Rugs and curtains. When I was in college I always lived in places where I couldn't paint the walls and curtains and rugs were the only way to bring in color. Maybe use fun patterns with muted colors or patterns that mix neutrals and brights.

Well, one of the most obvious things would be artwork. And then I agree with mattster, rugs, curtains and more color. Maybe colorful throw pillows.

I was just thinking curtains, too! Easy fix! Something colorful, bold. Done.
Also, a rug would not hurt and maybe some personal photos, on walls or hutch.

Rugs, art and curtains in the living room. You can compromise with your boyfriend by using neutrals for the rugs and curtains, but putting colorful art on the walls. I'd also get a few more plants.

Are you allowed to put holes in the walls? Shelves on that wall where the TV is now would provide a place for it and books, etc. (books warm up a room nicely). It can also be cheaper to get shelves than bookcases.

Places to shop if you're on a tight budget: IKEA, of course, Cost Plus World Market, overstock.com, eBay, Target and local thrift stores.

Since you like modern, and he likes neutrals, think about adding some bold graphic black & white patterns...in a rug or draperies.

Decorate your fridge! I had a friend spray paint his fridge red. Just take off the handles. It looks great and you can just spray paint it back to white when you move.

Hanging plants, shelves, table runner, clock, mirrors, two more plants, more light sources (floor, tables), coffee table, kitty litter cover (also if there's no basement, personally i would put it in the living room or the bathroom for hygiene).

That gorgeous bay window in the living room would be a good place to begin the home-ification process. A couple of armchairs and a small table with a colorful lamp on it - a nice place for reading, and the colorful lamp would be pretty to look at from outside.

If you're not ready to buy new armchairs yet, pop something seasonal and lighted (Christmas tree or winter holiday decoration of your preference) in the window.

I notice you have a catbox, so a Christmas tree may be out, heh heh. On that note, though, you could put a tasteful cat tree in the window, flanked by the armchairs, e.g. http://www.pawsupply.com/littlelotus.html . We did this with our bay window, and although ours is not the most tasteful cat tree, the cats love looking out the window, and it's heartwarming to have their faces be the first thing you see when you come home.

That great area by the windows in the living room could use some side chairs. Check your local thrift stores and better flea markets -- especially since the scale of older/used pieces would probably work better in the space than larger scale new furniture.

If you are prioritizing things to spend $ on, I would do curtains last, unless light control is a problem. The woodwork is great and you wouldn't want to cover it up too much.

Agree with the other suggestions on rugs and pillows. If you want color on the walls without spending a lot, you could use frame a couple coordinating colors of pretty paper or fabric. Then you have time to pick out more permanent art that you really like. Have fun with it!

Rugz

Walmart has inexpensive rugs.

This Etsy store has some nice patterns and colors that would work nicely with what you have now.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/nenavon?page=1

Assuming you can't paint the woodwork, I'd go with a pale gray wall color so you can change out textiles and accents until you find a look that you love.

I'd paint your furniture......chairs a stark white.....the table? I'd paint it gloss black and have a mirrored glass top made to fit it.

I'd go with a light / bright rug with a big pattern. I'd cover the window with white-painted wooden blinds. Oh, and artwork....go big, bold and bright.

I'd also put in a real eye-catching light fixture to draw the eye away from the furniture and woodwork.

You are lucky to have such a wonderful "blank slate."

Lighting will help warm it up. Ikea has great lamps (end & floor) and candles for low, low prices. If you get some end tables at a thrift store, the Ikea lighting won't look too cheap. Also, be on the lookout the night before trash pickup. It's amazing what people throw away that's almost perfectly good. A good cleaning & some paint or varnish will take care of lots of ills on an end table.

Take your time with your beautiful apartment. And send after photos!

You can get great rugs at a great price at the Crate and Barrel Outlet in Chicago. I have many from there in big and small sizes and never paid more than $100 for them. I think some rugs would really "home" it up.

