apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

You can hang large textiles, like quilts, oriental rugs, etc.

The best way to hang them is to sew a pocket along the top, slip in a curtain rod, and voila. Don't use nails -- the fabric will lose its shape and get droopy.

depending on how brave you are (and/or the relationship with the LL)... i'd suggest to paint the walls the color you want and simply paint them back when you move out. just do it (at your cost) and don't make a big deal out of it (and don't paint anything that can't be "unpainted" like cabinets). most leases simply state that the residence has to be the same state as when you received it (and nothing stipulated about the specifics)... life is far too short (and paint too cheap) to live in a cantaloupe econobox. from the landlord's POV, he/she can kick you out yet still be stuck for several months with a mortgage and no tenant -- not it's a no-win for them... hopefully your landlord will see the value of a long-term happy tenant.

change the concept from black and white to dark wood tones. you can still keep it modern and clean without going for the cliche of black and white. i think an asian feel would go great with the colors already there. bring in some green accents through plant material such as bamboo or orchids. large scale dramatic art pieces would also help to hide some of the existing paint color. if you really want black and white, i think it might look better if you use it sparingly with accent pieces. an occasional piece of pottery or other accessory. maybe even an extra large white lampshade drum or black picture frames.

you have a whole lot of walls to paint if you decide to go that route. unless you know you're committed to that space beyond a year, it might not be worth the time, effort and expense.

by the way, you can probably find fairly in-expensive, large scale art pieces at places like z-gallerie. or give some family photos a contemporary framing with extra large frames from ikea.

I concur with sfposter; nobody in SF bothers to ask, it's a given we're going to be naughty and paint the forbidden walls. If you do a good job, don't ruin the carpet, and stay away from black and blood red, you should be fine.

Re: "Can't Paint"
Meh - Paint it anyway:
You're doing the landlord a favor.

I agree with all who say paint it anyway. My only concern is if all the lofts are the same colors it may stick out like a sore thumb looking in from the outside, or if the landlord sees it he/she might have a cow. I would talk with the landlord and plead your case. The wall color is really bad. Good Luck.

OMG! I agree with the masses- Paint it!!! Live the way you want to.

Surely you and your boyfriend have great style and will be able to work with the color palette. Judging by the pictures, this looks like a nice, professional paint job which will help in making it work with your design asthetic.

Actually, our landlord is the owner and she said that under no circumstance were we allowed to paint. With the tough rental market and after searching for over a month, I wasn't about to give it up just because of the walls. I'm thinking whites, greys and silvers might work well?

Heh. I advocated paint, but then again, I don't hate the scheme. If the tan was more light, neutral, creamy, it'd be quite nice. Putting up fabric would involve some sort of mounting hardware, so that'd probably please the landlord even less than paint..

It's still a really sexy loft, congrats!

If it was mine, and I wish it was mine, I'd try go with upholstery complementing the gray shades, with a few pieces (maybe a pair of chairs?) in a chocolate brown or some form of that accent red. Something that would feel that tan, but draw your attention first.

Broad sofas with very horizontal lines would look great in your place, too. Makes me think of the Kramfors at Ikea, in the dark gray.

BE BAD! PAINT! LISTEN TO THE VOICES!

Gosh.

I happen to like the colors. And I wouldn't paint. Just come up with a creative way to make them work.

start with changing the paint its too typical SOMA "loft".
Bring some light fixtures in that bring some texture don't rely on the recessed lighting that exist. More lights from the floor up will soften the rooms (uolight). Either embrace the scale and put up large scale art or go the opposite then add soffit in most areas would help.
The opposite colors on the walls is really ugly, either go all white and pick an accent on certain wall will make it room look more modern.

i dont think the question is if sasha can/should/need to paint or not...

so, okay, maybe just go with the accent wall color and go big with a red sofa? then just build on the modern architecture thing with polished metal and frosted glass pieces (like for a coffee table) and crisp whites (no black anything as it would look very '90s with that building). also mix in natural stuff like graphic grass-woven pieces and leather pieces so the modern is not too "cold"... big art is a good idea, but i mean, it has to be really BIG to be in proportion with the big walls.

i'm not crazy bout that wall color but it's kind of safe/neutral enough to have your furniture pop against it. good luck and have fun!

If my walls had to have that color I'd try to overwhelm them , cover them, or apply colored lighting to change their looks.

Or it might be possible to ask the LL to have the brown walls professionally painted (his choice of contractor, your monney) in exactly the color of the not-so-brown walls.

And then, wallpaper isn't really paint, is it :) ?

why are you stuck? modern european black and white furniture with clean lines will work fine with tan and grey walls...and if it's not ideal so what????

you are starting out, this is your first grown up place, let go of the pressure to get it right and explore. make mistakes... or not. invest in what you really love for when you own... or can paint.

this is the next step, but it is not the most important or final one.

have fun.

Great space. Move in and paint the place. Worse case scenario, the landlord keeps your deposit when you move out. Not a big price to pay to live the way you want.

If I weren't allowed to paint these walls, the urge to paint them a radically different color would be mighty powerful. I'd be all "Do. Not. Want. muddy creamsicle walls.

If I were allowed to paint, then I'd think "What a sublime pumpkiny-cafe-au-lait color. Lucky me."

I think the color can work. That band of reddish wood along the loft floor is a nice complement. It brings out some flattering tones in the paint. I'd head in that direction.

Also, using very pale woods like maple might make for a very serene, earthy yet light space.

Unlimited access to fabric? It might be really cool to put a silvered mesh curtain over the greige (grey green) wall. Otherwise, I would follow the idea of working with the woods. Strong shapes, lots of color - buttery leathers, rich textures. Navy, robin's egg, honey.
I'd almost use the greige wall as a shadow around a gallery of multiple black framed black and white images. I'd make it pristine and sharp, with all the color and curve on the "color" side.
I was really inspired by the Danish designers...
Dining Table: http://www.dmk.dk/details/13816/
Dining Chairs like this: http://www.dmk.dk/details/14043/
More curves to recline into in front of the lovely window, maybe up in the loft: http://www.dmk.dk/details/14105/
At each end of the couch: http://www.dmk.dk/details/14107/
Coffee Table: http://www.dmk.dk/details/14121/
Lamp: http://www.dmk.dk/furniture/005/040/ http://www.dmk.dk/details/13610/

What about that wallpaper that you can put up and take off with no damage to the walls? At least on some of the walls.
At least they're not mint green. I don't think its that bad...

Just like most others have said, I would paint it anyway. I would be careful to avoid colors that are very rich or deep since they can be a major hassle to cover over. You said you wanted neutrals so you should be OK.

SF Landlords are supposed to paint the walls in-between tenants - I'd remind her of that fact when you let her know that you're painting the walls a nice creamy chocolate...

What, are there Government secrets behind the blurs? Lol!