apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Moving in and getting rid of those overhead light fixtures would be a start...

Second the badness of the overhead lights! Just don't use them; have plenty of floor/table lames. Also good use of large pieces of art on the walls to distract from the lack of windows would be great.

Lamps. Not lames.

Find a shade loving vine to plant in large pots outside all your windows to hide the concrete out there and use really nice and important window coverings for after dark.

Or maybe the pots could sit on the top and the plants hang down - probably work better. One I found is:

A Shade-Loving Vine with Pink Blooms
Just about every shade-loving vine that is hardy in Northern climates flowers white; here's one that blooms pink Schizophragma Hydrangeoides 'Roseum.'

This deciduous, woody stemmed Japanese Hydrangea Vine is loved for its pink, lace-cap hydrangea flowers that reach up to ten inches across. It blooms in early summer, beginning as small dark pink flowers, slowly growing and changing to a beautiful buttery, light rose pink and lasting for four to six weeks. The entire vine is covered in silvery, steel blue heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in the fall, making it a great choice to brighten a shady area.

Schizophragma is easily confused with Chinese climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala petiolaris). Unlike the climbing hydrangea, which has arching stems that reach out three feet from the surface, Schizophragma develops an intricate tracery of reddish brown stems that lay flat against the surface. They are particularly handsome in winter.

Schizophragma Hydrageoides 'Roseum' uses its root-like holdfasts to cling to whatever it is climbing. As far as vines go, this clinging vine is not aggressive when starting. But once started, it will cover whatever you put in its path. 'Roseum' can reach up to 30 feet tall, traveling up a tree, trellis, masonry garden wall, fence, up a building wall or laying flat and spreading as a ground cover. Think of the design possibilities!

Planting and Care

Plant in part shade to full shade.

Requires medium moisture.

Fertilize in early spring and late fall with Cottonseed Meal and Kelp Meal.

If necessary, prune in late winter to early spring.

For quick coverage of large surfaces, space 6-9' apart.

Hardy in Zones 5-9.

I would start with the paint and the lighting-

The dark wall makes it look boxy not foxy.. Use either soft buttery whites or go monochromatic. If monochromatic you could paint one wall a few tones darker to give some depth, I would go with grey-blue hues maybe on the warmer side. I recently painted my room in a smoky grey and the room feels cozier and a bit more dramatic.. Greys do change as the light changes through out the day. I would go on the lighter side because lighter is more reflective. You could also go with greens/golds also on the lighter side in the same hues.

The ceiling pendent should go. Whatever color you paint the walls I would paint the ceiling a buttery white maybe even in a semi gloss. You could add track lights (small profile) in white with very small fixtures with some MR16 to create very clean lighting on dimmers. Having a pendent will limit furniture placement. Track lighting if done well will give you the most flexibility in a small space. Recessed is more expensive, either way consider doing a lighting plan overlaying your furniture plan (layout).

Maybe selecting a wall and adding two- three larger freestanding mirror panels, Ikea has a really nice one. This will reflect some of the natural light and make the room seem a bit bigger without having to mount mirrors permanently, just lean them upright against the wall. I told my friend to do this he got three large mirrors ,leaned them against the wall and them we grouped with candles that are on the organic flowing candle holder, it sorta became a faux fireplace. At night is very dramatic and during the day the mirror reflect the natural light.

Your furniture should be small scale and low. Use round or oval occasional and coffee tables. Curved furniture grouped together will give you more space to walk around. Just pull everything away from the wall and maybe a small sofa angled off a corner, angling chairs will also help to create a welcoming seating area. Since you have do dining space do what I do. My Corbusier dining table is now my desk in my front room. I now eat at my coffee table. When I have guest I have large floor cushions to sit on and a few can sit on the sofa. Everyone loves this and I set the coffee table as I would a dining table just a bit scaled down. Sofa could be armless and chairs could be low Danish modern or Eames lounge chairs all small scale. Need a big rug to anker your living/furniture area, or flor tiles.

Use low profile bookcases to add art and lighting. Wall mount shelves to add other items you like display to dress up those walls some. If you have a plant in the corner, place a canister lamp on the floor behind the plant to light up the wall. I would experiment with canister lamps, behind the sofa, bookcase where ever to wash the wall with light to give some interests.

Keep the window treatments white and simple. Painter the floor heaters the same color as the walls so they don't stand out so much.