Definitely keep an eye on furniture and rugs for sale on Craigslist. Here in San Francisco you can find some great pieces, though I'm not sure if that's the case in Chicago. In addition to Ikea, another store with cool inexpensive furniture and accessories is CB2.

As for the issue with differing tastes. . . I feel your pain! I had the same issue with my now husband when we moved in together. It may take some time, but try to find styles that you both like and start there. I introduced my husband to the wonderful world of mid-century furniture and now he loves it. Prior to our moving in together, everything he owned was brown and red from Pottery Barn.

I would remove that pendent light fixture and get something else, put on a dimmer. All ceiling lights will not make any improvements look better. Lamps should be brought in at some point, they can add color, texture, better lighting, moods, etc.

Maybe start with one room at a time. Keep the furniture neutral and bring pattern and color in with pillows, rugs and art, that way you both win.

I'm in the middle of doing this myself and want to second what everyone is saying about rugs & patterns - rugs can be inexpensive, add color & interest to pretty much any of your rooms. I'd also add a table runner (can be cheap and can even just be a repurposed piece of fabric that you get creative with), curtains, & colorful flowers here and there.

Your apartment is awesome! I love the bay window...some armcharis would definitely look great in that room, maybe make a cozy reading area. I'm so jealous.

I've had this experience too - ending up in a beautiful apartment that's just a bit too big for the current furniture collection or budget.

I like your kitchen. It looks like it just needs a little bit of color to help it feel lived in. I'd recommend a bright curtain in the kitchen window, and you might consider getting a bunch of plants and putting them on top of the kitchen cupboards - ferns have great volume and also help to purify the air. There are usually free plants on craigslist, or cheap ones in garden departments or nurseries.

Have you and your boyfriend talked about what you want to use the living room for? It looks like it's set up for movie watching right now. If that's its main function then make it function *really* well. A nice sideboard would visually balance the sofa, and sideboards are often available at second hand stores for less than entertainment centers. If you regularly have guests over and would like to use your living room for entertaining, the suggestion Proboscidea has above of adding another seating cluster by the window sounds like it would be useful.

As other folks have said, I think some color will make a lot of difference.

Congratulations on finding a beautiful apartment together!

I think the number one thing needed is rugs! Since the boy likes natural colors, you might want to start with natural sisal rugs in each room.

The curtains can be white, grey, or even a shade of dusty blue if you want to add a "color".

Then add cushions, dishes, towels, pillows, artwork, etc in brighter pops of color.

when in doubt, if you're going to buy an item in a neutral color, think texture. It will add dimension to the room. Ikea has white curtain panels that have textured designs, for example. Texture will add dimension and interest to even a beige pillow.

Craigslist Free section, there are some real gems if you are willing to wait it out!

best of luck, you have a lovely apartment!

You're lucky that your "blank slate" is actually quite rich with that wonderful dark trim. To add color or interest, it's all textiles, textiles, textiles. Bright ones for your taste, neutral and more eclectic for his.

Am I the only one who completely ignores any "no painting" rule? Only one of my landlords has ever expressly forbidden it, and she didn’t even notice when we moved out. My other landlords have appreciated it because I did the proper prep work. In my state, landlords are required to paint between tenants anyway.

If you plan on staying more than a couple of years, just paint. Assuming you would choose a different color, is living with the current color for multiple years worth not having to repaint before you move out? Pick a color that isn’t completely outrageous, protect the woodwork, and do the job well. It’s better to beg for forgiveness than to ask permission.

As a landlord myself, I would much rather a tenant painted the walls than the refrigerator, as one commenter suggested. I'd be horrified if it had been sprayed red and then "just sprayed back to white again."

But other than that, I have the same differences in taste with my husband as you do with your boyfriend. So we stayed neutral with te furniture and I gradually introduced colourful pillows, rugs, paintings, etc. Not all at once - I tried that and it freaked him out. A bright cushion here, a jewel-toned vase there...gradually, our place got more and more colourful and now he loves it.

reupholster the dining room chair cushions in a bright color, maybe a bold red or a pattern. you can also add color with the pots that you put plants in.

