apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

For a clubby feel I would do a dark wall color - burgandy, navy, chocolate, slate gray.

I would probably ditch the non-leather sofa but if you need the seating I'd recover it something fun like a zebra print.

As for the entertainment center - if you can't ditch it. perhaps you can take off the decorative features so it's more clean lined. In my flickr account you can see what we did to our entertainment center. While you probably don't want to go as far as we did - the transformation was satisfying.

For temporary art - you can put some gorgeous fabric or wall paper on a canvas and use it until you find the right piece.

Link to photos (living room)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdeathstar/2454980373/in/photostream/

for a clubby feel...why not try a dark green?

get some inspiration at Thoma O'Brien's AERO store

http://www.aerostudios.com/

and the huge Ralph Lauren home store in NYC

http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/rlhome/collection/sp08_mayfair_explore.asp

good luck with that entertainment centre...

Darker paint on the walls, or at least a grey or beige.

Ideally stain the floors darker, but I am guessing you rent...

The leather couch and club chair fit your theme obviously.

The non leather chair is too modern for the theme, doesn't have that been-there-forever feel.

The coffee table feels a little modernish but could work - might be a little big for the space.

The entertainment center is too country, that is why you aren't liking it. It *could* be remixed to fit your theme, but it would entail things like sawing off the ruffly trim and probably staining it darker.

Maybe this is a terrible question but - are the items not fitting into the new theme all your partner's? Maybe make sure you both have the same vision and look at lots of pictures in your theme/style.

I'd suggest playing with the layout some. Maybe without the cloth couch. The conversation sitting seems slightly far from each other and too against the walls. The entertainment center seems sequestered - far far away from the living room.

I second mdeathstar's navy suggestion. Then, I think you could keep the non-leather couch the way it is and it wouldn't look shabby.

Here are some more of my thoughts, which you can feel free to shoot down at will:

-- The chair squeezed in that corner is way too crowded. Move it to close off the seating area, or get rid of it altogether, since your rooms looks small.

--Artwork over the sofas, and some heavy, maybe velvet drapes.

-- I don't think your coffee table works with the look you want. I'd go with a darker-colored wood.

--If the power of anonymous internet votes will help, I vote that the entertainment system is HIDEOUS and you have every right to get rid of it.

The perfect color: Pratt and Lambert "Solitary." It's a very cool grey with tones of green in certain light. Masculine without being heavy.

I agree with JV on the chair comment... maybe move it somewhere else and make a reading area with a nice library-looking articulated silver or brass floor lamp? I wouldn't touch the couches until you decide on a wall color because then you might not like your couches with your walls. I would stay more neutral. I saw a very pretty color called Veil Cream in Domino Mag... a beige color with a bit of gold (looked beige) which was neutral and you could build upon.

As for the entertainment center... Ummm... well if I could be honest, I really do not like it. It is very Shaker style and not consistent with the style you seem to want... plus it takes up so so much room. Why don't you guys move it out (and while it is out paint the walls) and then get something that incorporates book storage for your books. These are only my opinion though and my place doesn't look so hot either so you can ignore me if you would like. :)

I'm with you on the Entertainment center. Its overbearing. Its knotty pine, and I just dont like it at all.

If your partner is stuck on it, could it be stained darker? I feel like it has a 'country farm' look as opposed to the 'country club' look you say you are going for....

Wow, appreciate all of the great comments and suggestions. Thank you. some good things to think about.

Agree the chair and smaller couch are "squished" together. (Yes, the leather couch & chair are mine, the cloth couch, coffee table and entertainment center are his... )

I am leaning towards ditching the small couch and buying another chair in fabric/print and have the two chairs with a small table and/or floor lamp between them for reading.

That entertainment center really is awful, isn't it? My guy has some sort of inexplicable emotional tie to it, I think only because it is was something he bought himself vs. hand-me downs from family. I will keep working on getting it out altogether. Ugg, it is ugly.

