in any given room. If something is in a dramatically different frame, there should be a reason -- you should want to highlight it.

4. GROUP your art into clusters, with the individual pieces much closer together, and with the group hung 57" on center as a whole. This means your lowest pieces will be very close to the furniture. That's good. Clusters are easiest to assemble if you maintain straight lines on the edges -- then you can do what you want in the middle. "Odd" frames should be toward the middle of clusters. (Give the taxidermy its own small wall, though. It's not getting along with the other pieces.)

OPTIONAL after steps 1-4:

5. Consider swapping the orange blinds with something closer to the wall color. I like the blinds, but they're competing with the art.

6. Consider moving the (neutral) cowhide to the center and ditching the striped rug. Again, I like it and it's a nice rug, but the colors interact with the art to make the eye vibrate back and forth instead of resting on the cool stuff you have.

In general, if you're going to have a "cool" green living room accented with "hot" orange and red art, you don't want a whole lot of hot touches other than the art to compete with the art. Try to keep the basic, functional bits cool so non-art isn't popping.

You have my opposite problem. I can't seem to buy art... never find anything I LOVE that I can afford!

I agree, paring down the art will do wonders. Start a rotation - take something out with promises to exchange it with another piece in six months.

If you have no place to store your art in reserve... send them to me, I could use them er... I mean store them for you in the meantime!!!

well, I (like everyone else) would re paint. Everything. If you want a chair rail- go get some trim and make a proper one. It's pretty cheap and not that hard. I'm not a big fan of the paint strip (I myself have tried it and it didn't work at my place either) The red needs to have a 2nd and 3rd coat of red (it's splotchy) or just repainted something else- red is a tough color and needs multiple coats to look right. I would take your favorite piece of art that is going to live in that room ,and find a color in it that you love to put on the wall. I have a rug that I love and my paint colors for my walls are pulled from that.

I love your art. It's fantastic and original. Re grouping and lowering will do wonders. think about some similiar frames, or hanging like items with like items. It will be more cohesive that way.

I am not a fan of that occasional chair.
Your kitchen looks great. It has personality and character- 2 things lacking in most kitchens these days.

In short, I would do what Maxwell said. Paint and organize. I think you have great stuff and it deserves to be showcased more than it is right now.

Hi gang! Dianna the homeowner here. Thank you for all your comments. So helpful! I have problems. If I get a new lampshade I have to stamp it. I want to add nailhead trim or fringe to my sofa. I can't stop!

A few things to know about me...I work at the SoHo Design Within Reach. My sofa is the Portola, i.e. the most comfy sofa i've ever owned. It's covered in ultrasuede, impossible to stain! In fact, most of my furn is DWR, but you'd never know because of my love of all things granny, bark cloth, rustic, cowboy and Mexican.

The club chair is also DWR super comfy, but underneath my own pathetic attempt at making a slipcover is it's original gorgeous clean new cover. The cats claw at it, so I've left it on for the meantime.

Interesting that so many of your suggestions overlaps. Fix artwork,ceiling trim, & rugs. The doors and window frames are a mess. I was compelled to strip the metal frames. I thought it was smart, but now it's a mess.

So glad you like my kitchen. It makes me very happy!

I LOVE my deerhead purchased over 5 years ago. I didn't kill it and it was hanging somewhere anyway sort of rotting. need any ideas or suggestions about artwork?! Ask me! Otherwise, I look forward to more of your comments. Hope it's okay if I email some of you directly.

The interesting thing is while you have a ton of stuff on your walls, you actually have very few on your tables, bookshelves, etc. I would put some of the smaller artwork items into frames you can place on tables (although be careful not to overdo it). I would also try putting some big crates on the lower levels of the bookshelf near your windows and hiding stray items in there, it will look much tidier.

Dianna- I didn't mention your deerhead- I have one too and I love mine. I didn't kill mine either- mine is from a woman who got 54 deer mount trophies of her husbands in the divorce. She must have been a little bitter- because she gave all 54 of them away. She said she fought tooth and nail for them, and it gave her great pleasure to dispose of them in a way that would just about kill him.
If there is a great chair under that slipcover, please, for the love of God, take that slipcover off.

cate: what's a 57 rule?

I'd also change your window treatments to something that doesn't contrast so much with the walls. Even something as simple as white, Roman blinds.

... also, I'd paint the window trim something less busy. I can't tell by these pictures if it's peeling paint, or some sort of pattern, but I'd go white, or the same color as you have on the surrounding wall.

Besides the paint and artwork suggestions......
Move the bookshelves to the tv wall, place tv on top. Move Hawaiian chair over by the windows, please cover the chair with something else. Put the hide/rug in the livingroom. Pull the dining table out from the wall, turn it the other way, and create a dining area. Place the striped rug there, Actually I'd get a different table and chairs, the table seems too high like a breakfast bar. The deer head.....I'm sorry but that really is NOT Bambi. If you MUST keep it, put it in the entry to scare intruders and use as a coat rack.

Love your place, and I would keep the dark green wall trim, but throw a colorful cover on the sofa. Also get rid of a FEW pics.
Again... Love your place.

i love everything......individually.

i love the blue paint, but would probably use it sparingly, as in painting an accent wall. i myself love to paint with bold colors but if not done in moderation, it looks like a first apartment for a rebelling freshman in college - i.e. when i swore to my mother i would not have all white sheets and walls - and now i do becuase my stuff gave me a headache!

this idea carries over into the art on the walls. i am and always have been an avid collage-er. my room at my mother's house was collaged with pictures, clippings, my own wall murals, etc. - as was my bedroom in my first apartment. since then i've noticed it started to look cluttered and not at all how i like it. now i keep things on the wall to a minimum and my secret to satisfying the collaging craving? i collage the inside of my closets. and it ROCKS. also, i like to hang my rock posters in closets, as well. it's fun and it's like a hidden treasure in which you can bask when you are feeling down. i would suggest doing this with those things that, while worthy of your wall space, there are others that deserve the spotlight out in the open for everyone to see - i.e. the cd on the wall, and the small things around it.


mixing patterns can be fun - to a certain extent. there are just too many in here! the pillows - ok but without the rug. or vice versa. the bright walls are great! but i would tone down the other colors - like the rug, again. you seem to love color, but here, all these colors are vying for your attention and all are just as equally forgotten and unnoticed. also, bright walls bring your eye right to it - if you're going to do it, you need to do it right. the trim on the near the ceiling needs to be touched up, and the doors/trim need to be painted - badly! for me, my eyes are drawn right to it!! also, like someone else said, consider actually doing the railing, and not painting it on, although it doesn't look terrible to me.

i second the motion on the artwork - if you must keep it all - you can buy frames that have multiple spaces for pictures in them. that way the pictures work together to become one big peice of artwork. also, per the chair - buy an off-white blanket and cover it. people do it in france and it looks comfy and nice. the kitchen is a little dark - not sure how to make it lighter b/c i don't know if you can paint your cabinets? (doubt it) but i see light colors on the walls and light textiles - think calm, serene, and full of breath and light. *ahhhh*

love the place, love the things, but you seem to be like me, and i am a packrat, love all my stuff and want to show it off. hope my comments helped!!