First things first...move the litterbox out of the kitchen..

Craigslist and Ikea are your friends. Get some more living room furniture from Craigslist. A big city like Chicago should have people moving around continuously enough that there should be good finds in armchairs,etc. Then get curtains, fabric, rugs, pillows, etc. from ikea. You need to soften the edges with textiles. You have great bones and some good furniture. Now you need to soften and brighten it up with textiles.

I didn't read any of the other comments, so forgive me...

First of all, I would ask friends and family if there's anything they would be willing to give to you or sell to you. Don't accept crap though. Don't let these people "dump" their junk onto you. Secondly, check craigslist and shop for some basics at Ikea. With that said...

--Curtains (floor length would be a great place to start.) Maybe some navy blue, maybe some with wide stripes. Mix it up. Nothing beige. And do not repeat the same curtains in every room. Replace the curtain in the kitchen as well. That one could look cool with a half curtain starting at the window pane of the lower half of the window.
--Rugs. And possibly a long rectangular rug by the kitchen sink, or even a square or 5'x8' rug in the kitchen to add some color.
--Artwork. Go shopping together for something you both like or find some inexpensive posters and frame them nicely to look more "grown up."
--A larger table/cabinet/media console for your tv and a desk for your computer.

Your place is in good condition. There's so much beautiful, dark hardwood that neutrals would kill it. Remind you BF that neutral is just that. Neutral=can't commit=boring.

Good luck and send AFTER pics.

Things to sit on and feel on your bare feet: Sofa, throw, pillow, rug OR curtains. (don't make too many decisions at once, let it evolve.) Things to look at, things you appreciate: Family photos, cherished objects, and art. Edit. Things to put your drinks on. Make a plan; If you can only afford a bit right now, go for pillows and art - how chic!

You could get 2 large pieces of plywood and paint them neutral but warm tones and then hand a piece of art on each.

Neutral curtains with a brightly colored trim, grey or tan pillows with a punchy embroidery, bright throws, etc.

Also- I am a neutral person at heart but wish that I loved bright, cheery colors. I have a group of items that I spray paint to match my mood. In this group is a charger (metal plate like thingy...), a large wall mounted candle holder, a plant stand, and a couple of birdhouses- in the summer they are yellows and pinks and greens. In the winter they change to greys and whites. :)

One inexpensive way to get "art" on the walls is to find a fun fabric that you like and stretch it on a canvas. This can be particularly effective if you've got a large space, as large art can be expensive. (A 3'x3' canvas is less than $30 at a discount art supply store.) Ikea has some fun prints, or check out the remnant section of a good fabric store. All you need is a staple gun and you're set!

The living room could use a large area rug, a large comfy chair or chaise by the bay window, and curtains! A nice large piece of artwork (prints can be cheap) behind the sofa would make a huge difference.

In the dining room the table doesn't seem centered under the light. I would refrain from painting the table since it looks nice as is but a nice simple centerpiece that is much lighter in color would definitely be great. Curtains that match the living room would also be great.

What might be nice in the kitchen is one of those rolling island with a butcher block top. I'd leave it simple and not do a whole lot to it.

Honestly, I love modern decor in a vintage home. I also live in a three flat in Chicago (pretty similar to yours!), and modern looks great in my place. Midcentury modern is also a thought, too- and looks great in old apartments:)

Buy some prints or some vintage art from the thrift store for the walls. Curtains and rugs go a long way, so do decorative pillows and throws!

Give yourself a little time putting together a comfortable, interesting place, especially if you're doing it on a budget. We did our entire house with stuff from thrift shops, curbside treasures, IKEA, and Target, spending about 5,000.00 for 8 rooms. If I had been a bit more patient, diligent, I could probably have done it a little cheaper, too.

Biggest bang for the buck: case goods like bookcases and credenzas which provide storage, fill up space, and come in a vast array of shapes, colours, and styles. They also give you a nice, eye-level surface for putting plants or pops of colour via ceramic objects, which instantly cozy up a room.