Wall paint color is what I am fixated on now. The Navy suggestions are interesting, I hadn't even gone there yet. Maybe too dark for me though. That grey "solitude" color is beautiful, but would it look too cool in there? I am going to look at some more colors.

Any thoughts on weather I should paint all walls same color, or do a "accent wall" in a different color?

Thanks again, everyone!

Another option for the entertainment center would be to paint it the same (dark) color as the wall. It might blend better. If you can't saw off the decorative bits perhaps tack simple wood forms to the front to hide them.

If you feel like your apt. gets lots of light consider painting most/all of the walls, but if it is dark, I would definitely leave some of them white.

Hire a designer to mediate.

If you are considering dark blue walls (which are very "in"), and you are in New York, go to CraftBar for lunch, and check out the blue wall they have in there. It is incredibly beautiful!

Hung in the middle of the wall is a painting with a sunset (if I remember correctly -- it's been a while -- it could be a sunrise) and a tree -- pinky orange sunset colours, green for the tree etc.; there is just the merest hint of the darkest blue of the night sky in the picture, and that is the colour the wall is painted.

Stunning.

And it is contrasted by a leather banquette sitting opposite.

Check it out -- it may help guide your search for artwork as well as help you pick wall colours.

thanks for that suggestion on Craftbar, I live not far from there actually and have never been. I'll check it out. sounds beautiful.

anyone have suggestions for sources of floor lamps that have a classic/vintage feel but are actually new?

I am looking at the p3 lamp from room and board to put as a reading lamp over the club chair.
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/collection.do?method=get&id=378289&cat=75

You're very smart to go for a man-friendly look. It saves many a relationship.

For the look you want, maybe you could cover the cushions of the non-leather couch in a dark-colored Indian paisley. The English country look often has cushions different from the base of the furniture. It's part of that multi-generational furniture look.

The coffee table you have seems a bit too dainty. You might want something more substantial, like an African carved table -- the sort of thing a gentleman explorer might have brought back from his travels.

But the entertainment unit has got to go. Really truly. Since you have a lot of books, you might want a carpenter to build you a custom wall unit to accomodate both books and TV. It's only slightly more expensive than buying shelves, and custom shelves really give a room polish.

Good luck.

I see a rich red/burgundy on the walls (not as purple as a cabernet). Pair with abstract art in rich, jewel-tone colors. "Repose" by Nancy Ortenstone comes to mind.

Make sure to get some nice lighting too. Spot or track lights to wash the walls and make them glow would be lovely.

As for the old couch... I could go either way on reupholstering or replacing. If it's in good shape, reupholster it. If not, recycle.

Oh, and swap out your white lampshades. Get shades that are larger, and black.

Time to go flat panel and hide those wires. I ridded myself of the electronic mess. I never used the 5.1 system and I had numerous dvd players and I asked myself why. Now I have 1 dvd system (PS3 for BluRay) and a TV. I hid the few wires behind the sheetrock and moved the electrical outlet (surprisingly easy) behind the tele with this contraption.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042505&p_id=4005&seq=1&format=1#largeimage
A second recessed wall plate is below the tv linking to my Bluray player (attached to the wall via a shelf) and a second power outlet

You will be AMAZED at how much larger your space feels when you can see the floor meet the wall (and you get rid of the cabinet). It will be cathartic trust me.

If you feel the need for additional speakers for music etc., get a soundbar which reproduces the 5.1 experience in one sleek speaker.

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?search=sound bar&i=107SDASBB

Be careful with chocolate I tried that and the darkness can be difficult during sunny days -time to get some paint swatches. The gray sounds hot, I always wanted to try the Abercrombie-esq gray look but ended up with a camel color to my surprise.

GL

I think the entertainment center would make a good hack. I'd saw off the arched trim on top, then attach molding around the top and bottom (covering that wavy skirt), and paint the whole thing in a dark, hi-gloss color. I'd also replace the wood knobs with brushed nickel or antique bronze.