Overall you might want to stick with Zen and simple.

Change the paint colors! It won't seem as dark, plus make the rooms feel bigger.

I put some fake plants in narrow and thin windowsill planters outside our alleyway-view windows. Great if you don't have a green thumb or a deep wallet. True gardeners will be offended...

It's going to look so much better once you get furniture in the place, but while it's still empty the subterranean window view is really evident. If you're allowed to paint, maybe fake some wainscotting up the wall until it touches the windows? Or even painting the wall white in a wide stripe above and below the window frames? Things to make them look longer or taller... Even if you're not allowed to paint, you could probably cut some luan pieces down to fit those spaces, paint them, and achieve the same effect.

I think I'd take down the current matching shades too - just because they are covering the few inches of view you have! Maybe get some bottom mount shades or drapes that go almost to the ground (but not start a fire in your baseboard heaters!) and hang outside the window frames to make them seem wider.

Browse! Just by browsing online, you'll find tons of images of rooms and products. I just found this one that has many elements that could work, especially with the colors in your new home!

Main page:
http://www.luxeinterior.co.uk/default.aspx?pageID=1

You have to click over to Orla Kiely and check out the two different color schemes for the same place.

There is one ONE color wall way back by the dining area, which you already have in your living/dining/kitchen area.

The furniture is not anything that by itself will poke anyone in the eye. It's not to bright. It's not something that will become a frightening flashback to another time that never should have been made. It's nice, neat, clean shapes.

Notice that the arms on the sofa and the chairs are NOT EXCESSIVELY WIDE. You want narrow or non-existent arms. They will take up much less space. If you think about some of those chairs that have really wide arms, you'll realize that with only two wide-armed chairs, you lose a foot of space. That's only an extra three inches per side on two chairs, that will equal a FOOT of space.

You can put a table or lamp in a foot of space! People can squeeze through a foot of space. Or you can create a much wider walk way around your area. Just from forgoing two wide armed chairs.

The same thing goes for ANY OTHER ITEMS. Sofas. Dining area. Don't get a bigger table or sofa than you REALLY need, and by need I mean that you USE 95% of the time.

For that center light, you could probably place a drum shade over the existing fixture to give it a zippy update without tearing anything down.

Notice also that the main color and pattern in on of the images at the link are from only the rug and the two pillows!

Save by getting comfortable, all purpose furniture that has a variety of covers, like KARLSTAD:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69840486

And then splurge on a great rug and a pair of pillows. Something like this rug might work:
http://www.addarug.com/DisplayLargeImage.cfm?ParentID=208&ItemTitleWeb=G-96-Retro&Category=187

This would be a great way to add color to the left wall of the living room:
http://lloydi.com/travel-writing/prague/2006/day1.html

And, I am thinking that the whole set up there could be used for a variety of purposes, with maybe some alteration of sizes (as needed).

If you have chairs on wheels, you can easily move those chairs to the living area. Pull out the square table for dining. It might need to be a bit larger, or perhaps be the kind of table that opens up or has a gateleg.

The narrow table that is taller, it is like a sofa table/console. That could serve as your landing strip area also. Or as your work/desk area or study, looks like there is an outlet that is placed PERFECTLY for you to use the image and put lamps (gooseneck?) on that console area.

They have a TV in that framed in orange area. I was thinking more in the lines of it being a place you could use as a bulletin board, or for art.

What do you think about the above ideas so far? Anything sound good?

I looked around some more. I didn't realize at first that the windows looked out (in part) on the concrete.

So you want to reflect light around, but it doesn't have to be with mirrors. You can reflect light via large art, like the four items shown in this image:
http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/remodeling/gallery/basement-conversions/?page=11

BIG FRAMES, BIG MATS.

I also like this room a lot:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/room/living-room/groovy-basement-hangout/

It also has the "view" of concrete, but who is looking out the window? The INSIDE is so interesting and vibrant that it's hard not to pay attention to the colors and shapes of the furniture.

This bedroom has a neat idea that might be of use, large tote bags at the base of the bed serve as the laundry baskets and look nice too:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/decorating-style/contemporary/modern-vintage/?page=13

Lastly, one of my favorite suggestions. Consider looking at a local plastics store for acrylic mirror. Have rectangles cut to fit the bottom of the concrete well, or just the bottom of the window sill on the inside.

You'll find that ANYTHING to help bounce a little natural light around the room really does help!