A couple of decent large area rugs can add warmth as well. In a couple of rooms, we bought cotton rubber-backed rugs from IKEA (2ftx3ft) and placed them alongside each other to affect an area rug. Very inexpensive, easy to keep clean (esp. with cats), and when you are finally able to afford something nicer or larger, you can use the rugs elsewhere in the house.

I know you asked for help and ideas, so this might not be what you want to hear, but TAKE YOUR TIME.

I know it's hard to wait. We moved a year ago, and we are still buying things for our new house. We had a house before, but this one is much larger and we don't have much furniture for it.

I did buy some pieces before and shortly after we moved in, and none of them are working very well for us now. I really wish that I had been more patient and waited for the perfect things to come along.

We still don't have curtains or rugs in a lot of rooms. They are expensive! I don't want to buy a cheap one I will hate, and they are such an important part of a room that I don't want to settle. It's frustrating not to have everything done, and to have to wait and save money, but I think it works out better in the long run.

Artwork, rugs, and side tables. Oh, and maybe a couple of vases or ceramic pieces.

I'd start by warming up what you already have. For the living room begin with a neutral area rug (at least 5'x7'). Most big box home retailers will have them at pretty reasonable prices. I'd then do solid color voile sheers on inexpensive 7/17” cafe rods. These would cover the black holes of the windows at night, softly diffuse the light during the day, and are great base to add more expensive curtains to later. I'd suggest as your first furniture purchase a small desk so the computer & monitor are off the floor. I could see the small Parsons desk from West Elm by the window where the mirror is now. Then two occasional tables with lamps so you aren't solely dependent on overhead lighting. Getting to this point should warm things up enough that you can take your time to add artwork, additional seating, a coffee table, etc. While my suggestions are basic and neutral, add your colorful and modern taste in the artwork, curtains and accessories.

Plants are always a good start !

I co-sign with tinkermommy! Plants absolutely breath life into a room both figuratively and literally. You can get a few colorful plants, potted bushes, and flowers for just a little money. In my opinion, greenery has a bigger impact that paint or textiles. I would also suggest adding a couple colorful statement pieces to the built in hutch, like an interesting vase, trays, or boxes.

Do a little thing, once a week:
- DIY something
- Go to Goodwill or an other thrifstore (for furnitures and accessories)
- Buy a plant
- Set a party
- Cook a meal with your boyfriend

It don't cost much and I assure you, it helps! We move in a place who has 3 more rooms than our previous flat, but with the same budget, so I know what is it.

After 4 months, it still have echos when we make a party in the dinning room and the living room, but every week, there a little something special I find or DIM and our place begin to look like ours.

Here is some temporary and almost-free tips:
- Recycle pictures you like in magazine or old books (or print pictures of you and your firends & bf) and frame it all together. (There is cheap frame at Goodwill)
- Buy a fabric on sale and make a table runner (it will cost ou max. 10 bucks)
- Put some candels on it
- Find something you like at Goodwill and start a collection of it (it can be plates, anonymous artworks, hats, teapot, mirrors...) and display it. For myself it is vintage lamps. A good choice because it warm up a room in elegance.
- Put a carpet and hooks at your entryway
- Find a desk on Craiglist for your computer

Finally, I LOVE your four different chairs in your dining room. That is a good start!

Goodluck ;)

color, candles, and plants!

Tons of great suggestions!

I vote for nearly sheer curtains to soften up the windows and give some privacy, but still take advantage of what look like nice bright windows.

Rugs are a must. I agree that black and white can be a good option when the boyfriend wants neutral, and you like color, because you can play with bold pattern and he can't complain about "color". And maybe choose one color theme and add your accents of pillows, vases or artwork within that range. Something warm like orange or fuchsia for small pops of warmth.

That living room light would look amazing if replaced with a gorgeous chandelier. That arch doorway is really framing whatever is hanging there (when seen from the other room), so you definitely don't want a ghetto light fixture being framed by that amazing arch.