I'd go charcoal gray. And don't ditch that armoire until you've lived with it. Or until you *do* find a good reason why it's awful! (Which it ain't!)

thanks so much everyone, very useful comments and ideas.

Lisa from Montreal, thanks for the idea of black lampshades also, I like that idea and hadn't thought of that at all. just browsing through this site now looking at shades.

http://www.brownslampshades.com/store/ctgy/black.html

also thinking about this chair (in a print or darker fabric) to replace the small blue couch
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product.do?method=get&id=729018&coll=92329624&cat=91552822

thanks much all! very helpful.

wiscompton - ironically enough, I have a great flat screen Sony Bravia 32" and bluray DVD player hidden in that "some- might -call- ugly" entertainment center.

I like the suggestions to hack away at it are tempting, all though not sure how well that would go over either.

oh well, I'll figure it out! lol

OOO. just looked at that Pratt & Lambert "solitary" very nice. am definitely thinking about gray now

I don't think I saw any mention of the lack of art on the walls. Whatever else you do, put up some *large* bold artwork. Something hip & modern. My own favorite artist is Eric Waugh. I have this print in my living room over the fireplace.

http://www.daniafurniture.com/?page=shop/view_product&product_id=2086

For a more edgy contemporary feel check this one mounted on steel (?).

http://www.daniafurniture.com/?page=shop/view_product&product_id=2102

Those prints are HUGE. Guaranteed to be conversation pieces.

As for the entertainment center, a good wall unit can easily run at least $2000, so do remove the top & bottom decorative pieces, they make it look too country. Don't stain it, because that won't hide the fact that it's knotty pine. Primer it and paint it the deepest darkest black you can get. Not glossy though. Use minimalist brushed nickel knobs you can get for a few bucks from Lowes or from http://www.myknobs.com.

*Don't* reupholster that furniture - it will be cheaper to buy new. If the furniture were classics from another era, I would say go for reupholstery. But if it's modern and you paid less than a thousand new, it's not worth the cost of recovering - which will be way more than a grand by the time you pay for fabric at $30-60 per yard (I'm on a first name basis with the owner of best upholstery shop in my area, and I've been down this road a few times).

Wall color - if you choose the right tones, blue and brown is a very nice palette these days. Otherwise, red-wine accent walls for drama, combined with dark chocolate paint and a true taupe can be very masculine.

LIGHTING. Light the room in layers. Use a combination of uplights (so the ceiling itself will become a soft overall light source), accent lights (put lights on some plants) or make some artwork you can light from behind, or put in track lights so you can "wash" a wall that displays artwork. Task lights - table lamps. Etc.

Invest in a "home automation" system to control those lights. This can be as simple as some plug-in controller for your lamps and a few remote controllable wall switches.

I use Insteon dimmers and lamp modules, defined a few basic "scenes" and I can push a couple of button to go from a brightly lit great-room to a cozy dining lighting "scene" or a dimmed-lights movie "scene".

http://www.smarthome.com

Sound - invest in a GOOD 5.1 or better system. If you buy a syatem that comes with a subwoofer, get rid of it and get a JBL 650W monster. I have this one and it makes DVD's incredible. I also invested in a THX rated Denon receiver (thank you, Craigslist!) and Polk Audio speakers (RTi-A12s for the mains, CSi-A4 for the center and FXi A4s for the surrounds). Football and Nascar are incredible on this setup. Your guy will love you if you let him have good sound and a big screen. And let him use them. LOL

Light control is a MUST for a masculine room. We want *everything* accessible via the remote!

Good luck...

BTW since you mentioned getting a chair, consider this - it has great styling and is still masculine enough to be in a "clubby" room.

http://www.thomasville.com/Item5791/Upholstery-Leather-Marquis-Chair.aspx

Paint the entertainment centre. Would be less cheesey in dark slate, olive or navy.