apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Curtains art (that you mentioned)

This seems like a lighting solution. The lamps as they are aren't working, and may not work anywhere. Not sure what a remedy might be.

darn, my plus sign didn't show up...

So, I would add curtains in an accent color picked up from your rug - not the green since you already have pillows in that. Maybe in the deep orange color? I think that would make a WORLD of difference.

and then add art to the walls!

what a great wall of windows... and that really makes it easy to put up some great, colorful curtains to really brighten up the space. it'll practically look like you've painted a wall!

i agree that the lamps aren't working in their current place. if you really like them, try moving them around and finding a new spot for them. maybe get colorful... when you decide on a new color palate for the room, paint them and get some newer, lighter/brighter shades for them.

Well first off, I like what you've done so far - you have a good, solid base.

The main suggestion I would make is adding color to those windows. You've got a GREAT backsplash of window to work with; it isn't often you find a wall of windows that reach almost end to end in a room. Your rug is great - trendy, colorful...so take one of your favorite colors from it and dress up those windows! That will add a huge punch of color, and will help tie the room together by pulling from one of the carpet colors.

Another suggestion I would make is to ditch one of those couches. I can't really tell from the picture, but they look like they're both the same. I would sell (or move to another room) one of them, and replace it with a chair or two. Maybe to nice accent chairs, or one large, comfy chair with an ottoman.

The layout looks fine as-is. If you rid yourself of one of the couches, one layout I would do is this: Couch against the non-window wall, with coffee table in front of it. Then two chairs side by side in front of the window wall, with a nice table in between.

Still another thing you can do, is add a layer of color in accessories. You've already got a great rug. If you choose to outfit the windows, you'll have that. Then pull it all together with some punchy, colorful accent pillows. That pull both the rug and curtains together. Finish that up with a colorful vase, bowl, etc. and that room should look great!

P.S. Where did you get the shelving unit against the wall on the right side of the picture? I love it!

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SCREEN!!!?

I agree with all the comments above about adding color with window treatments. If you don't want to buy new furniture, you might consider (if it makes sense in the context of the rest of the room / apt., and if your view is worth look at) turning the sofa around so that it faces the windows, perhaps putting some kind of sofa table along the back of it to define that space. Since you can't paint the walls, I guess the trick is to make it look like you meant them to be that color by maximizing and being strategic about color elsewhere. Good luck -- it looks like you have a great foundation to begin with!!

Definitely curtains! Something in a great saturated color, a fun print - that would make a huge difference.

I also really like clancy's idea of moving the couch and putting a sofa table against the wall. Something to consider.

The only other thing I would suggest is replacing the green throw pillows with stronger, brighter colors (or just add the new ones and still keep the green). You could choose one of the bolder colors in your rug - against the tan couches, that green just kind of blends in.

Try changing the shades on your floor lamps. I'd look for a shade colored amber, yellow, or orange. Right now, the dark brown might be putting too much emphasis on the dark wood furniture.

Take the screen out of the corner and hang it up horizontally on the wall opposite your media center. You can weave fabric through the slats or hang fabric behind it - something that complements the colors in your rug.

... or put paper behind the screen and hang it up on the wall.

That's my bias talking ... I'm not a fan of screens serving no function just taking up floor space.

Another vote for curtains!

Another thought, maybe the color of your throw pillows is too similar to the color of the sofas? You don't have to get rid of the existing throw pillows, maybe just add a couple more in a contrasting color?

I think the room is really quite nice already.

I would change the furniture, and try out some other layouts. I've had a new bed for 8 months now, I moved it round for the 5th time the other day, and I've finally hit the right place. You'd be surprised the things you dont realise until you try each layout...

Can the media center go under the window? then you could either put the couches facing each other (one where the media center is now), or in an L shape facing the window. If you dont want to hang full curtains (to maximize the light) flank the sides of the window with sheers, or paint it as an accent wall (its a small areas, and would be easy to repaint before leaving if you are not allowed paint.

I think the lamps look a bit matchy matchy being so close, maybe split them further apart in the room? I also liked the idea of changing the shade (you could even just trim the top and bottom of it with ribbon for a pop effect).

Another plant or 2 could give the room a little more texture. Maybe a bigger tree type plant, or a tall bamboo. that cute plant in the corner looks a little lost.

Art will definitely make a huge impact, and the idea of hanging the screen while you look for the art you really like, is a good one. While you look for art there are prob

window treatments, art, mirrors, rust colored lampshades...

plants!, bold pillows and curtains, larger rug (or move close to couch)

It's a nice room & love the huge windows - lucky!
Would try lowering the wattage on the lights and moving the lamps around (maybe the one close to the credenza even closer to the corner, and the other lamp could go near the end table on the opposite couch).

Create a sitting area. Move the sofa that faces the tv so that it sits across from the other sofa and faces the windows. Flip the coffee table so that it runs parallel to the sofas.

A large leaning mirror on the wall opposite the tv would make the space seem larger and would balance the "gravitational pull" of the tv.

Ditch the white blinds for some with color... ORANGE!!!

I'd second the plea to sell one couch and replace it with a couple chairs. They overwhelm your space a bit too much, and you could get brightly colored chairs instead (that match the new window coverings...)!