It already looks pretty good, so it would be better not to stress yourself or feel bad that it's not finished. A home's never finished, anyway. Don't set arbitrary deadlines. Think of it as sort of a long-term hobby rather than a task you have to rush to complete. Decorating your home will be more fun that way.

I'd be really upset if I rented to a person who spray painted the fridge.

"First things first...move the litterbox out of the kitchen.."

Indeed!

It doesn't take a lot to home-ify an interior like this. A tablerunner with a sophisticated pattern. Some display china in the built-in. Neutral rugs (I like the sisal suggestion) with some luxury floor cushions or an upholstered feature chair. A big dramatic potted tree. Don't get overwhelmed and just experiment a bit - you'll be surprised how quickly the look becomes more friendly.

Your beautiful (I mean, stunning) place has a very strong traditional feel to it.... I wouldn't touch a thing of it... the wood let it be as is....

That being said..... go crazy with modern..... as far as you can afford. For example... in the dining room, table is fine, chairs are fine, and wall unit too.... but in accesories....ditch as most of traditional elements as you can and go for metal (not gold), transparent and/ colored glass elements... Simple and modern....

Big art! few very interesting pieces, some of which you could do yourselves. Bring big plants, maybe one for each room.

What's that color on the walls? If you feel like painting i would suggest something around the grayish greens, (which bring out the color of the surrounding wood beautifully). If not, go for a very subdued off white shade, not bluish or reddish.

For the windows, go for something completely informal.... maybe, semi sheer roman shades. If you have traditional furniture you don't want to part with, don't... but mix it with modern elements to bring a new magic to the place.

Change light fixtures (aluminum Beryl ikea lamps are a good example). Get reference from european apartments (they are INSANE!!!, old bones, new meat!!). Here in this site there are some amazing examples!

As for furniture goes... don't rush it.... you'll be falling in love with pieces here and there and in due time you'll be all set.

Textiles, like a sweet table cloth or runner, artwork, like a painting or some photos or a cool poster or even vintage images picked out at a thrift store, and flowers and candles... Those four things will instantly make it feel like 'your' home.

Okay, here's what I would do. Pick one accent color that both of your like. For example, blue.

Buy some blue and white floor to ceiling drapes for kitchen and dining windows (at least -- maybe for all of them) such as:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70174983
or http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50173908
or http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20164397.

Find a nice textured table runner (linen maybe) in white for your dining table, and find one slightly large blue ceramic or silver metal accent piece (like a fruit bowl) for the center.

Place a largish square art piece (canvas, framed print, whatever you like) in the large opening of the hutch, centered in the space. (You can probably put a nail in the beadboard grooves, or use a Command hook.) Arrange a largish vase with some branches in front of the art work to one side.

Recover your dining chair seats with another blue and white print and make at least 2 matching sofa cushions.

Get a piece of furniture for your tv -- a sideboard or credenza or entertainment center or something. (Lots of options, so find something you like the looks of and has storage -- you'll want it sooner or later!) If it's wider than the tv, and I think the wall calls for something larger, put the tv off center and place something decorative and fairly tall (vase, sculpture, plant, whatever) on the other end.

Get an area rug for the living room. I'd try to find something that has blue in it but is not all or mainly blue.

I'd add at least one chair to the living room facing the sofa and tv, so angled in the corner of the bay window. Two would be even better. (Could be your accent color, could be another color, but if you have 2 chairs, they should match -- unmatched ones will look cluttery in that size space.) Add a small occasional table and lamp between the chair and the sofa, add a coffee table in front of the sofa.

Change out the light fixture or get your landlord to do so, if possible.

Add a few nice medium to large pieces of art that you LOVE, slowly over time. I think the window treatments, if patterned, will add enough design and interest to make the plain walls look ok for a while. But all the hard surfaces are calling our for some textiles, so at least get the drapes!!

Have fun!

Great place. I had the same problem with a former boyfriend. I liked mid century mod stuff and he liked...well hell I don't know what his style was but we went shopping and the only thing we could agree on was art deco style and that worked for me.

You are so lucky to have such a clean slate to start from.How fun!!!