apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think you have a good start! Maybe just find some fabric or ready made pillows to match that lime green bowl on your coffea table. Also books or a candle or two on the table wouldn't hurt.

In your diningroom, I would maybe replace the light.
Check IKEA for a cheapy overhead light that is more contemporary, like maybe their basket type. Then paint, paint, paint!!
Does your livingroom connect to, or visible from the diningroom? Maybe a toned down lime green paint in the dining are would pull both together. Possibly paint the ceiling to match a color in your livingroom rug.
You are doing great so far!

You have a good start on the look you like. My only real advice would be PLEASE don't buy art at Ikea. Furniture, sure. But Ikea's "art" costs as much as buying an original painting from an art student, or limited-edition prints and photos.

If you're on a tight budget, try Etsy (www.etsy.com/), 20x200 (http://www.20x200.com/), Tiny Showcase (www.tinyshowcase.com/), Blue Flip (www.blueflipart.com/ ) and Ugallery (www.ugallery.com/) before you spend hundreds of dollars on a mass-produced picture at Ikea. Art is the last thing in the world that should look generic.

Is this a rental? Are you allowed to paint and change out fixtures?

Even if you can't do those things, you have a great palette to work with and nice solid furniture. Try some Thomas Paul graphic silk pillows for your couch in shades of green or blue from your rug. A very inexpensive source is an eBay seller named bill6961. If you buy more than one pillow (as I did), he offers discounted shipping. The pillows themselves are $19 each.

And I agree with Lisa Hunter (Montreal) -- skip the IKEA art. Some Etsy sellers offer large (poster size) prints of their work or you could make a grouping of smaller images. Thrift stores, particularly in cities with many artists/art students, might yield some cool large-scale pieces (maybe even a mirror for the dining area). And if all else fails, you could make your own. You could print and frame your best photographs, which would really personalize the space.

if it's a rental and you're allowed to paint, go for it. if not, add some wall art like palindrome and Lisa Hunter (Montreal) suggested. scour craigslist, etsy, garage/yard sales, and thrift stores to see what you can find.

perhaps adding a colorful table runner to the dining set might help out. i added a green one to our bland white table and it really helped energize it.

good luck!

Get the furniture away from the walls.

Hey David,

You are definitely off to a good start. I wouldn't go with the Premiar Ikea art though. I think you need something with a bit more color in it for your wall. It would also help if you put something in the bowl on your coffee table. It looks vacant all by itself. You could make use of the other colors in your rug for accents too. Pick pillows with a pattern to soften the squareness a little.

As for the dining room, put the candle sticks on the table. I agree that you need something visually stimulating on the walls. If you decide on a mirror above your server try a different shape other than square or rectangle. This way if you go with something large on the adjacent wall it won't look too boxy. Some colorful placemats will work wonders. I would stick with the same peacock color palette that you have in the living room for the dining room. Good Luck!

:o)

First, try pulling the sofas away from the walls. It can be amazing how 'modern' this can make a room look if it works functionally in the space. Here's some pics of my living room done this way.

I think your dining furniture is too big for the room. Do you have 8 chairs? If so I'd put some in storage to make the room look less full. As for as a mirror, I would not put it above the console, I would put it on the longer wall you say looks naked. They have relatively inexpensive ones at Z Gallerie, or else check thrift stores. I would put 2 tall plants on either side of the console where you have the extra chair.

Also, all your furniture seems rather dark. You could paint the walls a richer color to get rid of the stark contrast you have going on now. Throw pillows would help (something with some texture but not shiny like you have now, they compete with the shiny-ness of the couches), as well as art (I agree about etsy, it's great!) throws, plants, curtains, and I would put some things on the dining table. A runner, centerpiece (low plant/s? Bowl of fruit? something) I have a large dining table and put a long runner longways, then 2 smaller runners going across them, it breaks up all the dark wood. Plus they were cheap from Target. Then maybe some of your favorite books on the coffee table, I get art books for a dollar at the thrift store. I agree too about pulling the furniture away from the walls, try different arrangements, even put it on paper first to see how it would work.

Post pictures when your finished! A hint about the art someone told me once- don't buy it just to "have something on the walls" buy things as you see them and love them, no rush...

Def switch out the overhead light in the dining room. It doesn't work with the style of your furniture.

As for art, try using fabric and canvas to create artwork for the wall. Here's a tutorial from Martha. A project like this is affordable, and would add color to your room, without a lot of commitment.

Link didn't work:

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/painted-fabric-silhouettes?autonomy_kw=fabric%20canvas&rsc=header_1

Can you switch the sofa and love seat? Then turn the rug a quarter turn, tuck it under the love seat a bit.

Does the dining table have leaves? I'd take them all out, leaving only four chairs at the table, two on each side.

Buy different sizes of artist canvas, and paint solid colors to coordinate with whatever painting or poster you decide for the livingroom.

One last thought: if you're really on a tight budget and can't afford any large art, get a couple yards of Ikea fabric for a wall hanging -- the textiles are much better and cheaper than their pre-fab art.