Replacing your lamps with something a bit more funky would be good too... I'd only go for one floor lamp in a room (if you need a second, go for a table lamp).

=)

I bet your friends LOVE the 2 long sofas! What a great spot for hanging out.

Change coffee table? With a rectangular table, it's always 'serving' one couch, but not the other. A larger, circular ottoman (green or purple even!), or a circular or larger square coffee table would look great.

Also, the sofa arms are overlapping where they meet, and I think they need more room to breathe. The side table in the corner is invisible now, and it needs to show a little leg or something. If you put the little plant on some books to raise it up, it would give it more oomph.

Change lampshades to larger, taller shades.

Throw in some assymetry. One larger scale (round?) red pillow, one black and white patterned pillow.

For art over the couch, try an unusual shape, like a wide panorama piece, to contrast the tall screen. Or hang a piece of driftwood or branch... or architectural salvage like an old paned window, wagon wheel, carved wood, etc.

Of course, this is just my taste.... I don't know what your personality it like, but I like the colours and shapes of the furniture you have so far!

Would love to know the layout/floor plan of that room.

It appears (from a bit of squinting) that you have a flat screen TV on the shelving unit. I would move that unit under the window, you have blocked access to the window with the sofa, which doesn't look quite right.

People are drawn to windows. They like to look out.

And as you have the ends of the sofas overlapping, that generally means you have a room too small, or sofas too large. Or sofas in the wrong position.

They do need to be separated.

Making the L-shape won't work, because putting a sofa facing the window means you will have to climb over the sofa to get into the living room. Right? That's another sign that your room is too small or your furniture too large. But it could be fun. Ha!

That only leaves on solution, they MUST face each other. Or, you have to get rid of one or both and find something that fits the space.

The TV might be able to be wall mounted, but if you can't paint, you probably can't be mounting giant objects to the wall. Right?

So now we're getting down to the nitty gritty. Furniture is too big for that room, and there is too much furniture.

If the arms on the sofa were narrower or if it was an armless sofa, you can see you would have considerably more SPACE. Do you really have six people living there? Do you need to seat six people 95% of the time?

Browse the images at IKEA here:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/rooms/living_room/

Those top rooms. You don't have to buy anything. You just want to look at the space and how it's used. Think about your OWN needs and what you do 95% of the time.

Both the second image and the third to last image I can see working in your space.

The second image has a large wall unit. That adds strength to the one side. Right now, your sofas overpower the room. You have some things that are sleek and neat. And the huge sofas that are overstuffed and clubby.

The third to last image has a wall of TV stuff, with a sofa on one side and a chaise lounge on the other side. I'd have the chaise by the windows and the sofa more to facing the TV for your space.

I have the feeling you are in the middle of changing styles. You're heading in a new direction, but haven't fully let go of a previous direction. There ARE ways of blending styles. For instance, you probably could have a BIG chair with a BIG ottoman in the same style as the sofas, while having a sleeker, less space consuming sofa.

Or you can have the big chair near a reading area. Super comfy, curl up with a good book corner.

Does this make any sense? I'm just going off the couple of pictures, and it's hard to tell what could go where without seeing the whole room or knowing the floor plan. And my ability to pick up on things is pretty bad sometimes. Ha!

It looks to me like you've already got some color in that rug, and I think that's a nice start.

If you're scared of just the raw, naked "color" on your indows that curtains would provide, you could consider wooden blinds, which would warm up the windows nicely in one way, but still give you a certain kind of clean line.

I recently bought some nice wooden ones at Home Depot here in Manhattan on 23rd Street, and the slightly-cranky-but-competent curmudgeon guy there custom-cut (with a saw they had right there) each end of them to the width that I needed, and then I was able to shorten the length of them myself. They came 54" wide and I forget how tall (72"?) and I had them shortened a couple of inches.

But I DO think that the arms of the couches need to be separated at least to the point of not overlapping. And I think that some kind of nice chair needs to happen over to the viewer's right side in that first photo, and THAT chair should probably either be a solid pumpkin or orange, or whatever is in that rug, or posisbly some kind of pattern, possibly one that's small enough to almost seem like a texture that includes one of the beiges or the green you have.

And although I see the throw pillows on the couches are that color of green, you might want to supplement them with some that will match the new chair, and/or possibly throw one of those green ones ON the chair.

Great place, I have a similar layout in nyc. Ok, could you have higher wattage bulbs in your lamps? I'm surprized the sofa isn't on fire. No more than 40w each. The symmetry is great, you want to accentuate that, it's calming. move the screen and hanging lamp. Add side panel curtains for texture and warmth in a neutral similar to the sofa. Color or bright patterns are going to look like two giant stripes from across the room. They should go from ceiling to floor and only need to run 2 or so feet from each side of the room. This will also hide that the room is slightly off center. Umbra has great swing arm rods you can use. Spread out the lamps to be centered in the curtains. I would switch placement of the love seat and sofa and have the coffee table running in the other direction, centered on the love seat. Add some chocolate brown pillows to the green ones on your sofa, your favorite artwork and you're golden. Enjoy!