Thank you all! I have moved in and it does look a little better.

My biggest concern now is the lack of light. I am interested in True Blue's idea to "Lastly, one of my favorite suggestions. Consider looking at a local plastics store for acrylic mirror. Have rectangles cut to fit the bottom of the concrete well, or just the bottom of the window sill on the inside." What do you mean to fit the bottom of the concrete well? Would I place large mirrors all along it? The well happens to be 3' away from the windows and about 24' long. I am planning to plant a variety of plants (herbs, veggies, wildflowers). Any other ideas of making the place brighter and lighter would be much appreciated!

I think I'd do floor to ceiling drapes along that whole wall. That will expand the space vertically, ensuring it doesn't get all Napoleon on you. And yes, lamps are key.

Good, I'm so glad to hear you have moved in, Kristen!

See this image of an acrylic mirror IN a fireplace opening:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/home-accessories/accessories/decorating-with-mirrors-to-maximize-size-and-style/?page=22

Here's one place that has the acrylic mirror (it's my local place):
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=345&

You can try it out right now, to see if you would benefit from using anything reflective in those wells. Got aluminum foil?

Lay some down in one well.

Try putting some along the back wall in another well.

It doesn't have to be mirrors. Anything that is "shiny" will work.

Like tin ceiling panels:
http://www.americantinceilings.com/patterns.html?menu

That gives you something a lot more interesting to look at, and if any sun hits the panels, the effect would be dazzling (get your sunglasses!).

Over time the panels would weather. Which could be very attractive. And again, a lot more interesting to view than concrete.

Couple other ideas to help with lighting and mood. For mood, give yourself the "ahhh" view you wish had, via a good-sized photo image somewhere in your home. A landscape or cityscape. Whatever you love. So that you always get a glimpse of that image during the day.

I like that the blinds kind of match the walls. But the top portion blocks whatever "view" you would have. Swapping over to top-down/bottom-up blinds would be very useful.

You could lower the top without raising the bottom, giving you a view ONLY of the outside. And in a room brightening white or off-white would help.

JCPenney has them, maybe one of the pre-made sizes is just right, check them out here:
http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/ProductsHOM.aspx?DeptID=28541&CatID=28541&Grptyp=SIZ&ItemId=12fc438

You can try that now too, if the window treatments in place are easily removed, and simply use a white towel or pillowcase over the middle of the window, leaving the top portion open. How does it look? Do you get significantly more light by switching to a white window treatment that also drops down from the top?

You would only need the two for the living area, the bedroom area can be darker (since it's usually night when people sleep anyway).

So is there enough additional light to justify spending about $100.00? And you can tell the landlord that you will leave them when you go, giving new residents a choice between the two kinds of window treatments (the current one and the new one you pick out).

Don't overlook "daylight" lighting. Like Full Spectrum bulbs. I am near coast, so we don't have summer, we have high fog and drizzle. Also, due to the season and the sun's angle being almost overhead, and the overhang of the balconies, I get NO SUN IN MY APARTMENT AT ALL. From about Spring to Autumn, No sun. None. Zero. Zilch.

I came up with the reflective idea for the ground (balcony) with silver colored plastic placemats. It's sound ridiculous, until you live in a cave for awhile and crave some kind of additional light inside. Anything. And sure enough, they DO bounce light onto the ceiling near the window, and they also illuminate the sheer window coverings, making it more of a wall of light.

Not bright light, because it's overcast so often. But it helps.

And so does the full spectrum light bulbs, that I DO use during the day sometimes. I use Verilux:
http://www.verilux.com

They're pricey. However, I have the same ones I bought like 12 years ago. They do NOT take to a dimmer, they will whine if you try it. But for uplights, or reading, or ever your overhead fixtures (if you don't install dimmers for them), they will make it feel more "daytime". It's just the way the colors look from the range of the bulb.

It fools the eye. It's a trick. And it works. I haven't tried the actual light therapy products, but I am looking at this one:
http://www.verilux.com/light-therapy-lamps/happylight-mini-therapy

Mostly because it's small and isn't ugly. Ha! You do NOT need to have something like that running all day. It's usually used for about 30 minutes in the morning.

If you putter in the kitchen in the morning for breakfast or coffee, that would probably be a good spot. Not where it will get wet though.

You sometimes have to adapt and adopt different strategies for different locations that you live in. You know what they:

Necessity is the mother of invention.