apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i'm a can't really make out the colors you're working with, is your sofa grey? I think the whole look will be greatly improved once the walls don't match the ceiling, right now it looks like you need molding, but that may go away once you get SOME color up.

But a layout suggestion first. I'd use one of those larger consoles as a room divider (facing the dining table) and abut the TV to it (facing the windows) i'd move the long edge of you sectional agianst the windows. It would give you room to scoot one of the credenzas back twoard the windows and possible place the short credenza/console under the kitchen bar.

I'd also do a floor to ceiling, wall to wall window treatment for the window wall, with both sheers and a light blocking second curtian. It would look more unified.

Lots of potential here.

I think furniture placement is as important as color in this room. I agree with DahliaCactus that it has a lot of potential. It seems like you have a lot of low furniture. Could you consider replacing some of your current storage cabinets with a more vertical piece of furniture? That way you don't lose storage space but you take advantage of the walls. It would also break up the length of the wall a bit as well. You could put a subtle color on the wall and pick up a deeper tone of that color in drapes for your windows. Then you'd get a punch of color at that end of the room. Looks like you have reds and purples going on - if you keep those colors what do people think of a soft cloud gray on the walls?

And by soft cloud gray, I also should say with a tint of purple to it.

I agree that you could use some higher storage alternatives, as you have limited floor space already.

Is that a pass through to the kitchen in the back? If so, you might consider enlarging it.

The rug looks a bit small for the space. I like area rugs that go under the furniture, maybe 2' from the wall or less. it would help define the living area.

We like Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray for walls. It's a slightly beige gray that looks really good with cream, blue or red furniture, and it's dark enough to contrast with a white ceiling.

I'm jealous of your Mr. Slim A/C, by the way!

Sure, you can paint and change floors. but, i think it is more important to rearrange furniture. otherwise, you will have fresh paint and nice wood floor, and still just same looking room. If you are not up for doing floors yet, I would get two big rugs. Note, if you do floors, kind of a shame to cover up with rugs. One rug, about 8 by 11, can unify dining room area. so when you walk in, table will be on left, and ONE wood bureau on right only. Seems like the one there now is very long, then there is another one dividing dining from living space. i would just keep one. I would have rug under table and under wood bureau, so you walk over this carpet between table and bureau to get to living area. i like your two big pictures. maybe hang the large one on left wall behind dining table, hang rather low. hang medium one LOW, just like 5 inches over where top of wood bureau ends. put something vertical on bureau, like big vase or big candlesticks or medium statue or something. If you do rug, must be ok looking. ( i see you have the $12 ikea rug in your living room!)

I would not use the brown bureau to divide dining from living. i would use rug, and paintings to create sense of space. and put one nice centerpiece on table.

take red curtain down. burn white and blue rug. maybe rotate sofa like above poster said. otherwise just move red chair near couch but at right angle and pull in tighter to couch and it also divides living and dining areas. get two more BIG pictures. probably one for above couch and one for above television. get another rug for living room too. really you could get vertical furniture. but i think it is fine if you just get two BIG pictures. you can also rotate dining pictures to living room, and then hang mirror in dining room. don't hang mirror if dangerous for kids. stick to pictures, not so heavy with non glass frame. if you hang big pics on walls, i think it will define spaces. buy pictures , not furniture.

get one or two vertical elements as accessories, maybe straw basket, big pillow, whatever. try "homegoods" or marshalls store, not ikea.

I like how you have the space set up already. Only thing I might recommend would be to put red chair on other end of couch with back facing the rest of the room. It might close it off too much, or it might just create a nice separation between those two spaces, since right now its just one big tunnel. It does seem a little cluttered though, so some large storage bins (I'm a big fan of woven baskets these days) to throw everything smaller than a breadbasket in. Because you get so much in your view looking through two rooms, keeping as much tucked away and clean as possible will keep it looking nice.

As for color, every time someone asks about color I go on about european grey, which I painted my apartment. It's superb against bright white trim, classic and clean.

My advice is to hire a decorator, even for just a couple of hours, to help you get started in the right direction. He/she will tell you how to use what you have, what colors work best in the space according to the light and tell you what you need to purchase to finish it off. It's hard for strangers to look at a couple of small photos and give you what you seem to need.

Think about swapping the tv / couch arrangement...by putting the sectional on the opposite wall, the "L" part would abut the small desk you have in the dining area. Leave chair in the corner by the window for a nice reading area. Surround TV with wall mounted Lack shelving from Ikea. Add bold artwork above sofa. Use floor-to-ceiling curtains in similar shade to the wall (again, Ikea makes affordable, extra-long ones) Add pattern in a rug and pillows.

I'm not a spelling biatch or anything like that. Jebus knows I misspell my own name sometimes, but how about we vote that AT fix obvious spelling errors in their posts? "Dinning" and "loose" are the main offenders. Not asking you to spell check the comments... just the original posts.

Where is the desk?

OP, come back and tell us more about this room.